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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  Infiniti G35 - Powerful and fun to drive - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By pdwigg - October 25 - 2:00 am

  This car is fast and handles very well. At the same time, its very comfortable and I can barely feel any bumps when traveling over rough roads. The car looks great, it doesnt look like anything out there, and several people have stopped to ask me what it is. Infiniti definitely outdid themselves with this car!

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  Fun, Quality & Eyecatching - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By NewAZG35 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  This is a wonderful car. Not only is it fun to drive (powerful with lots of torque & great handling), but its well laid out and very eyecatching. The lines are sexy enough to still be inspiring 3-4 years from now when competitors like the Acura 3.2TL-TypeS have really grown tired. The cabin is remarkably quiet and coming from a Honda, the materials & workmanship really seemed first rate. Thats perfect because youll be able to enjoy every last note that eminates from the Bose sound system. I shopped pretty heavily: Acura, Lexus, Cadillac, Chrysler, Used Mercedes & BMW. To me, nothing matched the overall "bang-for-the-buck" that the G35 offered.

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  Option it right - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Boomer - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Just picked up my Twilight Blue/Charcoal Leather/Premium, Wood G35 yesterday. Initial impression of the interior was that it looked cheap in the Willow color. The charcoal leather with wood trim looks richer and higher quality. The rear looks better in the flesh than in pictures. Love the car. It feels like a very high quality package. The car puts as big a grin on my face as the 3-series drive did. The reason is acceleration where it was more about steering feel in the Bimmer, but this is still a very good handling car. This is an excellent sport sedan with decent room in the back (unlike 3-series or A4) and Japanese reliability.

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  Used Infiniti QX4 2000 - 2000 Infiniti QX4
  By kg - October 22 - 8:40 am

  Bought it used with 109K miles in 2007. Overall a very fun car to have and drive, wonderful comfort, great sound system, great off-road. There is one very important limitation - bad fuel economy, about 12-16 MPG. Which means it is not for a lots of freeway driving, but rather for short commutes, small towns and off-road (which is excellent!) Some reliability issues - non specific, but after 100K miles, some small and not small parts tend to go out. Off-road as good as it gets. I drove on a very steep uphill, narrow winding mountain road with more than 6 inches of snow and ice, and it went right through it for miles until the snow got really thick (more than 10 inches).

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  Comfy, all the time - 2011 Infiniti FX
  By ogashige - October 22 - 8:29 am

  Very fun to drive. Sometimes dull while driving at 50-60 mph. This car is good at driving fast, 70 or above. Acceleration is good. Braking is good. Cornering is nice. Infiniti should consider the cargo space. Not roomy. Lane departure warning is nice, but sometimes does not recognize the lane on the road. We can expect the improvement in the future. Rain sensing wiper, auto headlamps are very convenient, yet no day- light driving lamp.

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  A great machine made better for 2005! - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By DTSCol2005 - October 22 - 7:16 am

  I had reservations about purchasing a 2003 or 2004 G35 Coupe because of their poor interior design and quality. This year Infiniti fixed this cars major flaw. I love the interior of my 2005; real aluminum, a clock thats not blocked by the navigation screen, and a steering wheel that is backlit. This car is now the complete package, attractive exterior design, unbeatable performance and handling, and a luxury interior.

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  BMW 3 Series Overthrown by this Coupe - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Crazy Horse - October 21 - 7:20 am

  The gearbox is not as silky as BMW but this can be overlooked when value for money is considered. Winding up through the gears feels good and sounds good.

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  First SUV - 2001 Infiniti QX4
  By SF Iceman - October 21 - 2:00 am

  As I have previously owned sedans, I find the purchase of this vehicle the best choice that I could have made. The ride is that of a sedan but with more safety. It is an eyecatcher.It has giddy-up! Many creature comforts. I love the navigation system.

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  The best bang for your buck! - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Michael Z. - October 20 - 6:43 pm

  After exaustive research is finally purchased my G35x. The car is absolutely a blast to drive. I wanted a car with true sports car dynamics, comfortable ride, and some luxury appointments. I also wanted all wheel drive, and the reliability that generally comes with Japanese vehicles. For me it quickly became clear that the G35x offered a near perfect combination of all the things I was looking for in a car for a very competative price, especially when compared to its German counterparts. Compare the statistics, and then go drive one. This car sells itself.

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  I35 burgerbits - 2002 Infiniti I35
  By burgerbits - October 20 - 10:00 am

  I am enjoying the car and like the car overall for its quality, performance and features, but the ride is harsh over bumps and you feel road grain.