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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  Mixed emotions - 2002 Infiniti I35
  By BZ in Beloit - June 6 - 2:00 am

  This car is a love-hate. I love the engine performance.Under throttle the torque steer is unbelievable. The engine is smooth as silk up to the redline. Transmission shifts nicely. The seats are uncomfortable for long trips. The stereo is excellent. The heated steering wheel is too hot, even through gloves. The heated seats are nice in the cold. The gas mileage is pitiful. Dont believe the trip computer because it lies. The instrumentation sucks, well positioned but inaccurate. My speedometer is 7% inaccurate and no one will fix it. The climate control works very well. Overall I like the car in the city but on long trips I wish I had a Q45.

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  Go Buy a G35, you wont be disappointed - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By bwarren2 - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I have rouhly 3K miles on my G after about a month. Yes thats a lot of miles for 1 month, but the G is so fun to drive. I look forward to a long trip now because I can take out this car and have fun. The engine is very smooth and the handling is very very good. I looked at a lot of cars and drove everything from an Accord to a BMW 525 and I am very plesed with my choice. It is not perfect but no car is. If you are looking for a car that will blow anything away, is fun to drive, doesnt cost $40K, looks good and is reliable, then go to your local Infiniti dealer, you wont be disappointed.

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  G35-Quality,Style,Performance and Fun - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Austone - June 6 - 2:00 am

  I just bought the G35 and love it. I have a Mercedes CLK320, BMW Z3, BMW 3 series and nothing comes close to this car. It is more solid than the CLK, faster than the BMW 3 and more fun to drive than the Z3. I had tunnel vision towards the German car makers and just realized there is a viable alternative.

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  Very Reliable - 2000 Infiniti G20
  By Jim V - May 30 - 6:53 am

  I bought this car after selling my 99 Audi A4. The performance and handling do not match the Audi of course, but so far this car is much more reliable. You dont see too many of these on the road either which I like. Overall, Id recommend this as a quality used vehicle to consider. Its just not as fun as the Audi or my previous VW Jettas. But thats okay, its also not in the shop every three months like those German makes.

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  Still like it! - 2005 Infiniti QX56
  By InfintiGuy - May 28 - 10:06 pm

  Could not believe my wife still wanted this vehicle after the 04 we rented with the terrible brakes and all the bad reviews we read. A year and a half later - so far, so great. We really like this SUV. There is a little more rattling than we care for. Looking forward to getting the next redesigned model with all the bugs worked out.

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  2014 Infiniti QX 60 Ignition Would Not Shut Off! - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By Chicagoland Infiniti Purchaser - May 27 - 9:33 pm

  I thoroughly researched luxury 3-row SUVs before purchasing a new Infiniti QX 60 vehicle (in the Chicagoland area) in 2014. The negotiated price was competitive based upon the other SUVs I researched. The vehicle is comfortable, the interior is nice, and I love the overall look of the vehicle. But I have had two significant issues with my 2014 QX 60 that would prevent me from purchasing another Infiniti: (1) an issue with a gas gauge being defective, resulting in the electronic and traditional gas gauges being inconsistent and causing uncertainty as to how much gas was in the vehicle (dashboard removed and circuitry replaced within the first 30 days of owning the vehicle) and (2) an issue with the ignition start/stop button not working, preventing me from being able to turn off the ignition and lights and rendering the windows, door locks, shifter, etc. from being functional (one body control module replaced after diagnostic testing showed an error code between two body control modules). The second issue resulted in me being stranded at night in the country on a trip with my 5-year-old son, after stopping for gas in a small town without a hotel, car rental agency, etc. I was unable to leave my vehicle since neither the engine nor the lights would shut off, and a tow truck driver who initially agreed to tow my vehicle later dropped off my son and me in a remote area because he did not deem my vehicle safe to tow. As the Infiniti customer service person remarked after hearing my story, "It sounds like a bad movie." And yet Infiniti was unable to confirm that the same or further electrical issues will not recur/occur, and Infiniti was unwilling to provide an extended warranty for electrical issues with the vehicle. The bottom line for me is that the car has experienced problems that I would not expect for a 2014 "luxury" vehicle, and Infiniti has been unwilling to stand behind its product by offering an extended warranty for the electrical issues experienced with the vehicle.

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  Head Turner - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By Pete Bennett - May 27 - 6:23 pm

  Just hit the 5,000 mile mark and love the car more and more each day. I receive so many compliments on the car with most indicating that the car must have been very expensive based on its looks. People assume this car was very expensive even though its priced at or below the price of the vehicle they are actually driving themselves.

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  perfect pick - 2000 Infiniti I30
  By jaycnyc - May 27 - 10:00 am

  Car has been great since new, no problems, except for annoying service light that comes on dealer has replaced 02 sensor twice. No other complaints, car can stand on its own against any in its class, Beats out Max bonus points for dealer service and loaner car.

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  Excellent, even after 1 year! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By g35 - May 27 - 10:00 am

  After buying the car just about the time it was announced, 5/2002, I find the car even better. All that has been done so far are oil changes plus the factory recalls. This cars just flat out moves and does so very well and with style. The auto-stick feature really makes the car fun to drive without having to worry about manually shifting. This car is worth it!

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  Worst purchase decision EVER! - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By D.B. - May 25 - 12:26 pm

  Very disappointed in this purchase. Upgraded from a Honda Oddessey and I regret this decision wholeheartedly. IT IS THE ROUGHEST RIDE EVER AND INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE. I didnt realize how horrific the ride is while test driving because that is usually a quick ride. I am constantly yelling at my husband to stop driving like a maniac but am realizing it must be the carmechanics or suspension. Either way, I dislike the feel and comfort of the car more and more everyday. I recall it driving slightly smoother the first 3 months we had it and now 10 months in, were all bouncing out of the seats. My kids really dislike riding in the back seats. (I feel terrible because they werent with us when be test drove it.) The engine is getting louder by the day. I dont care for the way this car shifts gears. Seems love it revs up very high before finally settling into the right gear. The lift hate is rusted underneath the chrome panels. It is currently in the body shop getting replaced. Let me remind you the car isnt even a year old yet! The temperature is never just right; either too hot or too cold. The back seat vents are sparse which is likely the reason for the fluctuation in temperature. Im getting roughly 18.2 mpg but do travel frequently. 15k mile "recommended service" is $450+. Ray Catenas complimentary car wash is a joke. Very sloppy on the cleaning overall. My car still had sticker residue on the outside after a few washed by the dealer. I took it to a car wash and paid for the job to be done right. It was like night and day. Overall very disappointed. Should have gone with the MDX. You cant see out the back window when the 3rd row headrests are up and in use.