Friday. Nov. 20, 1992 - North Shore News - 35 Za NEWS photo Neil Lucente The 1993 Infiniti G20 is carried over from 1992 with a standard 140-horsepower, 2.0-litre, four-cylinder engine and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. A new base model i of Northshore, 1160 Marine Dr., North Van. with cloth-covered seats and no sunroof is now offered at a base price for $23,440. Inquire about the G20 at Inf Outstanding features make ‘ Greg Witson TEST DRIVE WHEN IMPORT buyers look at the choices in the compact family sedan seg- ment, the first three cars considered are usually the Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Mazda 626. Some will consider the VW Passat, Acura Integra and the all-new Nissan Altima. Infiniti G20 rgotten’ compact sedan pleasure to drive 44 Over and above the G20's features and performance is the feeling of quality that this car has. Everything about it looks, feels or performs better than average. ¥¥ A few will consider the Subaru Legacy. But few people seem to remember the Infiniti G20. That's probably because the G20 is sold through Nissan's lux- ury car division, Infiniti, and fam- ily-car buyers tend to regard it as a luxury car, and more expensive than other compact sedans. Feature for feature though, the G20 is on par with its com. petitors’ higher trim models. It's just that the G20) cannot be bought as a plain, base model. However, in an effort to attract more entry-level buyers, Infiniti has made some concessions for the 1993 model year. The base G20 model is now of- tered with fabric upholstery in- stead of leather, and the sunroof is optional. The 1993 G20’s base price is now $23,440, down about $2,000 from last year. Scill, that’s higher than most other competitors’ base madels. You have to look closely at the G20's level of standard equipment to understand why. Standard features include a 2.0-litre, 140- horsepower, dual-overhead cam, multi-valve, four-cylinder engine, a very slick manual five-speed transmission, four-wheel disc brakes with an alloy wheels, front differential. Standard interior features in- clude AM/FM cassette stereo with Dolby noise reduction and four speakers, front sport her-covered steering wheel und ft knob, power-ass with adjustable steering coftumn, power windoe power door loc and and power outside mirrors, cruise control, and anti-theft system. CFC-free air conditioning will be introduced in the middle of 1993. In addition, the G20 includes something no other compact sedan offers, a bumper-to-bumper four year/100,000 kilometre warranty plus Infiniti*s roadside assistance program and toll-free information assistance line. Having said that, value-for- money is not the main reason to buy this car. The G20 offers a rare combina- tion of family utility and driving fun. On the practical side, it’s got of room for five adults jots of front and rear head- room and legroom, and it’s easy to get in and out of. The trunk is a roomy 14.4 cubic feet, has a low liftover height and a trunklid that lifts up past 90 degrees. And the G20 attains ex- cellent. fuel cconomy, averaging 8.4 fit per 100 kilometres (34 mpg) in combined urban and highway driving. In terms of driving enjoyment, the G20’s high-revving 140 horse- power 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has plenty of pep, and in See G20 page 45 Price as tested $24,540 Base price $23,440 Type four-door, passenger sedan Layout transverse front engine/front-wheel drive Engine 2.0-litre four- cylinder, DOHC, 16 valves, sequential multi-port fuel in- jection Horsepower 146 @ 6,400 rpm Torque 132 Ibs-ft @ 4,800 rpm Transmission five-speed manual/four-speed automatic Curb weight 1,245 kg/2,745 Ibs Wheelbase in. Length 4,440 ram/1?74,8 in Width 1,694 mm /66.7 in. Height },389 min/54.7 in. 195/60HR14 all-season radials Trunk space 408 litres/14.4 cu.ft Fuel econom km (28 mpg km (41 mpeg) Warranty complete four years/106,000 km | five- 2,550 mm/100.4 city 10 L/100 hwy 6.8 1/100