If you were shopping for an entry-level Japanese luxury sedan in 1991, the Lexus ES 250 and Infiniti G20 would have been two out of your three options (the third being the Acura Integra). Although the ES 250 was about seven inches longer (183.1 vs 175), the two were very similar in width and height. The Infiniti was 66.7 inches wide and 54.9 inches tall, the Lexus 66.9 inches wide and 53.1 inches tall. The two also had similar interior volumes of 87 cubic feet for the ES and 89 for the G.
Looking at this angle, it’s amazing to think that this modern Lexus ES was once a similarly-sized competitor to this feeble looking G20. But as we all know, cars have become substantially larger and more luxurious in the last quarter-century. For comparison, a 2015 Lexus ES is nine inches longer, five inches wider, and four inches taller than its first-generation ancestor. You may be surprised to know that the 2015 ES 350’s reported curb weight is only 201 lbs. heavier than the 1991 ES 250.
I’d like to see a comparo of a ’90 LS400 and a ’15 LS460.
“Entry level luxury sedan” Isn’t that an oxymoron? Like Jumbo shrimp? Or giant sliders?
*cue the bloat apologists who will point how much more unsafe the old car must be*
I will reserve my ire for the motorized belts. I don’t remember offhand if the P10 G20 had those or not.
I’d rather have the Infiniti, strangely. Not that one, though. One that has it a little better… The newer cars have more technology, more features, and more amenities. But, how many of them do I really need? My 1995 LeSabre has all of the features that I need to drive to work. Sure, a heated steering wheel may be nice, but is it needed?
Of course, that point of view is why I’m here! 😉
I could go for the ventilated seats. Heated seats and whatnot, I don’t really care about, but if I could afford a (three-row) car that had ventilated seats to cool my perspiring posterior in the summertime? I’d be pretty happy about that. Otherwise, yeah, everything I’ve had on my somewhat normal cars has been all I’ve ever really needed. But of course, here I am, too!
Heated seats are nice in the winter. I have them on my Audi, but I never use them for “fear that they may break”. I know it’s dumb logic, but still…. The vinyl seats on our trucks warm up well enough, and you can always add heating elements to virtually any seat.
For me, working A/C is enough, but I think that leather seats can make it worse (Along with dark colors). I run a 1987 Chevrolet R10 with maroon vinyl seats- in the summer, those seats are blistering hot! In my Buick with cloth maroon seats, it’s not too bad.
They sure don’t build them like they used to….
Heated seats are probably my favorite comfort feature on my car, and new cars in general. I like sitting on something warm, as opposed to having hot air blowing on me. It sounds silly, but sometimes in spring and fall, I find myself using them with the windows open, so I can be warm and have fresh air 🙂
I’ve been known to use the air conditioning with the windows down in town. When the car is very hot, the more cool air movement, the better.
Plus, I got tired of replacing the inside door handle on my 1995 F-150 😉
and you´re not afraid that your A/C might break?
A/C is more likely to break from not being used!
The car companies are slowly learning how to reduce weight in spite of feature bloat. After several generations of weight gain the new 2016 Mazda Miata weighs about the same as the original 1990 Miata.
I think this is a similar pattern to what occurred with engines in the 80s and 90s as the engineers got the hang of EFI and digital engine management we got engines with power of a 60s performance model and the docile manners of a base engine.
“new 2016 Mazda Miata weighs about the same as the original 1990 Miata”
One might wonder what that means in term of crash safety for the 2016 Miata passengers given that all new cars seem to have tripled in size when compared to 1990 !
I’m not surprised that some of the dimensions of the ES 250 and the G 20 are close as Japan had many laws that outlined the legal dimensions of “domestic market” cars. The LS 400 “blew that up”, but since the LS was originally developed for export only, it didn’t cause Toyota too many problems.
As someone who has owned a G 20 AND an Integra, those cars are NOT really direct competitors to an ES 250 any more than a Civic is competition for a Camry. Take a look at the prices that were charged for a G and an ES when new, the ES was 30-45% more expensive.
If I had had the money back when these cars were new, I’ll admit it would have been a tough choice. However, as a driver’s car, the 1st generation G 20 blows the ES away….except for maybe acceleration.
The Japanese tax laws actually changed about six months before the LS400 went on sale. (I think there are still some financial advantages to 5-number cars in terms of parking and insurance, but it’s not such a big hit as it was before.) The V10 ES/Camry/Vista was designed well before that, so it was definitely created with the tax limits in mind.
I had a 1994 G20 not that long ago. I’d always wanted one and it was the combination I was looking for, a white 5 speed G20T with the touring-edition only black leather interior. These were compared inconsistently with the ES and larger cars, but I would have placed it more in the Integra’s league for size and drivability purposes, but they were priced about in between the two.
