I drove my friend's 2010 maxima and I was surpriseed at how much torque it had. Felt much more powerful and responsive than my 2011 xS in the low RPM range. Possible due to AWD powertrain losses? I just find this strange since on paper the G is supposed to be faster.

 

The new CVT's are pretty fast tbh

 

Buy a Porsche or BMW 335 if you want more speed. Maybe the G37 is not the right car for you.

 

Your G is AWD.
Maxima is front.
CVT=golf cart trany

I had a maxima before my G and I gotta tell you, my G is WAY faster than the max was and has a lot more noticible torque. I think what you're feeling is the change-over from AWD to FWD. it takes more HP to turn 4 wheels than the maxima's 1.

 

How odd. Before I bought my G37xS, I tested a Maxima and found it to be peppy but certainly not fast, and the CVT was very annoying. In magazine tests, the G is way faster. Perhaps you're driving your G in D mode around town which means the car runs in 6th gear at 1400 rpm or so making it quite sluggish. That's why I switch to manual mode. Keeping the car in 4th makes it a rocket, and even 5th is still very responsive.

 

I feel slightly less torque at the low-end than I did when my '11Xs was brand new. Im thinking its a few things:

1. The darn 7AT - it has "learned" and doesnt seem to be as responsive depending on how you start off accelerating. if I hammer on the pedal from a dead stop the thing just takes off like a bat outta hell. If I go normal off the line then try to hammer on it, it seems to take a bit (even without downshifting) to accelerate. I think we translate this into not a lot of torque, but if its in 4th gear at 30mph yeah there wont be much torque. This engine seems a lot happier 2500RPM or higher.

2. Engine braking in - the higher end seems to have a LOT more power now, when the engine was new it felt "tight", but like it had more low end power.

3. Im used to the car now - coming from a 220HP i30 to the G was night and day. But now that Ive driven the G for a bit, I dont have anything to compare it against power-wise (well, my RWD pickup but at 160HP *anything* feels like a monster compared to it)

I also have to wonder if things Infiniti added like the "no WOT before 60mph" affect more than just WOT before 60 mph. Is it forcing an acceleration curve on the car from a dead stop (kinda like Snow Mode) or is it causing the car to "think" about how much acceleration you should be allowed once you are rolling. Give me back non-computerized cars anyday!

 

The Maxima has almost the same maximum ft/lbs of torque as the G and reaches it at lower rpm's. What you may have felt is the FWD torque steer.
Don't worry, driven well, your G is still marginally quicker than the Maxima. And if there is even the slightest bit of moisture on the road then it's not even a close race with your xS.

 

I'm assuming that the OP is referring to the feel at speeds from a start to perhaps 60mph and that he's not driving his friends car 120mph.

 

while this is true, i find it annoying that you have to switch to manual mode in town to "fix" this issue.

 

Two very different cars and comparing them is pointless. I own both a Maxima and my G and love them both, but love them for different reasons. The G is without a doubt faster but the Maxima "feels" faster. Granted my Maxima is a 2003 3.5 6mt with more agressive gearing than stock. At last dyno my maxima 231whp/ 232wtq. Not to shabby in a 3250lbs car with all the trimings.

I have also driven the new 7th gen maxima and it is a fantastic car that is ruined by the tranny, nissan should have gave it a 6mt/ 7speed auto.

Cross shopping or comparing these cars are pointless as Nissan intended to differentiate the breeds

 

The G37/G37 is know for being a tad low in the low end torque department. Infiniti tried to make up for this by messing with the torque curve to create their "acceleration swell". IMHO it feels a little like turbo lag

 

The engine in the G really doesn't come online until ~3500-4K rpm. While it has some power in the low end, it's not all that much. I have the same issue with the bike, except it's more like under 5/5500 rpm (1L, 4cyl engine).

 

NA engine + weight + sluggish 7AT + AWD = not very satisfied.

The engine alone is fine. but combining it with the crappy 7AT and AWD drivetrain, you feel the power has gone somewhere else but the wheels. until 4k-ish RPM anyways.

The 7AT is giving a lot of jerk downshifting. The throttle lag doesn't help me from lane merging either.

Pretty sure this will be my last Infiniti.

 

This. I'm sticking with the Germans. I bought the Infinitis solely for value and reliability. But my Audi is so much more pleasurable to drive, I will live with the reliability issues (if any). Everyone talks about it in regards to German cars, but I've had 2 Audis and 2 VWs and all have been fine. But regardless, I'll pay more for repairs just for the satisfaction of the driving pleasure everyday. Like they say, you gotta pay to play.

 

Or get a MT. I've been pretty happy with the 6MT 370z I switched to since then.

Although the MT has issues of its own (shifter vibration, chatter noise, and weak synchros).