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Ken Gratton26 Mar 2012
REVIEW

Infiniti M37S: Quick Spin

A quality offering all round, does the M37 have enough to stand out from the crowd?

Quick Spin
Milton Keynes, England

What we liked
>> Four-wheel steer
>> Advanced Bose audio
>> Lusty V6 power

Not so much
>> Styling no more trendsetting than M37's competitors
>> Engine just a bit peaky for a large sedan
>> Steering feels slightly anaemic

On a recent trip to the UK as a guest of Infiniti, motoring.com.au drove three representative models of car the prestige brand will introduce to the Australian market later this year.

You can read about the FX SUV and the G37 Convertible G37 Convertible also driven and now it's the turn of the M37, Infiniti's E-Class/5-Series/A6 rival.

Rear-driven, V6 powered and four-wheel steered, the M37 is more than ready to take on its German rivals, but arguably lacks the badge cachet.

On the brief run from Milton Keynes to Luton, the M37 was composed, comfortable and quiet. The engine, shared with the G37 Convertible, emits the same sort of sporty V6 timbre, but toned down a little — filtered as it is through the larger, heavier sedan body and also modulated through the magic of the car's Active Noise Control. It's an engine that delivers reasonably strong performance through the mid range and top end, but doesn't make best use of the torque available at lower revs. The sequential-shift automatic transmission is quite capable, smooth and responsive when manual shifts are demanded. Shift paddles or the lever can allow the driver the facility of manually shifting in rapid sequence.

Fuel consumption, according to the trip computer was 22.3MPG (12.7L/100km), which clearly included prolonged suburban travel before we had the chance to climb in the driver's seat. After resetting the trip computer, fuel consumption fell to 40MPG (7.1L/100km), but that was mostly at a steady speed of about 80km/h. Owners should see real-world fuel figures of better than 30MPG (9.4L/100km), possibly as good as 35MPG (8.1L/100km) if they restrict travel to freeways and country roads. The figure of 12.7L/100km is to be expected, we think, if the car gets driven more often in the suburbs.

Ride was firm, but not harsh. Over smaller bumps in the bitumen it was well behaved, but the suspension has plainly been tied down to appease European drivers. There's little in the way of body roll, for instance. Infiniti sources have hinted that Australian buyers should expect the European suspension tune for local cars. Feedback through the steering wheel met the required standard, and is on par with other electrically-assisted systems being offered in competitors, but while the M37 will convey enough of a message for the driver to tackle a corner with confidence, it lacks the laconic tactility of older hydraulic systems.

The turning circle was relatively tight for a car of this size, thanks to the four-wheel steer fitted. At higher speeds, the 4WS enhances the car's steering response and stability. The M37 turned in promptly and felt much like a well-fettled rear-wheel drive sedan should. It seemed much more dynamic, much livelier than a car of its size often does, largely because only a few of its rivals are rear-wheel drives — and none have 4WS.

Like the G37, but for slightly different reasons, the M37's brakes impressed. They provided good pedal feel, but were slightly more in keeping with a sporty prestige sedan's than the convertible's were. The G37's pedal just felt a bit more 'hard core'.

Inside the car, layout and design were both stylish and modern, but it had a practical setup also. Infiniti is not always consistent in the placement of each car's start/stop button, but it was located in plain sight to the left of the steering wheel in the M37. All Infiniti models driven by motoring.com.au featured powered steering column adjustment, which may place the M37S at a slight advantage against its peers, depending on the price Infiniti will ultimately charge Aussie buyers.

All three Infiniti models driven impressed with their seats. Not only did the front seats hold occupants in place properly and in comfort, they also featured additional speakers in each shoulder to boost the performance of the Bose 5.1 audio system fitted.

Headroom in the rear was fine for adults, as was kneeroom. Although rear-seat legroom was not in the same category as a Skoda Superb, there was enough kneeroom and wriggle room for toes under the front seats to allow mature passengers to relax in comfort on longer journeys. The boot was fairly accommodating for the car's overall footprint and the bootlid was large enough to provide easy loading.

In short, the M37 is a car to be commended. Depending on its final price, it might just give its German peers a run for their money on the value front.

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Written byKen Gratton
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