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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  I want out! - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Charlie - October 1 - 8:56 am

  I bought this car mostly based on its looks. Then I test drove it and fell in love with it. Since then I had the brake light switch replaced because of a squeaky noise. Then the clutch pedal assembly had to be replaced, because it was binding. Now the clutch is slipping at 14k, the dealer blames me although I treat the car like a baby. Very disappointed that a $36k needs a new clutch at 14k miles. So the fact that the tires only last about 18k miles, Im looking at replacing tires and clutch in less than two years. By the way the mirror rattles, the console rattles, there is rattle in the window and a few more.

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  What a deal for the $$$$$ - 2002 Infiniti QX4
  By 360mode - September 27 - 10:00 am

  not sure about everyone else, but i got my 2wd with a sticker of $36395 for $30,095. it was a demo with about 2k miles on it. i did all of my homework, weighed the pros and cons of each vehicle and decided for the money, i could not go wrong. the only other serious contender i had was an ML320 - but you know how hard it is to get a discount on a mercedes so for $10k less, it was a no brainer! besides the deal though - i love the car.

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  great sport/lux bargain - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By cyrilcat1212 - September 18 - 8:40 pm

  good looks, roomy interior w/all the comfort and convenience of a luxury sedan combined w/ferocious acceleration. supple ride w/plenty of grip.

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  Q50 experience-15 months later - 2014 Infiniti Q50
  By Mohamed Samman - September 4 - 11:01 pm

  I leased a Q50S AWD Hybrid in Nov 2013. The first couple of months I had problems with the Infiniti Connection technology that even the dealership couldnt figure out how to fix. Since then it has been a very pleasant experience. The recent addition of the inTouch apps is nice. The handling and cornering is the same if not better than BMW 335. In Sport mode the acceleration is awesome and the paddle shifters are very responsive. When accelerating from low speed in standard or eco mode the transmission appears confused which gear to shift to first and sometimes fails to respond properly to the drivers foot on the gas pedal.

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  G35 is better than an M3 - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By joenole - September 3 - 4:00 am

  The G35 four-door sedan is the best performance vehicle for the money. The 6-speed manual transmission is smooth and you can rock this car when you drop from 6th to 5th to pass.

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  So far So good - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By crash - September 1 - 11:34 pm

  The reviews Ive read sound scary! I havent owned mine long but Ive done a long road trip with it. Others have mentioned poor gas mileage. I dont fully disagree, but Ive been watching my driving habits and my mileage has been improving. At first I was getting a combined 16.5 mpg. My overall average has improved to 21.5 and my last few fill ups were around the 23.5 mpg range. I now leave it in ECO mostly and switch to sport in city traffic or when I know Ill need more responsive acceleration. I havent had any quality issues yet with trim or paint, but do worry about that as the trim pieces do seem a little fragile or cheap. So, I am concerned based on other reviews. But, so far I LOVE this car. It is very quiet which is important to me. Its a very smooth ride too, also important. I just returned from a 7 day, 2700 mile road trip and I find the car to be very comfortable. I bought this car used, and had planned on buying the Audi Q7, but was having difficulties finding the right used one at the right price and then drove this and loved it. I should mention that the one I bought came with all the packages, and Im very pleased with all the features, especially the adaptive or intelligent cruise control. So, so far Im very happy, and hopefully I wont have some of the problems others mention.

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  Brakes!!! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By GB - August 31 - 6:13 am

  Id love this car so much more if I didnt have to have new brakes every 12000 miles! This car eats tires; goes thru brakes like crazy and get terrible gas mileage (even when we dont race it!) Otherwise, its my favorite car of all time... and Ive had a few!!

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  50,000 miles - No major problems - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Dukeboy22 - August 28 - 9:50 am

  I purchased my G35 in June 07 with 29k miles. Since then, I added 22k more miles, with few troubles. First, the tires I have are great, and I just rotated them, yesterday, after 22k miles. I dont think I will change them until they have close to 40k on them. They are definitely NOT OEM. Second, I had a funny scrunching noise in the suspension, possibly the shocks/struts. The dealership replaced this free of charge under warranty (though I still hear some of the same sound - revisiting dealer!). Third, I had a dummy light come on 2 weeks ago, which the manual said was low tire pressure. I inflated the, the light went away! Its fast, a little bumpy, very sexy, and it makes me happy!

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  G37X so far so good - 2011 Infiniti G Sedan
  By evfab4 - August 26 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased my G37X two weeks ago (previously owned an Audi A4). The G37 really moves! I love driving it and have to fight the temptation to step on the gas. Handling is excellent (ride is firm, as expected). I picked the G37 over another A4 because of 1) performance, and 2) I am hoping that the Infiniti will require fewer repairs than the A4. With that said, I learned that the cost of scheduled maintenance (vs repairs) is not cheap for the Infiniti. Ask the Dealer about this before you buy. Overall, at this point I am very happy that I bought the G37 and I hope that I feel the same a year from now!

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  Love needs more power - 2000 Infiniti G20
  By G20tman - August 22 - 2:00 am

  I love this car! It is fun to drive, handles beautifully, but the power is a little lacking.