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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  Time will tell - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By rjv - December 24 - 10:00 am

  This is a highly rated sedan and time will tell if it lives up to the ratings. Initial impression is quite favorable.

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  Superb Ride - 1998 Infiniti Q45
  By Superb - December 23 - 6:00 pm

  I must confess that I was a HUGE Lexus fan and have owned the LS 400 and GS 400. Unfortunately I totaled my GS and we didnt want a car note, and couldnt find another GS that matched our price point. So, my husband bought the 98 Q for me and told me that I would not be disappointed. Well, how sweet it is! What a beautiful ride and it moves quickly when I need it to. A whole lot of power and luxury for very little cost. It is definitely an under rated vehicle. After owning Lexus V8s, this Q can role just as hard, if not harder! Oh and I forgot to mentioned that it currently has 138,000 miles on it.

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  Longevity, I wonder? - 2003 Infiniti M45
  By Roadglide99 Revised - December 21 - 10:00 am

  I have 30k miles and see puff of blue smoke on cold start up along with a broken driver seat cooling switch. Dealer had car for two wks. Told me it needed engine de-carbonization and a broken wiring harness in the seat. To NO satisfaction the blue smoke still appears on EVERY cold start. They tell me its the advanced oiling system providing more oil in the valvetrain area and just burnoff. I say BULLSHIT! Called Infiniti direct, they said whatever the dealer says is what they go by. I cant speak to a regional rep., nothing. My only course of action see another dealer and get a second opinion. Gee, thanks for the help Mr. Manufacturer!

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  A good choice, with a few caviats - 2000 Infiniti I30
  By I30Auditor - December 21 - 10:00 am

  After 6 months of research, I bought a 2000 I30 with 56,000 on it. Got it for a steal, though in retrospect its a good thing its still under warrenty. Next week Infiniti is paying to have a new transmission put in . (Though they tell me this is SO rare they have to order it in from Japan). And today I discovered safety glass in one of the rear trim pieces (some with blood on it, indicating an accident). All in all though, I really coulndt be happier. Its got a ton of bells and whistles, is dead quiet on the freeway, and gets decent mileage. Everyone who sees it tells me how classy it looks. Love the clock in the dash. Give it a good hard look.

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  Very good car, but it has its quirks - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By og - December 9 - 1:50 pm

  Overall, this is an excellent car, but you have to accept certain Saab-ish or Subaru-ish quirks that come with it. Can not complain about the shift linkage, handling, acceleration, or comfort. The quirks I mentioned include things like memory seats. Yes, the seat will move to the predetermined position, as will the steering wheel, but the side view mirrors will remain still. Also, here are RCA jacks for an MP3 player in the center arm rest compartment, but there is no integrated charger or mount for the iPod. The car also does not have daytime running lights. Overall, these are small gripes and the money saved over a MB, Audi, or BMW is well worth the minor inconveniences.

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  Amazingly good car for the money - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By snagiel - December 7 - 10:00 am

  For a luxury GT coupe that performs nearly as well as a Porsche at half the price, the G35 sport coupe 6MT is hard to beat. The engine is very eager and powerful, the shifter slick and fun, the steering divine, the handling tenacious, and the braking phenomenal. The interior is comfortable, the back seat usable for short passengers, and the exterior styling is gorgeous.

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  Outstanding Value - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By sichang - December 1 - 10:00 am

  This car is truly an outstanding value. It has fantastic performance via the silky smooth 3.5 V-6. The interior is very luxurious and comfortable, containing all the amenities and the fit and finish of a car costing 10K more. I looked at the BMW 3 series, Volvo, Volkwagen Passat, Acura TL and the Infiniti G35. In the end the I35 was the most luxurious out of the bunch, had the performance I was looking for, and was an excellent value. I purchased a 2002 close out model for 30K which included the Sports Package, moonroof, heated seats, Bose 6 Disc in dash changer and more. The only other car comparable in terms of value was the Acura TL.

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  very sure footed - 2012 Infiniti G Sedan
  By stewmeat - November 26 - 9:23 pm

  Pros : power + , bose sysyem with streaming audio , navigation , interior design , price compared to others in its class. Cons : Transmission hesitates or delays , back seat only good for kids , gas milage is just ok Let me start by saying, " this is a nice car" the build quality seems very good. The power is beyond great, and the bose system has a bass filled beat that will keep up with any. You can stream music from your phone without pluging it in (love it) flip through the songs on your phone, look at your address book on the dislay, control it all with your hands on the wheel. Also you can burn your cds or store phone numbers on the built in hard drive.

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  Infiniti M45 - 2003 Infiniti M45
  By deraye - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I have had the car for a little over a year doing predominantly highway miles and have enjoyed the power and the ride. However the car is a little large to "throw" around corners and that detracts from some of the pleasure. I have driven through three snow storms, and the rear wheel drive handles well on ice and snow. Dont care for the "manual" which essentially is an automatic that you "walk" through the gears.

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  TOTAL RECALL - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By kdocdent - November 19 - 2:00 am

  I enjoyed my Pearl White G35 for the most part. However, the stereo system was out for most of the 6 months that I had it and I was constantly getting notes that something had been recalled on the car. It was too small for trips and the last straw was getting the fuel pump recall that said not to try to restart it if it quit!!! How scary???