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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  QX4 to keep - 2001 Infiniti QX4
  By james b - April 6 - 2:00 am

  Loved it since the time I got it. I cant understand why it gets overlooked so much but Im also glad that there isnt a ton of them out there as with other brands of SUVs. Ive driven the Pathfinder and while its a great vehicle, its a totally different feel as well as a common SUV on the road.

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  I like it - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By cornshuck - April 6 - 2:00 am

  This is just the car I was looking for, excellent performance, comfort, and price. Very well balanced car and it lives up to its advertising

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  Second Childhood Car - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By nkala - April 6 - 2:00 am

  I am a 50 yr old female who is having a ball and all of my friends want to ride. The biggest problem is keeping my husband and my two sons, 23 and 24 out of my car so I can drive it. Great acceleration response for highway merging. Tight stearing but touchy brakes. Love the engine sound! Comfortable driver seating. Back seat is a little close but not unexpected. Climate control is really good. Love the dual comfort zone feature. Fun car to drive. Definitely an attention getter. You want to stay in it all of the time.

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  very sweeeet! - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By dereks - April 6 - 2:00 am

  even though I just purchased this car, I was comparing the G35 with the Maxima. All in all, the G35 was smoother and a step above the Nissan. The rear wheel drive, the turning radius and Infinitis warranty were the deciding factors. I feel I made the right choice after a 2 week comparison. HP were about the same both with tiptronics.

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  Sweet Ride - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By fjm1 - April 5 - 10:13 am

  Got rid of a 2000 BMW 3 series for a 2004 G35 Sedan 6 speed. The G is greatly superior to the BMW, especially in reliability. This car really goes and its a blast to drive on twisty roads. One of the few family 4 doors that I could find with a stick and a sticker I could afford. At 30K miles its still fairly quiet inside, no rattles.

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  A1A Daily Driver - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By hatteras56 - April 4 - 8:23 pm

  Having owned 2 BMWs (3 & 5 series) along with an Audi allroad, I have a frame of reference to compare the German ownership experience with that of the 2008 G35 (sport, premium and navigation packages). Nothing can touch a Bimmer coursing through the S curves but my new G 35S is a powerful sedan that hopefully will provide years of satisfaction. This car is simply gorgeous and packs more technological features that cars costing many thousands more. I am very satisfied with my purchase.

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  G35 ROCKS - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By OmegaBlue - April 4 - 10:00 am

  Audi A4, BMW 3 series, Acura TL typeR, and on and on, they just cant compare with G35. Start with horse power, G35 got 260, and 260lb of torque. No car in this catagory can beat that. Eventhough TL typeR got 260HP, it has less torque. Styling? I thik BMW gotta go, its style is the same years after years. A4 is not bad, but when we speak about money, theres a huge difference. German cars are over priced. With 30k, u can only get an Audi A4 1.8T, not even the V6 version. As for BMW, you can only get a plain 325i without leather. Dont even think about 330i, itll cost at least 35k. TL is front wheel drive, and doesnt qualify as a true sports sedan.

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  There are better choices - 2002 Infiniti Q45
  By pbjb - April 4 - 8:23 am

  This car was plagued by excessive oil consumption (1.5 to 2.0 quarts per 2500 mi.)after 8,000 miles with blue smoke coming out of exhaust during initial startup. Dealership was great and did what they could but Infinity claimed it was normal. After checking with other dealerships out of state and finding out they had to replace engines in other 2002 Q45s I requested a replacement. It took 12 months to finally get Infinity to replace the engine. They said they had to monitor the oil consumption over a period of 3 oil changes. The new engine doesnt burn a drop! Had to have the rotors turned down after 20,000 miles (warped) and had them replaced 7,000 miles later due to the same problem.

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  Sweet Ride - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By CF - April 2 - 6:23 am

  Owned this car for a full week now. I have the G35 with the sports pkg and the nav. Once you learn all of the controls, you will love the features of this car. It is a pleasure to drive.

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  I LOVE my Infiniti I30! - 2001 Infiniti I30
  By althomas8 - April 1 - 8:56 pm

  I originally wanted the Acura TL but my husband kept pushing me to test drive the I30. I was convinced before I even got to the dealership that I wouldnt like it. Well, as it turns out, I loved the I30 and we bought one that night!