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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  Not up to standards - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By retrog - May 15 - 4:43 pm

  Ive owned this car since it was new, and Ive not been happy with it for a while. The tires dont last, the interior wears quickly (not that it looked that spectacular in the first place), the radio is less than user friendly, the paint is inferior and the road noise is simply unacceptable in a car that costs this much. Actually the road noise is worse than in my sons Toyota pick up truck or my wife convertible. And the turning radius is inferior to those vehicles as well, despite what edmunds or any other website might tell you. Not a fan of the traction/stability control - almost got me hit a few times by hitting the brakes and killing the accelerator. I now drive without it.

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  My I35 - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By Jerry Tang - May 14 - 10:00 am

  This is my first upscale car. I really enjoyed it. I like the comfort, power (engine) and the conveniences my I35 provides. I also like the the 4 year warranty and the free car-loan for maintenance program.

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  Luxury with some sport - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By xjpcarterx - May 14 - 10:00 am

  My I-35 reminds me of driving a big block American V-8. When you want to go faster, just put your foot down. It has plenty of luxury features but two serious flaws. The ride quality is poor and the turning radius (40 feet) makes it hard to manuver in tight spaces.

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  Jeckyll and Hyde - 2003 Infiniti M45
  By qualityfirst1 - May 14 - 6:16 am

  I still believe this car is a Jeckyll and Hyde. Were still enjoying the power, but the transmission isnt very responsive and the manual mode is worthless. The seats are comfortable and have nice amenities, but the drivers seat squeaks now. We still love all the gadgets, but they are difficult to use. Weve encountered more issues, but we do have 108K miles now. The exhaust manifold was changed under warranty. Now its cracked again - poorly engineered. We still burn a quart every 1,000 miles (108 quarts so far!) Tire wear is phenomenal. The originals ran 28K miles. The second set were Essenzia and were just changed. The new Hankook Ventas dont feel very good on the car.

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  Questionable Vehicle for the price - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By Patrick-1344545 - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I find the ride unresponsive, too much play in the wheel. Why is a 255HP vehicle have fron wheel drive-- It feels weird? Headlights come on automatically too soon.

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  Classy & Comfy - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By kenlapoint - May 14 - 2:00 am

  I am a Realtor and having a car that is comfortable and has plenty of space is very important. The I35 fits the mold perfectly. I drove the G35 as a loaner and the ride was much stiffer and you could feel every indention in the road. I have had many clients already tell me how nice they thought the car was and how comfortable the ride was. Hopefully they will buy some property from me.

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  GREAT - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By BRAUNSON - May 14 - 2:00 am

  EVERYTHING IS GREAT, THE STEREO IS A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE THOUGH.

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  Excellent Value - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By uecker1 - May 14 - 2:00 am

  The G35 is an absolutely superior vehicle. A great balance of performance, luxury, and price. When combined with the excellent service I have experienced at Infiniti, I am extremely satisfied with this choice.

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  Awesome ride, door rattles can be fixed - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By speedynewowner - May 14 - 2:00 am

  The speed and handling are just incredible. After 3 tries they fixed the annoying door rattle (front passenger). If you have it, insist they change the door panel clips(also insulate them with insulation tape). They are not put in snug, they just rattle around. To see if this is your problem, with the door open, tap the the bottom of the door with your palm and you will hear it tapping. I think the stock sound system sounds great. Not as quiet a ride as my wifes Avalon on the highway, but not noisy either. To me the car is really impressive for 29,300 I did about 10 test drives and this was the only car I got excited about.

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  Glad I made it to an Infiniti - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By FAA - May 12 - 2:53 am

  I owned a 2002 Passat & wanted to upgrade by buying a new car. Drove several cars like the Lexis IS 250, Acura TL, BMW 325 and others. Then I took out the Infiniti 35X & bought it. Its been almost a month and I can tell you that its a great car. It has a lot of power, luxury and beauty. The only negative I can think of is that the fuel economy is OK - not great. But, everything else about the car is really ideal. Before buying any other luxury car take the G35X for a ride, I think that you will decide what I decided and buy it. Good luck.