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Drove a G35 6MT and a Legacy GT |
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Written by JST
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Thursday, 20 January 2005 |
Drove a G35 6MT and a Legacy GT
The G35 was a 2004, as the 2005s still haven't hit this dealer yet.
Overall, it renewed my respect for this car. Nissan has done a very
credible job of putting together an excellent performance sedan. The
chassis feel and balance is superb, and even the old 260 hp engine has
very good, very usable power. The shifter has very short throws and a
tight, mechanical effort, but is a bit balky when cold. The exhaust is
just the right volume when you are driving--loud enough to provide a
reference, but not so loud as to drive you batshit.
The interior is functional, but not attractive. The 05s are a bit
better in this regard, but not much. Big misses in the interior are the
seats (which have short bottom cushions and meager bolstering), the
seat controls (Mercedes figured out the only good way to do seat
controls--why other people keep trying other things boggles my mind);
the lack of a telescoping wheel, and the lack of fold-down rear seats.
Positives include the tilts-with-the-wheel guage pod (suddenly I'm back
in my 89 Probe GT), the tilting rear seat backs, the excellent headroom
in the front, and the generous leg room in the rear.
The exterior is utterly blah, though the fenders look kind of cool from the driver's seat.
Nice car.
The Legacy GT feels less sporting and more like a generic Japanese
sedan. That engine, though, is freaking fantastic. It has SO MUCH more
torque down low than the WRX. Control efforts in the Legacy are good,
handling is decent on public roads, and the driveline is more forgiving
of fast shifts than that in the WRX (but still not as able to handle
them as a BMW).
I liked driving the Legacy a lot. I can see this as a commuter car--the
rush as the turbo spools makes it feel even faster than it is, making
for good times in the typical cut and thrust of suburban driving. The
acoutrements are well done, too--the Legacy has about everything you
could want (except Nav) and has a nice, expensive looking interior.
Again, no telescope on the wheel and no folding back seats are
disadvantages, but I'd probably get the wagon anyway.
It isn't overtly sporting, though. I don't think I'd do one as my only car.
Originally posted on carmudgeons.com.
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JST's Cornered Test Drives 