Fantastic car, it got a lot of bad rap for admittedly looking remarkably like the then-Sentra but the two cars were substantially different. The G20 was definetely aimed at the German competitors, with a body/size that aped the C-Class and interior that was clearly BMW inspired, down to the window switches and door handles. Build quality was superb, better than any Sentra or Integra, and the handling was amazing thanks to the multi link suspension. The only car I could compare it to in tossability was my Mazda Protege5.
Good cars that sadly didn’t have much of a chance because of a mix of high price and indistinct styling. The ES250 was around the first year these were introduced and they were probably selling around the same amount, but when the ES300 arrived it blew almost every entry level Japanese car out of the water.
Its nothing but a rebadged Primera a very average car with moderate handling ability mediocre performance an entry level 2.0 from Nissan yeah like a 318 BMW bottom of the barrel motoring.
Exactly, too mediocre even to compete with the 316 (entry level luxury in Europe) but rather with the mid-sized offerings such as Passat, Mondeo, Opel Vectra, Peugeot 405, Citroen Xantia and Toyota Carina (never a serious competitor in Europe, for the same reasons as the Primera). At the time (90’s) the most competitive segment in mainland Europe. The primera never made much of a difference (eventhough it was also offered as an estate). Its sheer blandness was to blame.
From what I gather it must have been sad to be stuck with base Primeras and lowly BMW’s but theG20t we got here was a pretty well equipped car. Felt coverings on the interior pillars and door trims, leather all around and a bunch of other nice touches. That 2.0 SR20DE is the stuff of legends now. 140hp with an LSD-equipped 5 speed was a hooner’s dream. More like a mini Maxima than a plus sized Sentra.
That was my experience as well. The Europeans missed out if they weren’t willing to look beyond their own borders. I doubt many even drove them to see for themselves. However I would agree that a base Primera with a 1.6 engine would probably be fairly boring. I’d venture not too many over there were equipped with the SR20DE as they ALL were over here. The versions sold with the 5-speed were great drivers with minimal, if any, repairs needed over the long haul.
I had a G20 as well, a 1993.5 in my case. Great car, and except for being the entry level car at Infiniti it was not at all viewed as a competitor to the ES250 at the time. More like a budget 325i (or maybe 318i). Quick enough, handled great, very comfortable and extremely durable. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the pictured car above had a quarter million hard miles on it and have no doubt it starts first time, every time.
In a more modern context, I think the car that replicates it closest is probably the first generation Acura TSX. As for today’s contemporary, I really can’t think of one. Maybe the new Audi A3? I haven’t driven one though (yet).
Damn, that poor G20.
That badged grille was the only thing, really distinguishing it as an Infiniti…instead of as any other generic 90’s Japanese sedan.
Now, it looks like a 1995-99 Nissan Sentra… The ugliest generation. From the front, anyway.
I know it had an Infiniti badge in the rear, but what’re the odds it’s even there. 😀
The G20 was basically a Primera (and was sold that way in Europe and maybe Australia), so in underpinnings it was pretty much generic FWD D-segment sedan.
Knew that LONG time ago, thanks.
It wasn’t a dig — I’m just saying that yours was a pretty accurate characterization.
Thanks. My comment was meant to be sarcastic, if it came across as cynical, I take it back. 😉
Yep, in the US we got the G20, while Japan and the UK got the Primera. Except, when the G20 was discontinued in 2002, in the US… The Primera continued a 3rd generation outside the US.
Honestly though, what’s most striking is what hasn’t changed in 24 years.
Efficient fuel injected internal combustion engine, unit body construction, front wheel drive, four wheels with rubber tires, aerodynamic body design (the new one doesn’t actually cut through the air much better even though it may “look” like it does), similar basic suspension setups. Sure, they threw some LED lights on the Lexus along with some dash touchscreens, 12 airbags, and other frilly add-ons, but the bare mechanical basics of an early-90s sedan are about the same as the average 2015 model. Remember what year they traveled forward to in “Back to the Future”? It was 2015. Recall what those (flying) cars looked like? My, how little progress we’ve made….
All this comparo does is point out how much of a plateau automotive development reached in the 1990s through today. Compare the Infiniti with a 24-year old entry level luxury car in 1991 (like, you know… a 1967 Buick) and then we can really see how much of a difference a quarter century can make.
“four wheels with rubber tires”
That’s some low-hanging fruit! Certainly the rate of change has slowed compared to decades ago, but there is quite a lot of difference in terms of structural rigidity, refinement & NVH, etc.
I looked up the ES interior space – 100 cu ft, which is quite an increase for the width/height/wheelbase increase. Does the interior space account for a steeper windshield for example?
Is it just me, or do the current Lexus front ends look a little like the ’61 Plymouth we were discussing the other day?
+1
The G20 was Primera-badged here in New Zealand, although a number of used imports have come in ex-Japan that have had the G20 grille and badging applied.