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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  7 month review - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By S - July 19 - 9:06 pm

  Was an Acura man. Compared the G against Acura TL Type S. You get more car with the Infiniti. Got through a Maine winter with no difficulty. G35x model the way to go if you get any snow/ice. Step on the gas and youll get thrown deep into the seat. Great cornering abilities too, I havent been able to throw it loose from a turn. Phenomenal. Couple issues though: audio system is not straightforward, MP3 cds can only be run in-dash player, voice navigation takes some practice (spend an hour actually programming it to recognize YOUR voice), cheap lining for sunroof breaks free too easily, drinks its 93 octane like a frat boy.

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  Good Car - 2002 Infiniti I35
  By Al Bentley - July 19 - 12:10 pm

  The vehicle has been very sound mechanically. Very comfortable and handles well on the road. Ride would be better with different tires- low profile tires have a rougher ride

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  2005 QX56 4X4 - 2005 Infiniti QX56
  By jlolson - July 18 - 9:06 pm

  I bought this vehicle because I LOVE my G35. The QX is a decent ride with a powerful engine and lots of cargo room. Seats move around easily, third row folds flat and is easily accessed. The QX Comes equipped with cheap tires that wont stay balanced and need to be replaced for a good ride. Interior appointments are nice except for the dash which is straight out of the Armada and not up to luxury standards. The Nav system is sub-par for a vehicle in this price range, Acuras nav is 100 times better. With not a lot of Japanese vehicles to chose from in this size and price range its not a bad vehicle but I dont love it like my G35.

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  Fast, agile, heavy, rickety - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Ed - July 18 - 2:23 pm

  Ive had the car for about 1 year+ and my impression is mixed at best. Coming from a BMW 328i, I was lured by the lower price and 298 HP in the 6MT. The power is excellent, and really there. The ride is a bit firm, but the handling is not up to BMW par. Car feels much less confident than the 3 series. Also lots of rattles in the interior point to a less than careful build. Where I normally got 22-23 MPG in my 5 speed BMW, I get 19-20 MPG in the 6 speed Infiniti.

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  great car that keeps getting better - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Gadabout - July 17 - 6:43 pm

  Since the purchase of my new ride, i have found that there is nothing to complain about. I have owned several cars with different dynamics, driven even more, and found that for what i needed(more like wanted), the G35 coupe 6MT covered all the bases. Preformance, comfort( i fit fine in the seats, 510180lbs, these seats were meant to hug you and hold you still, sorry for those that are overweight)and especially the styling all do what they were intended to do. Satisfy. There are only a few things that bug me. One thing was the plastic grill. some billet would look nice there. The biggest issue and worst thing about the car is the dipstick. Terrible design.

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  Better overall than 335xi - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By piredon - July 17 - 12:10 am

  Test drove the 335xi as a benchmark. Its a great driving car, but the inputs are all touchy and the interior made me feel claustrophobic, and its pretty barren. G35 wasnt on the top of my list, simply because Ive never cared for Nissan products in the past. But I told myself to give it a try, and boy am I glad I did. This car has a far nicer interior than the Bimmer, more features for less money, and achieves 95% of the performance without a turbo. Handling is spot on, although steering could use some work. Ride is firm, but body motions are well controlled and bumps are noticeable rather than jarring. This thing wants to be driven hard. I just wish we had no speed limit.

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  My Baby - 1998 Infiniti I30
  By BlackI30boi98 - July 15 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Infiniti in September 03, and it has been great. I commute 60 plus miles daily and needed a reliable, quiet car. Im typically running late in the mornings, and the I30 does a wonderful job of getting me to work on time. Currently there is about 80k miles and have had absolutely no problems. The 3.0 V6 is a masterpiece, super smooth, wide powerband. For being such a big car it is very light(approx. 3100 Ibs). Standard Bose audio system is better than most factory audio systems. Sounds great even without a subwoofer.

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  ok, but should trade in for a TL - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By stan lee - July 15 - 2:00 am

  the dealer/service at serramonte is the worst. no one knows what is going on with your car. the car itself drives well, but the navi is extremely annoying to use, especially when you have to get somewhere quick. interior quality and non-intuitive controls need rethinking. the exterior and driving capabilities are the cars strongpoints.

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  great car - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By m cato - July 15 - 2:00 am

  this is my 2nd one a very fun car to drive love it very sporty

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  Love this Car - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By justdad - July 15 - 2:00 am

  I have had my g35 sedan for 8 weeks now. I took it on one trip so far. What a pleasure to drive and it was very comfortable for the 3 of us. I took the same trip 6 months earlier in my Moms 2001 es300 and it did not compare, not even close. We went to Laughlin both times and my mom tends to get car sick. She did not even know that we had gone through the hilly part till I told her this time. The ride was more than pleasent and the shifting with the auto trans cvt you could not even feel even when I used some of its 260 horsepower.