Just In: Audi A5, Infiniti G37, and Lexus IS convertibles

We recently shook off a spurt of December-like weather here in Connecticut and recent rains that have made it a colder, less pleasant October than normal. That cut into our top-down time with our three new convertibles, as well as our beloved Miata roadster.
 
Lexus IS 250 C
Our Lexus IS 250 C’s 204-hp is outgunned by most competitors, and the small-displacement powertrain has its work cut out for it moving around the 3,845-lb. folding hardtop convertible. (You can get an IS 350 convertible, but we bought the more popular, smaller-engined version.)
 
Our car has the Luxury Package (HIDs, heated/ventilated front seats with memory, wood interior trim), park assist, and a few other options, bringing the total to $44,400. (At that point, a $100 option for headlamp washers seems cheap -- just make them standard, already.)

Like the IS sedan, our first impressions of the convertible are that it’s a very pleasant and well-finished car, but it falls somewhat short of thrilling an enthusiast driver. As such, it is a reasonable successor to the now-defunct Toyota Camry Solara convertible.

See our convertible buying advice, recommended convertibles, and convertible ratings.  

Infiniti G37
The Infiniti G37 convertible comes with only one engine option: a lovely 325-hp, 3.7-liter V6. Ours has a seven-speed automatic transmission; when that gear box appeared last year on the G37 sedan, it improved fuel economy significantly.
 
We also got the Premium Package, which adds a Bose Open Air Sound System, including “front seat personal speakers” in the headrests that work quite well. There are also heated and cooled front seats, driver’s seat memory, power tilt/telescope wheel, and an iPod controller. Also adding “genuine African rosewood trim” put the sticker at $48,715.
 
We’re big fans of the G37; it’s currently our top-rated compact sports sedan. However, the convertible is having a harder time winning people over. The responsive steering, slick powertrain, and comfortable seats remain, but the move to a convertible didn’t help structure or the ride. One nice feature in our car is the standard rearview camera -- convertibles end to suffer from visibility problems with the top up.
 
Audi A5 quattro
Audi has had a history of being something of a bargain upscale brand. But looking at some of their current pricing suggests one of two things: either they’ve been successful at shaking that bargain image, or they’re getting downright audacious. (Maybe a bit of both.) Our $49,300 Audi A5 convertible is one such example.
 
The A5 convertible has a folding soft top, unique in a world of now-common folding hardtops. Our car also has a 211-hp, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Our Premium plus model adds HID headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated front seats, and an iPod controller. Throw in $400 of “dark walnut wood inlays” and $475 of quartz gray metallic paint and you get a sticker of $49,300.
 
Let’s compare. You can buy a well-equipped Volkswagen Eos, a very well-finished convertible with a folding hardtop and the same engine (making slightly less hp) as our Audi, for $37,290. At the other extreme, a BMW 328i convertible with similar equipment costs $50,900 -- not much more for a car with a folding hardtop and two more cylinders.
 
Our pricing protest is somewhat tempered by Audi offering a unique feature for a convertible: all-wheel drive. BMW, Infiniti, and Lexus don’t offer their all-wheel drive systems on their convertibles.
 
We have found that the lack of a complex folding hard top doesn’t hurt the A5’s livability, and allows for opening and closing the top on the move (it works up to 25 mph or so).
 
All three convertibles are going through break-in miles as they progress through our multi-week test regimen. Look for further coverage and full road tests in coming months. Learn more about buying a convertible.
 
—Tom Mutchler

Comments

[Tom]

I'm not that sure about Infiniti cars to be honest. I think both Audi and Lexus have great reputations and these manufactures have years of experience. Each Audicar I had was incredibly reliable and powerful. Feel safe in it:)Lexus is a more luxury treat but undoubtedly leader in it's class.

[Tom Mutchler]

Infiniti, at least in the US, has the same number of years of "experience" as Lexus - they were both introduced for the 1990 model year.