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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  Great car but fit and finish needs work - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By efinity - March 6 - 11:26 am

  We know the good points. My 6MT is in Lakeshore Slate and I was stuck with the black dash. The bumper paint is shades off from the body panels. The moonroof trim pieces keep falling in. The Washi katana trim in the door differs a shade from that in front of the passenger. The passenger seatbelt receiver is uncomfortably high for riders. The nav/radio console is trimmed in bright silver but other pieces are matte or brushed nickel, looking as if designed for a different car. The purple dash accent lighting differs from gauges to knob highlight rings. After a rain, opening the trunk lets water pour in from the perimeter of the lid. The carpet is a loose warpy fit in back. Mats are cheap, thin.

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  Impressions of my first luxury sedan - 2002 Infiniti I35
  By Ilyavich - February 28 - 2:00 am

  The engine performance (i.e.: acceleration, shift points, noise, etc.) is excellent. Due to a wide turning radius & some lean on tight curves, it dosent handle as well as my former Accord. Highway ride is smooth & road noise is low. Except for the hard to find gear shift position indicator, controls & gauges are well laid out & the interior is comfortable. Some of the interior fittings are low quality. All doors are hard to close. The Bose stereo & 6-disc CD changer provide an excellent entertainment system. Fuel consumption is only fair for a 6 cylinder.

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  Nice looking car that can be found at a bargain price - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By 2003g35az - February 25 - 9:11 am

  I purchased the car with 82K miles and have owned it for a month. I was looking for a reasonably priced car that was sporty and still had a lot of luxury features. My list included the Acura TL, Lexus IS and BMW 3 series. I chose the Infinity mostly based on price. It does have great looks and your not likely to have to pay blue book for one. However, there is a reason for this. These cars feel really cheap. My wife has a 2004 Lexus RX 330 thats one year newer and about 8K less miles. These cars were close to the same price, but the quality is like night and day. The bose stereo system does sound very good and it is fun to drive. I get 14MPG in town driving.

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  First Impressions - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By gehrig97 - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Had the car 4 days... impressions: Looks great, fast, seems to have quite a thirst for gas. Interior design is visually pleasing, though layout is a bit awkward and materials pale compared to the 3-series. Havent yet pushed the car passed 3500 rpm (break-in period). I like the fact Im not just another yahoo in a BMW.

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  Not BMW Quality - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By PIMPSON - February 23 - 9:03 am

  I owned a 325ci for 1 year before buying this car. To me the only things the G35 has over the BMW are the engine, the NAV system, and maintenance cost. This car is a rocket, but the road handling and ride quality are far inferior to BMW. The interior of the G35 is not luxury quality to me. I will probably sell this car within a year and look into getting an M3 or porsche 911.

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  So far so good - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By cnatra33 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  If you are looking for a race car that functions as a daily driver and oozes class, check it out. While you cant please everyone, I do concur with the major negative themes regarding the interior design. If you cant live with the aluminim trim, lame cup holders or Bose radio, get another car. While all valid arguments, I feel the incredible looks and solid performance far outweigh any negatives. If I were a billionaire, then Id buy an exotic sports car. Until then, Ill zip by the masses in my G35 Coupe and just feel like one.

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  noisey in Seattle - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By tom hert - February 12 - 8:26 am

  Lots of fun to drive on smooth roads. Road noise is awful, like driving a drum. Styling is fantanstic. Acceleration not much better than my acura legend coupe. Surprisingly good on ice.

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  Fun drive, bad times - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Brandon - February 5 - 8:00 am

  Alright 1st of all mine is loaded to the hilt. I have it all, and I love it all. Car is perfect to drive. Car is fun, but you would expect a bit better gas mileage. Car is fast, it takes turns like a champ, and navigating traffic is incredibly easy. Now the bad stuff. The interior is cool at first, but then it gets boring especially seeing new stuff. After 45,000 miles needed a new tranny, and boy was that exciting when it went out. Now at 48,000 the A/C is out and dealer wont cover it. Whats next at 51,000 is my question??? Man am I upset because from what I hear, these cars are almost as reliable as Lexus and BMWs. Still would get another one, especially the coupe, boy those look sweet

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  Great car with a couple of exceptions - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By tienbo2000 - February 3 - 10:00 am

  While this car is not as silky handling or timeless looking as my 98 BMW 540, its still a great car for the money. Some problems: It seems like the mileage sucks once I turn on the A/C getting like 19 mpg on highway. Second the interior parts were not fitted well as there is rattling noise coming from the doors and backseat when I turn the stereo on even moderate levels. Third, the integrated six CD changer is totally retarded-- it is slow... and it doesnt look like itll be easy to swap out with an aftermarket. Fourth, the analog clock is totally useless... I could go blind trying to make out the time with the dim backlight. Otherwise I love the car.

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  Well...it looks good... - 2014 Infiniti Q50
  By srq5363 - February 1 - 9:07 pm

  I leased the base model with the sunroof about 1.5 weeks ago. I didnt want to pay for (or deal with) the electronic issues and gizmos and the base version hit my target price. It looked great, drove well, and met my needs for size. The downside is this car smells...bad. Two others like it smelled bad, too, but the dealership claimed that whatever I was smelling would wear off or theyd take care of it. After a few days, I returned and was told there was nothing they could do and I could trade it, lemon law it, or try to air it out. No luck. Software is buggy and slow and they are still saying apps are coming in 1 more month. Im regretting my choice but, at least it looks good.