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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  Transmission went at 30,000 - 2002 Infiniti G20
  By Phil - May 15 - 10:00 am

  Despite being well taken care of, the transmission failed at 30,000 miles in 2008. Cost me $4 grand. Dealer said it wasnt covered. Couldnt fight them as I was going through a health crisis. Mechanics and transmission dealer said they never saw anything like it. Still pretty upset about losing that much money on such a low mileage car.

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  is it worth the name? - 2001 Infiniti QX4
  By PPrew - May 11 - 2:00 am

  Initially rode like a luxury vehicle should but as the miles accumulated, it is similar in ride to the Pathfinder, more like a truck. Has a similar shimmy when braking and on the highway that was a problem with my previous Pathfinder.

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  WOW - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By B. Chatterjee - May 7 - 12:23 pm

  First of all, before I begin my review I have to confess that this is my first "luxury sport" purchase. I drove a Saturn prior to buying this car and man it was like a quantum jump onto another planet of driving. Before I purchased this vehicle, I test drove the BMW 330i and Audi A4/S4. For the price, this car just absolutely rocks. If you are a spirited driver and dont mind the 6-speed, I definitely recommend it. Infiniti has revised the interior to be much more pampering, somewhat comparable to a Lexus. I got the Sport 6MT with the premium package (major perk is that it adds the Bose Surround Sound System). Overall, I am extremely satisfied with my purchase.

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  Good car but needs some improvement. - 2004 Infiniti G35
  By Andrike - April 25 - 10:00 am

  Good car, well equipped for a sport coupe, excellent 3-D view Navigation screen, controls are well placed, though the buttons on the steering wheel do not light up at night time. Orange looking instrument cluster blends with the red arrows and its difficult to read.Tachometer is on the wrong side. Right hand armrest is very low and misplaced. Close ratio manual transmission is absolutely useless.Gears need to be changed all the time.It keeps high RPM on all gears, even 6th.,which results in a massive fuel consumption.Engine is powerful but lacks low end torque. Generally good car, needs power plant,manual transmission and some interior improvement.

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  Great Car - 2006 Infiniti G35
  By Ace814 - April 22 - 2:03 pm

  Ive had my 06 G35 sedan 6MT for about 3 months and I am loving it so far. Comfortable, great exterior, great engine. I would love to install a supercharger to bump it from the 298 hp to 440 hp but its finding someone I trust to do it. I dont trust myself with the install, this motor is more advanced than Im used to. But I am having fun with it anyway. Seems to be very well built seeing as how this is my first Infiniti. So far so good!

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  Great gas mileage - 2002 Infiniti G20
  By Jo - April 22 - 2:56 am

  I like my G20. Four + years later, I still get at least 27 miles to the gallon (city). The only complaint I have is the quality of the leather. At 2+ years, my seats starting cracking (I am not overweight, nor do I have kids). Granted, the pick-up of the car lacks some, but I find the tradeoff for gas economy worth it. I bought the car mostly because it was nice, affordable and great stereo and sun roof! I havent regreted it once!

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  service and reliability problems - 2003 Infiniti G35
  By service sucks - April 22 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned the car for six months, here is list of problems Ive had: CDs stuck in CD changer, had to replace the whole unit two recalls whistling sounds from the engine squicking breaks servcie... its awful. I went to two service centers: one in Brooklyn, another one in Long Island, Able Infniti. Its a headache. In first case they wouldnt give me a loaner, just beacuse I didnt buy a car from them, in another case they called me 15 minutes before they closed to tell me that my car is ready, and when I got there there was nobody there, but they charge me extra for keeping a loaner for another day

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  Beautiful, fast, reliable but... - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By Former professional driver - April 20 - 1:21 am

  Bought this coupe used with only 24,000 miles on it. Loved the exterior styling and the handling (still do). Its been very reliable except the drivers side power window, but I only put about 7500 miles a year on the car. The owners manual recommends premium gas but it will drive OK on regular. Bose sound system is fine. I dont have nav. Climate control works great. Front seats are OK, but my wife complains about them and about getting out of the low seat. Not much knee room in back. Interior materials were never luxurious but still look nice. Trunk is a little small but the back seat folds down for extra cargo space. The car sits low, which looks good and maybe aids handling and aerodynamics, but can be a problem with parking blocks, large potholes and other roadway hazards where underside clearance could be an issue. Pros: Outstanding handling and plenty of power. Very stable and fun to drive on the highway, if it is not icy or snowy. Drives well in town too, if not icy or snowy. Exhaust has nice but not intrusive tone. Solid, gorgeous, sporty car. Cons: Road noise is high at all speeds above 20 mph. New, quiet-tread tires help some, but still noisy by modern standards; gas mileage not great even using premium, would be better if the automatic had another gear or two; terrible traction in snow with just all-season tires; have replaced drivers side window motor twice. But for the road noise and the lack of traction in snow, I would drive this car anywhere the roads are paved and good, across the country or across town.

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  A Little Joy - 2007 Infiniti G35
  By Rich Points - April 10 - 3:46 am

  Its like a hotrod, something I enjoyed as a teenager, now at 70 years of age, Im reliving those feelings. This car is so much fun to drive, using the paddle shifters, or the automatic when running around town. The car is tight, and ride is firm but not harsh, the seats are excellent, very comfortable front or back. I put two golf bags in the trunk (they just fit) along with a few other things. The nav option is great, and along with the XM road information youll never get lost, I love the way its setup. Give this car a try, you wont be disappointed.

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  My brand new 2005 G35 coupe - 2005 Infiniti G35
  By fzisist - April 5 - 8:40 am

  Its been three days now, and I cant stop looking at my new Infiniti G35 Coupe. What a beauty! It handles great, and you cant ask for more power. The bucket seats are taking some time to get used too. Maybe Im too big for them, but I can deal with it. Cant see my self taking it for a long drive though, its not comfortable enough. Other than that, this is my dream car.