V-6 now makes 227 horsepower. That's up 37 from the previous version of the I30. Torque is improved, too. On the road, that translates into plenty of available power. Handling is quite good, although I found the steering a bit too controlled for my taste.
Refinements make for a quieter motor.
And Infiniti says the I30 includes improvements to its automatic transmission and suspension. Wood trim, leather seats and a 200-watt Bose stereo system that features both a cassette and a CD player is standard. Our test car was an I30t touring model painted a shade of red called Bordeaux pearl that looked almost black in the sunlight. Over the base I30, the I30t gets 17-inch tires and alloy wheels, Xenon headlights, a sunroof, a motorized rear sunshade and other features. That still makes it a better buy than a BMW 328i or a Mercedes-Benz C280.