2012 Infiniti QX56 4WD Review

By David Colman
For: Whopper V8, Airy Cabin, Finely Crafted Finish
Against: High Climb-In, Small Sunroof
Only ex-tank commanders or moonlighting semi drivers will find this QX to be beautiful. But if beauty is as beauty does, then a lot of potential buyers who need to tow trailers or haul lots of people will also discern the inner beauty of the QX. Let’s start with trailer towing, a task for which this Infiniti is ideally suited. Since it’s based on Nissan’s rugged Titan truck platform, and powered by a 5.6 liter V8, you’ve got enough horsepower (400hp) and torque (413 lb.-ft.) to pull 8,500 pounds of deadweight. Infiniti assists this task by including an integral Class IV tow hitch, and 7-pin wiring harness (with cover) in the basic specification of the QX. Standard self-leveling rear suspension also aids the drayage process. The 7 speed automatic gearbox keeps the engine working at top efficiency, with manual override and rev matching available via the console mounted stick. Normal dry weather operation calls for 2WD selection, with 4WD offered for extra traction in inclement conditions. The 4WD setting consists of both high and low range all-wheel-drive.

 2011 Infiniti QX56 – Drive Time Review. This video is brought to you by Steve Hammes

If it’s human haulage you’re after, you couldn’t do better than the QX without buying a school bus. Like many other SUVs, this one has 3 rows of seats (accomodating , but unlike most others, all 3 rows are eminently accessible and comfortable. Order the optional ($2,900) Theater Package and you’ll turn your QX into a mobile entertainment center that offers 2nd row occupants a pair of 7 inch DVD screens, and wireless headphones with which to follow the action. Best of all, the Theater Package also includes remote tip-up controls for the 2nd row seats to ease entry for passengers in the 3rd row. Of course no one boarding this magic bus has it any better than the 2 front seat riders. The QX features standard 10 way front seat adjustment for the driver, 8-way ditto for the passenger, and 2-way lumbar support for both front seats. In addition, the combination leather/wood steering wheel rim is heated, and the wheel itself tilts and slides at the push of a button. The driver’s command position offers excellent forward, side and rear vision.
If you’re after the most sybaritic and plush QX experience, you’ll want to check the option box for the Deluxe Touring Package, which adds $4,100 to the bottom line. To replace the standard leather seats and Tuscan Burl trim, the Touring Package substitutes semi-aniline leather on the seating surfaces and door panels, and Mocha Burl wood. So equipped, the QX cabin verges on palatial, with enough soft leather to supply a shoemaker for a year, and enough lustrous wood to panel your den.

 The QX drives smaller than it is. Despite weighing close to 3 tons, this biggest Infiniti of them all responds with surprising finesse when you chase apexes, reverse direction, or park. Its turning radius is a relatively modest 41.6 feet. Nimbleness also results from fitting the QX with an optional wheel/tire combination consisting of 22 inch, 9 spoke forged alloy rims, mounting 275/50R22 Bridgestone Dueler H/T tires. These giant rollers are expensive, at $2,300 for the set, but worth the extra cost because they do so much to improve the QX’ agility quotient.

2011 Infiniti QX56 Road Test and Review. This video is brought to you by Roadfly

One optional package you can live without is the $3,000 Technology Package, which includes Intelligent Cruise Control, and Blind Spot and Lane Departure warning systems. The cruise control locked up solid on one long freeway run and refused to operate or turn itself off until rebooted at a rest stop. If you are so inattentive as to need Blind Spot and Lane Departure notification, maybe you shouldn’t be climbing behind the wheel of this imposing SUV.

 

The raison d’etre of the QX is to supply oodles of power and comfort for long distance cruising, effortless towing, or maximum troop reallocation. While it won’t win any beauty or mileage contests, it’s better at its given chores than anything else you can buy in this price range.
2012 Infiniti QX56 4WD

• Engine: 5.6 liter DOHC, 32 Valve V8
• Horsepower: 400hp
• Torque: 413 lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 14 MPG City/20 MPG Highway
• Price as Tested: $75,340
• Star Rating: 8 out of 10 Stars

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2013 Infiniti JX35 AWD Review

By David Colman
Hypes: Up-market Interior, Command Seating Position
Gripes: Whiny CVT Transmission, Erratic Cruise Control
You could buy a brand new Hyundai Accent for $12,445. Or, you could spend the same amount of money just to add 4 accessory packages to the Infiniti JX35. When you opt for the Technology Package ($3,100), the Theater Package ($1,700), the Deluxe Touring Package ($2,550) and the Premium Package ($4,950), then throw in a pair of Roof Rails ($370), you’ve added a whopping $12,670 to the $41,550 base price of the JX35. Are all these additions really worth the price of a new Hyundai?
Far from it. In fact, some, like the Technology Package, are enough to drive you to distraction. If you’re unable to turn your head, look in the rear view mirror, or pay attention to traffic, you might want to consider investing in this option. But if you have enough breath to fog a mirror, forget it. Does anyone really need “Backup Collision Intervention,” “Distance Control Assist” or “Lane Departure Warning and Intervention”? The latter “feature” is remarkably intrusive and annoying, issuing a constant flurry of beeps every time you change lanes. Despite the fact that the Owner’s Manual suggests the possibility of over-riding Lane Departure Warning, we were unable to accomplish the reprogramming needed for this task.
All these preventative devices conspire to saddle the JX with the jerkiest cruise control imaginable. I always thought that my Uncle Joe, who lived in NYC, was the worst driver in the world, stopping and starting so often that you wanted to upchuck after 2 blocks in the passenger seat. Well, the JX’ “Intelligent Cruise Control” is so dumb that it puts Uncle Joe to shame. Set your desired speed, and the JX35 accelerates and brakes with mind-numbing frequency. After a few minutes of this bizarre ritual, we deselected cruise control and took care of the throttle our self.

