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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  Has lived up to billing - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By garyd - January 9 - 2:30 am

  This is a 28 month review of my 03 Ivory G35 Sdn which I bought as a new leftover. As such, it was 6k under sticker with 1.9% - a deal which made ownership possible for an average guy. It has been totally reliable in its 52k history. One small electronic problem-frozen audio board, which dealer replaced under warranty. Brakes and tires replaced at 45k by independent shop which saved 50%of cost. Had regular brakes put in, which I like the feel of, cost half, and did away with excessive brake dust issue. Had some trouble in one bad snowstorm last year, but generally handles weather well (RWD), as I go skiing with it and ski tunnel is appreciated. I average about 21-22mpg with mostly hwy.

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  Wifes favorite car - 2004 Infiniti I35
  By Rockgrab - January 8 - 10:00 am

  We have always owned American made cars this was a big change for us. The car is a cut above anything we have owned in the past. It rides smooth and handles curves well. The engine is fantastic. Powerful and quiet. We like the styling and have received many comments from others about the looks of the car. We have 17000 miles on it and it has not needed anything other than regular maintenance. The way the service shop deals with us is great. They always make sure we are happy. They do all the regular maintenance. The sale was no pressure and very relaxed. We actually enjoyed the expierience.

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  Better Quality than a Chevrolet / GMC - 2005 Infiniti QX56
  By Shawn - January 7 - 8:26 am

  Thus far the ride, craftmanship and luxury features are better than the 2001 Suburban and 2004 GMC Yukon XL that I previously owned. We are really enjoying the QX56.

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  Replacement for 2013 JX35 - 2017 Infiniti QX60
  By JR - January 4 - 10:29 am

  Bought this car a month ago, replacing my 2013 Infiniti JX35. Better power, smoother ride, quieter ride, dark carpets instead of beige a real advantage, a great ride. Is it good for off road, Ill never know, or will I care! Is it a great looking, great driving ride, absolutely! A big improvement over 2013 model Infiniti! Looked at Acura, Cadillac, Mazda, Lexus, and I was drawn back to Infiniti, so glad I was!

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  Comparison: 3.7 VQ, 3.0tt, 3.0tt Red Sport - 2017 Infiniti Q60
  By Dan - January 1 - 6:21 am

  This review is for the Red Sport AWD Q60. I test drove the 300 hp version (for a week) and I decided to buy the 400 hp version. The 300 hp VR feels similar to the 3.7 VQ engine in overall power (I had a 2014 Q50); with more low end torque on the VR that runs out of juice at around 4.5K, while the naturally aspirated VQ is still going strong to 6.5K. The VR will be quicker off the line, and will feel faster when driving around town. The Red Sport version, on the other hand, is an entirely different animal. Much quicker from stop and awesome when needing to quickly merge with oncoming traffic on highway ramps in Chicagoland. There is a slight turbo lag right off the line and the transmission can be slightly sluggish when shifting in lower gears. Using the paddle shifters make this issue much worse, so Id just keep the car in automatic and in Sport + mode for the quickest shifting. The only way that you even notice any of this is because the VR engine in the Red Sport is so much quicker off the line than the older VQ engine; which had the same 7 speed auto transmission. I would make three suggestions with regards to choosing options for the Q60. First, youll want blind spot monitors and driver assistance features; as it is saved me MANY times from changing lanes into a car that was riding behind me in my blind spot. The Q50s visibility was fine without this feature, but the more sexy Q60 profile has one major limitation; massive rear quarter blind spots. Also, the around view monitor allows you to park this car effortlessly, without curbing your wheels. Second, if you enjoy performance oriented driving, Id skip the Direct Adaptive Steering. Version 2.0 is better, but it still needs further refinement. The standard electric steering is quite good; much better than the older VQs hydraulic rack. Most reviews of this car that complain about the Q60s steering have a fully loaded Q60; with the DAS option. What a shame, as the standard rack is excellent. The only trade off is that you do loose some additional features that are packaged with DAS (adaptive cruse control, lane keeping, etc.). However, Infiniti still gives you 2 settings for the electric steering; standard and sport, which is great and fine for most people. Third, please consider changing out those horrible run flat OEM tires! The handling, ride quality, steering, and braking all improve significantly. A tire change completely transforms this car. You have no idea how well this car can perform with better tires. The Run Flats on the Red Sport can kick the back end out of the car when you take a sharp turn and it will hydroplane in heavy rain. I wouldnt even attempt to use these in the snow. Cornering also feels unstable with stock tires and the steering is way too heavy. Did I mention that the ride is brutal with the Run Flats, even in the "comfort" mode? Before I changed the tires, I considered returning the Q60 due to the very harsh ride quality. This would have been a huge mistake! As with the DAS optioned on almost all test cars, all reviews that Ive read that complain about both the handling and the ride quality... are also using the OEM Run Flats. (Continental DWS 06s go very well with this model). Also, I must say that I am happy the the gas millage. I average 23 mpg with mixed highway / city driving. I got 21 mpg with the 3.7 VQ. Mileage actually improved with the addition of 72 hp! Thanks twin turbos and better cooling. Lastly, if you shop around you can get some really great deals on this car. (A well-optioned Q60 Red Sport AWD can be had for the mid-50Ks). Cross shopping, I felt that I would probably need to jump to around 80k+ to improve on this cars performance. Even then, you may not be able to match the Q60s good looks. Yes, Im looking at you Lexus LC! Oh, one last comment, the sport seats in the Q60 are amazingly comfortable compared to my older Q50s, and even the current Q50s, seats. No back problems at all on a 750 mile one-day drive!

