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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  G35x - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Tuan - March 13 - 4:30 am

  Great car, fun to drive, gas mileage could be better though.

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  MR - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By G35 - March 7 - 5:33 pm

  Very harsh ride do not buy if you want a nice ride dealer had to adjust steering as it was very sensitive would never buy again

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  Best bang for your buck - 2002 Infiniti QX4
  By goforit - March 7 - 10:00 am

  The dealer service department is really bad. I looked at other SUVs but found that in the luxury segment of 40K price range, this was the best buy. I would recommend this car to anyone looking for an SUV with GUTS.

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  Nice Ride - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By Jhagan - March 2 - 6:13 am

  Traded in my 03 Z since I had a kid and got married. Straight line get up and go better than my Z. Dont get the same stares at the light. I get respect from the older crowd but what can you expect. The technology is crazy; bluetooth, nav, keyless entry, voice activiation for everything, etc. The Bose radio is great for factory but not aftermarket material. The highs could be a wee bit higher and the bass a bit lower. Very pleased with the purchase at this point in my life.

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  New to Infiniti - 2015 Infiniti Q50
  By Greg - February 20 - 12:20 pm

  When we looked at new cars in 2013, we were interested in the G37, but found that the Q50 had just been introduced. It had all of the options we wanted (AWD, strong power, look of luxury) so we opted for the new model instead of the outgoing G model. Overall the car is great with the exception of electronic systems that are the center piece of the interior. I have never seen a cars systems take so long to come online. Once you start the car, at best, all of the radio functions will finally become available after about 30 seconds to a minute. Also (and I find this to be hazard that Infiniti should fix), the back-up sensors and grid also take about 30 seconds to a minute to become available. When you are in a crowded shopping area and your first action when leaving is to back out of the parking spot, all safety systems should be immediately available. Our other cars (not an Infiniti) backup systems, radio and all other electronics are immediately available at the turn of the ignition. Even when the electronics are available, the Q50 has several glitches. When we first got the car, the radio would "freeze", meaning once you turned to a station, you could not switch stations or even turn the volume down without stopping the car, turning it off and restarting. I think they finally fixed that issue with one of the several updates, but we still have glitches in the radio and controls from time to time. I think the Q50s navigation system is significantly better than the one in our other car and is extremely user-friendly and easy to use while driving. Overall a good car with impressive power, comfort and other features, but as a new model, it has some needed improvements that likely will not be available for another model year or two. Will consider another one when we look again, but will also explore the competitors again as we are not 100% sold.

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  Nice Design - Lacks Body Integrity - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By autoguy - February 17 - 2:00 am

  G35 Coupe is a fast car, handles well and has excellent brakes. But, the body integrity has alot to be desired. The car has a number of rattles - dealers have been unable to fix the problems even with Japanese technicians. This is unexcusable in this price range. My prior Lexus did not have one rattle after 76K miles.

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  safety first - 2000 Infiniti I30
  By saved - February 13 - 7:16 am

  Bought the car slightly used about 12k miles and it has performed very well. Unfortunately it was totaled this month in a roll over front end crash and I walked away with a few cuts but fully intact. Car appealed to me for dependability. Body style slightly boring sedan. Loved auto seats and stereo system -though in dash 6 disc changer would be preferable.

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  As much time in the shop as at home - 2014 Infiniti QX60
  By hotrod5 - February 11 - 12:30 pm

  First high-end vehicle I could afford, but maybe I should have kept my Hyundai Tuscon. It cost half as much as the QX60 and had NO maintenance issues. This is a pretty car,but its a rattle trap. It has been in the shop at least four times and they still cannot get rid of them. The airbag indicator light has been "fixed" 3 times. The roof rail was replaced because the rubber sealing strip kept coming out at highway speed or a washing. Obviously poor construction or engineering. The dealership has certainly tried to make it right, but all the fun and pride of ownership is ruined. Each repair visit took 5-10 days! I should have gone with the Acura MDX as my brother suggested.

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  I love my new G25 Journey - 2012 Infiniti G Sedan
  By ccaywood - February 11 - 10:34 am

  Its been 3.5 months, and I still smile every day when I slide behind the wheel. This is the best car that I have owned (leased)!

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  What I miss in a G35X - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By robwahlert - February 11 - 10:00 am

  Live in MN and needing a 4wd/AWD sedan, I was limited to only a few choices: BMW, Audi (too pricey in AWD with a larger engine), and too boy- racer-ish Subaru & Mitsubishi. A $500 deposit for my G35x on 3/20 still reqd 3 1/2 mos for delivery. After a week w/ the vehicle I have been impressed with fit, finish & performance. Coming from a Volvo S60 I already miss a few items, and recommend them strongly for later G35x models: 6- spd manual, rear seats that fold (I could not place 2 large suitcase in trunk), more intuitive radio/climate controls, and an in-dash hands free phone. The best color in the G35 brochure, fire engine red, is not offered on the