Nissan's Hot Little Luxury Sedan

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Buy It or Bag It?

On price alone, it's hard to beat the G35 sedan. So far this year, the model's average selling price of $36,020 is near the bottom of the spectrum, according to the Power Information Network (PIN). Among the major direct competitors I compared it with, only the Audi A4, at $35,770, is less expensive.

However, if you absolutely must have a Bimmer you can buy one in the same price range as the G35. That's because BMW has been very clever in the way it has positioned the 328i against Japanese competitors. The 328i has been selling for an average of $38,662—or just $2,642 more than the Infiniti, according to PIN—but less than the Lexus IS 350, which sells for an average of $39,918, and a lot less than the Mercedes C350, which PIN says has been selling for an average of $42,660.

The lightning-fast BMW 335i, which sells for an average of $46,846, costs a lot more than any of the other models in the segment. But the BMW 328i is a very nice car—similar to its bigger sister model in every respect except that its 230-hp inline six-cylinder engine is less powerful than the 335i's. But the 328i is still almost as quick as the Infiniti, despite its smaller engine. And you get that inimitable BMW handling and road-feel in the 328i.

So, if I were buying one of these cars and didn't want to spend top dollar, I would rank the BMW 328i first, the Infiniti G35 second, and the Lexus IS 350 third (I haven't driven the Audi A4 enough recently to include it).

Of course, I haven't yet driven the new Infiniti G37 Coupe, either. It will have a slightly bigger engine than the G35 and promises to be even quicker. Is it worth waiting to check out the new Infiniti Coupe this fall before buying? Decisions, decisions.

Click here to see more of the Infiniti G35 Sport sedan.

Thane Peterson reviews cars for BusinessWeek.com.