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  Fuel Consumption Terrible - 2009 Infiniti G37
  By Me - December 31 - 3:00 pm

  I have had the car for 1 Week. Fuel consumption is not good at all. I am looking at around 12 miles to the Gallon, have driven 120 miles and used 10 Gallons, this includes a majority of hwy 90 % and 10 % city, my Chevy Tahoe gave me 400+ to a full 20 gallon Gas Tank. I was told that it would give me 17 city and 24 Hwy. It is such an expensive car and I will definitely not buy an infinity again. Very displeased. The car is definitely not worth the money, not much to celebrate for the price payed

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  Love to drive - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Jay Dog - December 30 - 2:00 am

  I would recomend nyone looking for a fun fast affordable car to testdrive the G35 Coupe. It has been about 20 years since I had a car that turned heads....man have I been missing the boat! This machine drives like a video game race car, but has the luxury of a fine import. Check it out!!!

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  G35X Major Front Brake Problems - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By sarahcuse - December 27 - 2:16 pm

  I recently took Infiniti to arbitration concerning faulty front brakes. I had terrible screaching. Six attempts to fix it. The case came down to a shim issue. They insisted that original shim would fix problem but that was not the case. They truly do not know what is wrong with front braking system. If they do they sure led the arbitrator and myself down a dead end street. In which case I won. They had to buy back vehicle and return ALL my money. ALL OF IT...Might not be all cars.

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  Rust machine - 2001 Infiniti QX4
  By Rob - December 27 - 2:43 am

  The QX4 has been very reliable for me, but its not my everyday drive vehicle. Ride is real rough in the back and the cabin is a bit small, but at the time that i purchased it, there were not a lot of options in mid-sized SUVs. For a vehicle that mostly sits in a garage, around 6 yrs old it has had a lot of rust issues, mainly behind the fender flares and the running board. Infiniti would not do anything for me and wanted $1100.00 for new running boards. So I had a body shop redo the metal for the running boards for around $200.00 each. I do think I will by infiniti again, because they did not stand behind the rust guarantee. A $40,000.00 vehicle should not have rust that much so soon.

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  MaximumGs - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By MaximumG - December 25 - 10:00 am

  From the first moment I saw the spy shots I loved it.It is, in my opinion, a four door Porsche Carrera. The reviews dont do it justice. This car is simply amazing, and it can outhandle any other four door ( the M5s and RS6s have a lot more add-ons and cost twice as much)and most coupes. This is a grand slam of a car. The sport package is insane, though it isnt a soft ride, it is smooth and roll free. The few troubles are maybe with the tightness of the door panels and the placement of the power seat controls. The foot brake takes getting used to but it is really more convenient. This car will stay with me for a very,very long time.