In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the G sedan scored the top score, Good, in front and side impacts, but just Marginal in rear impacts. The scores don't apply to the as-yet untested coupe or convertible, whose unique structures could render very different results. (Note, for example, the side-impact differences between the 3 Series sedan and convertible.) IIHS hasn't conducted its roof-strength test on the G.

Standard safety features include the usual panoply of front, side-impact and curtain airbags — the last of which deploy from the doors in the G37 convertible — plus antilock brakes and an electronic stability system. Adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning is optional on the G37. Click here for a full list of safety features, or here to see our evaluation of child-seat provisions in the G37 sedan.

Reliability has been average for the G coupe but above average for the sedan — a stalwart record, given that entry-level sport sedans are all over the map when it comes to reliability. Standard features on the G25 include an automatic transmission, leather seats with power adjustments, automatic climate control, a CD stereo with an auxiliary MP3 jack, and keyless access with push-button start. Short of USB/iPod stereo compatibility — it's optional but ought to be standard — that's an impressive list of standard features given the G25's $32,000 starting price.

Move up to the $35,800 G37 and beyond, and you can get heated seats, a moonroof, a navigation system, a backup camera and Bose audio. Checking all the options can nudge a G37 sedan past $44,000, and a coupe past $50,000. As is the case for most cars with folding hardtops, the G37 convertible is decidedly not cheap. It starts at close to $46,000, and a well-optioned model can approach 60 large.