Aside from technology run amok, the JX35 is a decently presented SUV, with enough thump from its 265hp V6, and enough stick from its 20 inch Bridgestone Dueler H/P radials (235/55R20), to motor smartly down a winding road. Steering is unusually communicative for an SUV that weighs 5,000 pounds. The CVT transmission, however, is disconcerting in a vehicle of this price range. As you may know, constantly variable transmissions depend on belts rather than gears for motivation. When you perform a “downshift” in the JX35, you’re really asking the CVT transmission to alter belt length to increase rpm. Even when shifted manually, this mechanism responds slowly to downshift and upshift commands. A real 6 or 8 speed gearbox is the accepted norm for an SUV in this price range.
From a functional standpoint, the JX35 offers the utility of 3 seating rows. With all seats erect, you’re limited to just 11 cubic feet of tailgate accessible storage. If you drop the seatbacks flat in the back rows, cargo space jumps to 85 cubic feet, while rear vision improves markedly because the back headrests are no longer blocking your line of sight.
If you option the JX35 judiciously, you’ll bring home an eminently practical and affordable SUV with the proven 3.5 liter Nissan/Infiniti V6 under the hood, lots of luxury trimmings inside, and enough seats to transport the soccer team to games. Just stay away from that Hal 9000 “Technology Package.”

2013 Infiniti JX35 AWD

• Engine: 3.5 liter DOHC, 24 Valve V-6
• Horsepower: 265hp
• Torque: 248 lb.-ft.
• Fuel Consumption: 18 City MPG/23 Highway MPG
• Price as Tested: $55,170
• Star Rating: 6.5 out of 10 Stars

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Infiniti G37 Review

When Infiniti's first G35 coupe stormed onto the scene in 2002, it proved a worthy alternative to BMW's 3 Series — the best you could get for $35,000 at that time. Now, as the new 3 Series reassumes control of the segment with a rip-snorting 300 horsepower in the 335i, it seems time for Infiniti to hatch the latest G.

 That the redesigned G35 sedan already provided a compelling alternative to the 3 Series didn't matter. Infiniti decided against matching that car's 306-hp, 3.5-liter V-6, instead building a 3.7-liter engine for the appropriately named G37 coupe. The larger V-6 sends an estimated 330 hp to the rear wheels through a five-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

Three trim levels are available: base, Journey and Sport 6MT, which is sold exclusively with the manual. Infiniti G37s hit dealerships in August 2007.

Exterior
The G37 looks much like you'd expect for a two-door offshoot of the new G35. The curvaceous body integrates large — but fairly subtle — fenders, while the bumper boasts one of the more sinister interpretations of the familiar air dam and side portals you see on many cars. Twin L-shaped headlights flank the slatted grille. The taillights aren't all that different from those on the previous G35 coupe.

Adding the Sport package to a G37 Journey gets you a sport-tuned suspension, exterior ground effects and massive 14-inch front disc brakes — the same size as those on a Corvette Z06. The Sport package also swaps the G37's standard 18-inch alloy wheels for 19-inchers. The G37 Sport 6MT includes all the enhancements standard.

 

Infiniti's 4-Wheel Active Steer system is optional on the Journey and 6MT. It turns the rear wheels as well as the front ones, which purportedly improves high-speed handling and makes it easier to turn at parking-lot speeds.

At 183.1 inches long and 71.8 inches wide, the G37 is nominally bigger than the 335i coupe. It's even a bit wider than the G35 sedan.

Interior
Apart from having a smaller backseat with room for two instead of three, the G37's cabin is not much different from that of the G35 sedan. The coupe's interior is a vast improvement over the first-generation G35, and now features such novelties as aluminum trim modeled after Japanese Washi paper.

Standard features include power front seats, automatic climate control, a six-speaker CD stereo and leather upholstery. Heated seats with power side bolsters, a moonroof and a navigation system with real-time traffic monitoring are optional.

Under the Hood
Sporting an elaborate air induction system similar to (no surprise) BMW's Valvetronic, the 3.7-liter V-6 makes an estimated 330 hp and 270 pounds-feet of torque. It teams with a five-speed automatic transmission in the G37 base and Journey, while the Sport 6MT gets a six-speed manual. Cars with the Sport package include a limited-slip differential for better traction while cornering.

Infiniti estimates that the G37's engine actually delivers around 1 mpg better gas mileage than the 3.5-liter V-6 in the G35. With the EPA's revised fuel economy ratings for 2008, that should translate into roughly 21 mpg in combined city and highway driving for a manual-equipped G37.

Safety
All G37s come standard with six airbags, including side-impact airbags for the front seats and side curtain airbags for both rows. Active head restraints, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system are also standard.

Infiniti's Intelligent Cruise Control, which can match highway speeds with the car ahead, is optional. It includes a Preview Braking function that preloads the brakes for faster response if the car in front slams on its brakes. Also optional are pre-crash seat belts that can tighten in response to emergency braking, as well as adaptive headlights that can swivel several degrees to better illuminate corners. 

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