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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  My Infiniti G35 coupe - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Nikki - November 29 - 11:23 am

  Okay, so this car is amazing. First of all, I bought this for a good price. Its an 05 Infiniti G35 coupe. Its got dual exhaust which brings the horse power to 285. Great on highways, very loud. Leather interior touch screen GPS built in. I have a 70.000 mile warranty on her :) Brakes are great. This car has so much power I cant even go an hour without driving her. I got a Blue one with a cream strip. The engine is perfect and the alarm on it is great. If someone even gets close to my car my remote will tell me to go out and check it, so high tech! I highly recommend this car, classy sexy and with the perks of a nice fast sports car. You wont regret it!

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  Celebrated 9th anniversary with #98 car - 1998 Infiniti I30
  By Dawg82 - November 27 - 6:20 pm

  Bought my 98 I30 in August 2000 as a two-year off-lease vehicle. Has been outstanding performer for last nine years. Key to performance is great power to weight ratio, but car is still roomy for four adults. Engine and AT is perfect combo of power / torque and economy. Two design flaws to note: The glass that goes across length of trunk will eventually warp and let water into trunk and the volume control on audio will become useless. I had both parts replaced (entire radio under warranty) and both problems have come back again. Still been a great value and will drive at least another two years when I give it to my younger son to take to college.

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  COMFORT - 2003 Infiniti I35
  By Nona - November 27 - 2:00 am

  The I35 drives beautifully, but is a bit noisy on the freeway. The exterior design lacks the classy look of the earlier I30 models. It is responsive, with the notable exception of the turning radius. I find the sounding of the horn at with the remote door lock to be annoying. The interior is beautiful but a misplaced finger can unwittingly change the radio or CD.

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  Wow! - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By galadrienne - November 27 - 2:00 am

  I simply adore this car. I have never enjoyed driving a car more. The interior is incredibly comfortable and the exterior is sharp. The handling on curvy roads is impeccable. The only thing that I have to complain about is that the gas mileage is poor. Driving on the highway and maintaining speed of 60 mph, I am only getting 17 to 18 mpg. Braking is incredible and it is a joy to drive.

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  reliable car great price - 2002 Infiniti G20
  By drkeller - November 22 - 1:43 pm

  I work at a CarMax and financed my first car. The G20 is a great car compared to hondas and all the other imports. it is great because they dont have the huge price tag, for instance a 2002 honda accord with 80 thousand miles runs between 10-15K. My 2002 g20 ran for 10,000 prior to discount and only had 48000 miles. Great buy

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  Not a German car - 2008 Infiniti G35
  By DannoK - November 9 - 10:00 am

  Seems obvious, right? The car has been way more reliable than the German cars Ive owned, but the build quality seems below their standards. Its 2.5 years old now and the dash above the steering wheel is warping, the rubber gaskets around the doors are starting to crack and there are wear marks on the rubber coated parts of the steering wheel, and no, I dont wear any rings! Its a great drive, though! Always plenty of power, plenty of gadgets and very reliable.

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  Early performance appraisal - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By Lonnie Carter - November 7 - 5:16 am

  I was drawn to the G35 by its styling, and also I had previously owned a Maxima in the past. So far, I am relatively pleased with all but the overall ride. It does not accept rough roads very well, I guess due to the sports suspention system. Other than that, it is a fun vehicle to drive. I am disappointed in the non-digital clock, it can hardly be seen at night, and the buttons on the steering wheel are also unlit( I think this has been corrected in the 05 model.

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  Great compromise car - 1998 Infiniti I30
  By Big Commuter - November 2 - 10:00 am

  The I30 is a great compromise car because it does almost everything well. It is VERY reliable (nothing has ever broken after 86,000 miles) its fast, has a responsive transmission. Gets 27 mpg during freeway commuting. It has plenty of room inside the cabin as well as the trunk. Because of steep depreciation, this is an excellent used car to buy. Im planning on buying a 2000 shortly. You really cant go wrong with this car! And yes, it is just a fancier Maxima.

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  Fun Ride - 2004 Infiniti QX56
  By Mrs. M - October 30 - 8:03 pm

  My husband purchased the QX56 as a surprise Christmas present for me. I was also interested in the Lexus GX and the Volvo XC90. After getting a glimpse of the masculine yet alluring body style, I climbed inside and instantly fell in love. The crisp, clean lines of the leather interior speak to understated elegance. The bells and whistles on the Q cannot be overlooked, either. The power lift gate, adjustable pedals and memory seat/mirrors make errands a pleasure. And the 315 horsepower doesnt hurt, either! The storage capacity is amazing. Our family never understood the concept of "traveling light", and the Q just seems to gobble all our gear and ask for more. And its a headturner!

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  Poor fuel economy - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By michael - October 29 - 10:33 pm

  The only draw back for this car is that its fuel economy. I averaged 14 mph with 12 mph in city and 20 mph in highway. other than that everything is very well built. P.S. check your car very carefully when you receive it, my rim and key are damaged. i noticed it few days later, they blame it on me.