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 emotion - 2002 Infiniti G20
  By jm - July 12 - 10:00 am

  Great styling and comfort. For smaller car turn radius sucks, definitely sub- par. Underpowered.

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  Love the look. Hate the car - 2017 Infiniti QX70
  By Ron - July 5 - 10:17 pm

  Ride is stiff. rattles my dentures. No room in the rear. Im a big guy so this has made my car a three seater. Not enough space between brake and accelerator. my foot often is partially on both which is a hazard waiting to happen. The gas mileage sucks. Im only getting 10 mpg. Well below the advertised amount. This was my dream car since the FX35 first came out. My dream has turned into a nightmare.

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  M45 Sport - The True Positive & Negative - 2006 Infiniti M45
  By Dale Fredrick - July 4 - 9:43 am

  Positives: 335 HP V-8 engine is superior to all others, very smooth & powerful. Seats are very comfortable for long drives,ventilated,lumbar. Voice commands,Bluetooth,NAV,Bose Studio 14 spkr DVD audio & technology features superior. Reliable electronics (Japan),100% Japan parts content & assembly. Awesome tech & features for price point. Negatives: Headliner "clicks",intermittent rattles,road feel & handling feedback compared to new BMW 5 Series is poor,wheel balance on front right was way off. Quirky steering wheel movement on freeways requires continuous tiny hand inputs probably due to 19" tires and sport suspension setup(too tight)After 3000 mi.& 3 months sold car to CARMAX for $48,000.

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  I30 review - 1999 Infiniti I30
  By Mark - June 30 - 10:30 am

  Mileage is 22 - 26 range. Runs well on regular, better on premium. Premium gives it better performance, while mpg doesnt significantly change

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  Infiniti Under-rated - 2002 Infiniti I35
  By John Freudenreich - June 29 - 4:20 am

  I recently tested: Saab 9.3SE Lincoln LS Infiniti I35 Volvo S60 Straight up preference: Volvo, Infiniti, Lincoln, Saab. Purchased Infinity-Better value for the money. Lot of included items others state as options

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  A blast to drive - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Jason Hearn - June 21 - 12:23 am

  Acceleration is nice but could use a little more in gears 1-3. Passing is no problem and taking corners is fun as the car just sticks to the road. The shifting is a little unrefined and you really feel it in both the stick and the clutch. Overall comfort is nice and you sit nice and low to the ground. Drink holders on the manual are not in the easiest place to reach and drinks can get in the way when your shifting.

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  A good Q car - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By anders7 - June 17 - 8:07 pm

  Ive had my G35 for 4 years now and I used to change cars regularly. Previous cars were BMWs and Mercedes but I got tired of the exorbitant costs involved in just keeping them going. This last time I looked at the little BMWs and Mercedes and thought why not try something different? So I looked at the Infiniti G35 and the Lexus GS300. There was not much of a cost difference and the Infiniti seemed like so much more car for the money. People complain about the mileage. I get a solid 21 mpg with 80% hwy driving. Thats excellent for a heavy car with a powerful engine. Sadly it does drink premium only.

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  Great choice in this segment - 2006 Infiniti M45
  By DJ - June 2 - 10:43 am

  Purchased used w/4,000 miles, all options except DVD screen and heated rear seats. Great performance and handling for such a large car. Tested Lexus GS 430 and BMW 530 but M45 seemed much roomier in the back and quicker as well. Love the soft leather and rosewood, even though Lexus still more refined inside. Exterior styling also a little bland compared to E500 and GS 430. Nice exhaust rumble thats not intrusive when cruising at highway speeds. Glad I dont have sports suspension, supple ride thats only occasionally harsh over very large irregularities (especially if accelerating hard). Rides a bit noisier than Lexus, but expected given sporty personality.

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  updated review - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By kiddough - May 27 - 7:02 am

  I still like this car, but after a few years it has its pros & cons. Avg MPG is 21.4 (city/highway) A lot of tiny things brings this car down. Be sure to visit a dealership if your car burns a lot of oil! Infiniti will perform a oil change & document your levels & have you return after 1,000 miles to see if you need a new engine. I will be getting a 2012 Acura TL SH-AWD 6 M/T more reliability & about the same performance.

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  G37S Journey coupe - 2009 Infiniti G37
  By ViliV - May 27 - 12:03 am

  The handling and performance is superb, acceleration is great under any circumstance. The technology loaded in this vehicle really makes the difference with comparable 335 or A5, a fully loaded G37 coupe would cost around 8-10K less than any other European brand.