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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  a winner - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By william scheck - November 24 - 10:00 am

  love the design.people stop and stare,ask a lot of questions.

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  KEEP AWAY! BAD BRAKES! - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By fed up - November 23 - 5:13 am

  Trust me. This car is a nightmare with the brakes. If you dont believe me, research all of the comments online. We have had the car for 5 years, and have replaced the brakes 5 times! EVERY YEAR!! The car only has 52,000 miles on it. Every time you have to replace the brakes/rotors it is $500. I want to get rid of this lemon!!!!

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  M45 - positives and negatives - 2006 Infiniti M45
  By HAL - November 14 - 5:33 pm

  I traded my 911 carrera for the performance, quality and "room". Previous car was an m5. So far i have 2500 mi. Build quality appears good and there is plentiful space in the cabin. Very poor pdi. Glue all over the car and the rear deck spoiler was warped on delivery. It was replaced after the second trip with another warped part(?). Has to go back again. Performance is acceptable for a 4000 lb. Vehicle, but not great- its no m5.Fit and finish excellent. Dealer very cooperative and apolegetic for the problems.

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  Twilight Blue,Sport Pkg, Aero Pkg - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By JDub - November 10 - 10:00 am

  "Its a G35" is what Ive been spending the past weekend saying to people everywhere i go. I bought the G mainly for its performance...but since i picked it up, strangers have been constantly asking "what is that?" Ive never driven anything that attracted so much attention (a crowd gathered at work). I cant find anything wrong with the interiors look or materials, it not a bimmer inside but the seats a still high quality and extremely comfortable, and the gadgets are easy enough to manage. Ive already logged over 250miles over the weekend just driving around town...Drive it and you will see!

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  Infiniti offers horrible support - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By qx60hybridscam - November 5 - 5:39 pm

  Bought the 2014 QX60 Hybrid AWD, $60,000. Window sticker says 25-28mpg, combined 26. Im just over 4,000 miles. The best Ive seen is 22mpg. That was fillup in Seattle, drive I-5 to Portland, turn around and straight back to Seattle. Cruise control the whole way. My regular fill ups are 18mpg. Total crap! Told service Manager at dealership I bought it from. They drove it for a week and they got 19mpg. So we have a problem, right. All the service tests they did showed the car operating optimally. So they called infiniti and we opened a case. infiniti engineer came, drove 51 miles on 1.8 gallons which equaled 28.3mpg. I said how did you do that? He couldnt tell me because it was proprietary!

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  Bought new in 2000, still driving it in 2012..no issues, very reliable - 2001 Infiniti QX4
  By moniqx4 - November 5 - 8:50 am

  I bought this car new in June of 2000. I owned a 1998 Qx4 which lacked power so the added 70 horsepower was a much needed improvement. I expected to keep it 10 years, but it at 12 years (155k miles ) and it hasnt given me a reason to get rid of it. Ive kept the scheduled maintenance up on it, and the only thing Ive had to do outside of that, was replace items that would normally need replacing, like brakes, shocks, etc. I got my moneys worth on it. Pros: Very reliable. Does good with towing, towed 4 sportsbikes from AZ to Cali and up and down hills didnt notice any drag. Aged well for the most part, still quiet, still comfortable, nothing leaking. Cons: Not the fastest SUV out there

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  Infiniti QX 56 - 2005 Infiniti QX56
  By Jeff Centers - October 21 - 4:46 pm

  Vehicle is a pleasure to drive. I own numerous German autos and this one is comparable in quality, features, and especially comfort, at half the price. The power band is awesome, the transmission silky smooth, and the driver controls are well placed. Brakes could be better, and it has a pretty good blind spot on the driver side but you learn to accommodate. Overall it was a great purchase and I am proud to drive and be seen in it. It definitely turns heads everywhere we go.

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  my i30t - 2001 Infiniti I30
  By mookster - October 17 - 10:00 am

  love the car ,love the idea of getting a loaner for an oil change, great warranty (never used )

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  Not a BMW - 2000 Infiniti Q45
  By Vid - October 17 - 2:00 am

  This is a great car, with strong lines and almost mercedes looks. Distinctive and sexy, with lots of interior room. Accoutrements abound with plush but full feeling seats. Tough for do-it- yourselfers to do an oil change on your own due to the protective cover underneath the front carriage. Anniversary edition is tasteful and sporty, with low profile tires and great looking wheels.

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  I love my G-35sedan! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By DCC - October 17 - 2:00 am

  This car is a real hoot to drive. Power is instant, handling is superb, price is right for those of us who cant afford the bmws. Very roomy for a sports sedan. Brakes are a bit sensitive but ok once you get the feel for them. This car absolutely flies off the line. The growl of the engine brings a smile to my face. You cant go wrong with this car.