My Search:

Before I get to the actual review, I just want to give some context as to what kind of car I am looking for in terms of needs and preferences. This was you'll have a better basis for how my opinion may or may not fit with your own.

With my lease on my Saab 9-3 up in a few months, I am finally getting out to test drive the myriad of cars that are on my list as possible replacements. The car I purchase (or lease) will be my primary means of getting back and forth to work in L.A. traffic. I don't need to carry many other people in the car, so I just need it to be comfortable up front and enough space in back to hold one (or both) of my kid's car seats in a pinch. This will not be our main family car - that's what we bought our Honda Odyssey for, after all.

I'd like a car with decent performance; although I won't be racing it anytime soon and I do live in southern CA, so fuel economy is somewhat important. As far as handling goes, I'm not the kind of driver who is looking for a car that feels "toss-able" or allows me to induce oversteer. I think the best word to describe the handling characteristics I'm looking for would be "confidence". I want a car that feels like it can handle anything I can throw at it and still stay below its limits. And I'm getting old enough that I'm also willing to give up some handling capability for a little smoother ride.

As far as interior goes, I'd like an upscale interior with comfortable seats with good support. I'd also like some advanced technology available such as Bluetooth and MP3/iPod integration. A navigation system is not necessary, nor is a super upscale 15 speaker sound package. And, as I said before, I don't need a large amount or rear seat space or a voluminous trunk.

The cars that I've selected to test drive for my search can be divided into three groupings:
Compact sport sedans including the Acura TL, Audi A4 3.2, BMW 330i, Infiniti G35, Lexus IS350, Mercedes C350, and the Volvo S60 R. Mid-sized sport sedans such as the Audi A6 3.2, Infiniti M35, and Lexus GS300. And a few other odds and ends such as the Mazda RX-8 and the Subaru Legacy GT (both mostly due to stellar reviews on this site) as well as the Infiniti FX35 (which I think is one of the best looking vehicles on the road). As you can see, I plan on enjoying this go-round of car shopping.

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For 2006, Infiniti has made several exterior and interior styling tweaks to the FX model. I have seen some photos on the web (although not on the Infiniti site yet) of the changes and they seem to correct several of the interior styling issues that I have without messing up the exterior looks that I like so much. They’ve also made more of the features that were options before into standard features. Unfortunately, a 2006 model was not yet available when I did my test drive so I can’t comment first hand on these improvements. However, the drivetrain for the FX35 has remained unchanged, as does the suspension, so I don’t think me performance and handling evaluation would be any different on the 2006.

Update (12/23/05): I found a site that lists a comprehensive set of changes for the FX in 2006. Among them is a tweak to the suspension and shock absorbers. So the ride quality for 2006 might be improved as well. Here's the comprehensive list:

Enhancements to the 2006 FX45/FX35 include:
- Premium Package contents are now standard on FX45
- Standard RearView Monitor
- Standard Bluetooth Hands-Free Phone system on FX45 models
- Standard leather seating surfaces, 10-way power driver’s seat with adjustable power lumbar support and driver memory, 8-way power passenger’s seat (FX35)
- Standard power tilt/telescope steering wheel (FX35)
- Standard 300-watt, 11-speaker BoseŇ audio sound system with 6-disc CD autochanger, MP3-CD playback and steering wheel audio controls
- Heated outside mirrors (FX35)
- New center console design
- New Electroluminescent gauges
- Added Wheat interior color
- New aluminum and wood trim finish (FX45)
- New front grille and front bumper design
- New 18-inch (FX35) and 20-inch (FX45) wheel designs
- Revised suspension tuning with new shock absorbers
- Three new exterior colors – Liquid Platinum, Serengeti Sand and Orange
- Advanced Air Bag System (AABS)
- Available satellite radio with choice of XM or Sirius
- New Run-Flat Tire Package
- Hands-Free Package with Intelligent Key available on FX35 models (standard on FX45)

Trim Levels:

The Infiniti FX is available with two engines: a 3.5L V6 (FX35) and a 4.5L V8 (FX45), both with all-wheel drive. The FX35 comes standard with 18" wheels, but if you opt for the sport package you get 20" wheels along with an upgraded suspension. The FX45 comes standard with the sport package. In addition, the FX35 can be outfitted in a rear-wheel drive configuration. This review covers the RWD FX35 without the sport suspension.

