INFINITI FX35

The term crossover vehicle covers a lot of ground these days, and the Infiniti FX35 shows how far that idiom is being pushed. Typical crossovers are vehicles such as the Toyota RAV4 or Honda Pilot—they're based on car platforms and lack the low-range transfer cases and robust Paris-Dakar durability of truck-based SUVs, but they wear truckish, blocky sheetmetal.

You sure can't say that about this Infiniti FX35. Yes, at 65.0 inches high, it does stand some seven inches taller than a Ford Taurus station wagon. And at 189.1 inches long, it is about eight inches shorter than the Taurus wagon. So the Infiniti FX35does possess proper SUV proportions.
It looks brawny as well, but in the bulging, muscular fashion of a Dodge Viper rather than the square-shouldered idiom of a Caterpillar tractor. Moreover, its greenhouse is tidy, rakish, and sleek, and this particular Infiniti FX35 didn't even have four-wheel drive. Instead, it funneled every bit of its 280 horsepower to its rear tires.Like its bigger brother, the FX45, which is the quickest non-turbocharged SUV we've ever tested, the Infiniti FX35 is geared purely for grappling with the pavement. Although it wears standard 18-inch tires instead of the 20s found on the 45 (20s are optional on the Infiniti FX35), the 265/60VR-18 Bridgestone Potenza RE92s provide sufficient grip for the FX to corner at 0.80 g and stop from 70 mph in 181 feet. Makes it easy to believe the Infiniti FX35 chassis is related to the FM platform used by the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35.

INFINITI FX35

Infiniti FX35 Equipped with Nissan's ubiquitous 3.5-liter V-6, which develops 280 horsepower in this iteration, the Infiniti FX35's pace is surprisingly close to that of the FX45, which has a much more powerful 315-hp V-8. We measured the sprint to 60 in 7.1 seconds and the quarter-mile in 15.5 seconds at 91 mph (6.3 and 15.0 in the FX45). Top speed was an ungoverned 137 mph, enough to see off most expensive German sedans with their 130-mph governors.
Some of this fleetness comes from the Infiniti FX35's 4100-pound curb weight, which is down nearly 400 pounds from the FX45's with its V-8 and four-wheel-drive system. With a manual-override-equipped five-speed automatic, the Infiniti FX35 is a swift and responsive tool for the cut and thrust of urban traffic.
Although your line of sight is about half a foot less elevated than in most mid-size SUVs, the driver still sits high enough to see over the roofs of most sedans during the bumper-to-bumper grind. And the FX's taut chassis facilitates the rapid lane changes and instant acceleration needed to progress through the rush-hour pack.
In fact, we're surprised at how closely the performance of the Infiniti FX35's chassis mimics the 45's, despite less rubber. Although peak grip is down 0.07 g, the sharp steering and the athletic moves remain. So does the larger FX's hard ride. You'll feel every zit in the pavement, and even the shallowest speed bump will have you rocking and rolling. Infiniti calls the Infiniti FX35 the sports car of SUVs, and the taut suspension does not belie that claim.

INFINITI FX35

Inside, the Infiniti FX35 carries over the posh accommodations of its bigger brother. The level of standard equipment is high, with dual power front seats, a stereo with an in-dash six-CD changer, high-intensity-discharge headlights, and a 6.3-inch LCD screen to display vehicle information. Our car was equipped with the Premium package, which added $2600 to the $34,745 base price and included leather upholstery, front-seat heaters, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and an upgraded Bose stereo. Optional roof rails added $300, for a vehicle total of $37,645.
The cockpit glitters with aluminum accents and uses soft materials where your elbows touch the door panels and armrests. The Infiniti FX35 interior is also plenty roomy for front and rear passengers, Infiniti having given up a bit of luggage room by moving the rear seat far enough aft to expand rear legroom. Infiniti FX35 fold down the 60/40 split-folding rear seat—an act simplified by the remote releases near the tailgate—and you end up with a cavernous space for your next large-screen TV.
Although many SUVs are correctly criticized for their unfavorable ratio of weight to carrying capacity, the Infiniti FX35 is actually moderately efficient. Compared with the Mercury Marauder sedan, for example, the Infiniti FX35 provides more interior volume, equal performance,Infiniti FX35 more luxurious accommodations, and greater versatility in a package that is more than 20 inches shorter,Infiniti FX35 2.4 inches narrower, and also Infiniti FX35 182 pounds lighter—for about the same price. Call it a crossover. Call it a tall wagon. Call it whatever. We call it pretty good.