Overview & Reviews

Infiniti is an upscale automaker from Japan. Though most of its products are related to those sold by parent company Nissan, Infiniti looks to achieve a premium status by infusing its cars and SUVs with spirited performance and additional luxury content.

The brand was launched for the 1990 model year. Its purpose back then, as it is now, was to create premium vehicles for America that wouldn't have otherwise fit in with Nissan's more mainstream image. This was the same tactic Honda used for the creation of Acura, and Toyota for Lexus. In its first full year, Infiniti started out with two vehicles, the Q45 sedan and the M30 coupe and convertible. The compact, entry-level G20 was introduced soon after.

As the 1990s moved along, Infiniti slowly added more vehicles to its lineup. The Q45 luxury sport sedan found its market. The car's 278-horsepower V8 was class-leading in its day. On top of that, the Q45 offered cutting-edge technology such as an active suspension system. By the late '90s Infiniti had rolled out the QX4, an SUV based on the Pathfinder. The sport-ute's truck platform gave it a leg up in off-road performance relative to competing car-based SUVs.

Although Infiniti's sales grew steadily, the marque still fell short of both Lexus and Acura in terms of popularity. The early 2000s saw Infiniti making a determined effort to sharpen its focus and upgrade its products. But it was the introduction of the entry-level, midsize G35 in 2003 that finally gave Infiniti the boost and identity direction it sorely needed. Based on the same platform underpinning the Nissan 350Z, the G35 coupe and sedan met with immediate sales success. The FX35/FX45 soon followed -- a crossover SUV that provided spirited acceleration and sports-car handling with the utility of a wagon.

Today, Infiniti's lineup has expanded to include the G (now a sedan, coupe and convertible) and FX as well as the midsize M sedan, the EX small crossover SUV, the JX midsize crossover SUV and the QX large SUV. Infiniti has also introduced the M Hybrid sedan, its first hybrid vehicle. No matter the model, shoppers will find Infiniti's latest vehicles to be focused on luxury, sport, quality and value.

User Reviews:

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  Great car! - 1999 Infiniti I30
  By Mainiac - April 27 - 10:00 am

  Great vehicle! Fun to drive, esp. w/manual tranny. Only complaint: clutch burned out @ 57500 miles, and I dont ride it. But Infiniti covered > 1/2 the cost, even though warranty expired 2 mos. ago.

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  rating my infinity i30 - 2000 Infiniti I30
  By gentlej - April 26 - 2:00 am

  this has to be be the best car I drove in my 40+ years of drivng.It is stable at higher speeds, handles the road very well, it has a lot of power and pick-up, and it looks nice. Extremely reliable.My infinity has 86000 miles so far and (knock on wood) I only had to replace windshield wipers, tires and a headlightbulb.

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  edmunds wrong about poor quality - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By ron - April 25 - 8:40 pm

  i have owned the 2005 g35 for 2 weeks and found it to be the best performing car that i have ever owned. the materials are just fine, so is the design. this car is a well kept secret.

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  CUDOS to INFINITI - they got it right! - 2013 Infiniti M
  By ooty74 - April 23 - 9:05 am

  After almost 3 years of ownership I am very pleased with my Infiniti M37 Sport (now called Q70). Its beautiful, Ive had NO mechanical problems and its a blast to drive. CONSUMER REPORTS was right when they recommended it over the MB E350 and the BMW 5s for 4 straight years (2011-2015). Unlike other car magazines that publish reviews based on the advertising they receive from car manufacturers CONSUMER REPORTS bases their evaluation on 50 objective tests. The M37 is so dependable that its recommended as a used luxury car by CR. Its a perfect blend of reliability, performance and luxury. Before I bought the M37 I drove both the Mercedes E350 2 door Sport and BMW 5 series. I was not impressed. Both offered cachet names but not much else for the high price. The BMW was not the BMW of my fathers generation. The handling was lackluster and the interior was high grade plastic and vinyl (seats). The MB E350 sport was small,had a VERY rough ride and the seats were VERY uncomfortable. Like the BMW the interior was a mixture of plastic and vinyl (leatherette?). IMHO these cars are unacceptable for the $60,00.00 list price. By contrast the M37 Sport was exactly the car that CONSUMER REPORT predicted it would be. The Infiniti was VERY, VERY AGILE and handled much better than the cachet names. The seats were not vinyl but were beautifully double stitched leather. Also the ride was surprisingly better than the more expensive Mercedes E350 sport. Infiniti got it right when they designed this car. Im very pleased with the M37. Ive gotten many complements on my car. It does evoke an unsolicited "WOW" response from many people and I do catch a number of TESLA owners gazing at my car. Ive been down to the dealership earlier this year and saw the new version of the M37. Its apparently the same car with new body work. A very handsome design. Conclusion: dont place your trust solely in car magazine/car website reviews. I have purchased many cars over the past 30 years based my decisions on CRs recommendations and have never been disappointed ...... my advise do a lot of reading and do some driving

• 

  G35 vs CTS & 335i - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By Best BUY! - April 22 - 2:33 pm

  I comparison shopped for 2 months and compared equally-equipped vehicles. I looked at many cars in this luxury sedan category and narrowed down to the G35, BMW 335i sedan, and the Cadillac CTS 3.6L. To sum it up, the G35 was more bang for the buck, had a more luxurious feel when driving it, and looks absolutely incredible (mine is black). I love this car and have no regret.

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  The hybrid is a scam - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By qx60_scam - April 22 - 12:09 pm

  Sticker on it was 25 City / 28 Hwy. Actual has been around 16 City / 21 Hwy, no better than the all-gas version, which is $3,000 cheaper. The fuel gauge often jumps from 1/4 tank to empty, and the display goes from ~50 miles to "---". The hybrid battery gauge has 6 bars and a charge indicator. At stops it frequently runs the engine without charging battery, even though the charge is only at 2-3 bars. The only time Ive seen the battery charged over 5 bars was on a long downhill trip where it charged with regenerative braking. Had the car 3 months and didnt even know it went up to 6 bars until that trip. The dealership has been evasive and unable to address the above issues.

• 

  better than lexus and bmw - 2003 Infiniti M45
  By johnjohn - April 21 - 10:00 am

  i test drove the cadillac cts and lexus gs450. the m45 was solid and the quality superb. infiniti wants to sell cars so i got a great deal - a lot of car for thwe money.

• 

  Wow - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Longshoreman - April 21 - 10:00 am

  I unload these cars from the ships when they come in, but I only get to drive it to the nearest parking lot and we are not allowed to go more than 10 MPH, so I went to the dealer for a real test drive and bought in on the spot. I paid invoice thanks to Edmunds and I love the car so far. Everybody keeps asking: "So what did you pay, about $60,000" They dont believe me when I tell them.

• 

  Passion - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By BB - April 21 - 5:03 am

  After driving G35 on those curvy roads in Vermont, driving became my instant passion for life. This car has the ability to take down any cars on its line. Just amazing to race and go fast as furious.

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  Sad to let this car go, but... - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By litman - April 21 - 12:16 am

  Had my 05 G for 68 months. Sold it last week and got a 12 G37 sedan. I always loved the smooth, feminine lines of the 03-06 Gs. The interior was a bit squeaky and I never really liked the orange gauge lights,but I never had any mechanical issues until recently, when the car was nearly 9 years old. Then the power seat switch failed ($1,700) and the power adjustment for the steering column failed too. Personally, when electrical issues start cropping up, I ditch the car. The car was great for what it was - a sport sedan. Rear seat room was a little tight, but I feel I got my moneys worth for the car, my favorite so far. We have had five Infinitis and two Nissans through the years.