Exterior:

The exterior design of the Infiniti FX is one of those designs that most people either hate or love. I happen to fall into the latter category. I have liked the looks of the FX ever since seeing the initial concept and it continues to be one of my favorite looking vehicles on the road. I like the curved, muscular lines of the FX – the first time I saw a picture of the concept I thought it looked like an Audi TT (which I owned at the time) on steroids. And the FX is on the small side for an SUV - it’s only 65” tall (shorter by several inches than even a Porsche Cayenne) and 189” long (less than an Infiniti M’s length).

I’m not the kind of person who really wants to drive an SUV, but the FX’s exterior looks (along with numerous reviews claiming that the FX handles almost as well as a sedan) convinced me to at least give it a try.

Interior:

Inside, I would label the FX as more G35 than M35, in terms of interior styling. So I would rate the FX well behind its competition in this regard. A Cayenne has much nicer design and materials, as does a VW Touareg. I won’t spend too much time beating up the FX in this area since it looks like they took some big steps forward for 2006 and put the FX’s interior closer to the level of the M35/45. But, suffice it to say, I was as disappointed with the FX’s interior design as I was with the G35’s.

However, I did find the comfort of the FX’s seats to be better than those in the G35. They just seemed to offer a bit more lateral support. As in other Infiniti’s, I found the steering wheel a little too thin for my taste. The driving position is good, but you get much more of a feel of mass out in front of you than in a G35 or M35. Which makes sense – the FX is about 500 and 300 lbs heavier, respectively, than each of those cars. I found rear visibility ok, but the large C pillars do hamper your view somewhat. Upfront storage is good, except I found the interior materials on these compartments to be exceptionally cheap – think felt-covered plastic that covers the inside of a cheap pen box and you wouldn’t be too far off.

Rear seat room is good as expected. As in the G35, the rear seats recline but they’re rather close to the floor and don’t offer great thigh support. At over 27 cubic feet, cargo capacity is just average for this kind of vehicle. With the rear seats folded, cargo capacity jumps to about 65 cubic feet.

Performance/Handling:

At over 4100 lbs, the FX35 isn’t moved by Infiniti’s 3.5L V6 quite as well as the G35 or M35. As in those cars, it puts out 280 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque and is paired with a 5-speed automatic. I liked this engine/transmission combo in the G35 and M35 and they still work well together in the FX35, just not with quite as much gusto. They still move the FX to sixty in a tad over 7 seconds, though. Not bad for a V6 SUV. If you want sport sedan acceleration, you’ll need to pony up for the V8, though.

As I stated earlier, the FX felt like you have a lot of mass out in front of you while driving. The stats show a 55/45 weight distribution front to back, so this may be more of a visual perception rather than anything else. The FX does handle extremely capably, with good turn-in and minimal lean. However, you pay for this level of handling with a very firm, choppy ride. And this was on the base suspension – I shudder to guess what the sport suspension must feel like. I found braking to be generally good as was the noise levels in the cabin.

Fuel Economy:

The FX35 is rated at an EPA estimated 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, which is not bad at all for this class of vehicle.

Reliability:

Reliability ratings on the Infiniti FX35 have been outstanding. It is rated as one of the most reliable vehicles in its class.

Safety:

The FX35 receives high marks in terms of IIHS front crash test rating. No side and rear crash test ratings are available. However, most of the Infiniti line-up fared very poorly in the IIHS rear impact tests. No NHTSA results are available.

Summary:

Overall I found the FX to be a bit of a disappointment. However, it looks like Infiniti has already fixed most of the issues I have, at least with the interior. Although the suspension tweaks for 2006 might improve the ride quality somewhat, I don’t think there is a way to make the FX ride great and still keep its level of handling – at least anything short of getting a hold of whatever pixie dust BMW uses on its suspensions to combine good handling and smooth ride. I guess if you must have an SUV-sized vehicle then this is one way to get sport-sedan type handling at a decent price - but I'd wait for the 2006 model. Since I don’t need that big of vehicle, I think I’ll skip.