Test drive Infiniti FX 2002 - 2008 SUV

Endless on the endless

For several years now, cars of this brand, thanks to the gray dealers, are on our roads. But only their official sales began in the past fall, Russia became the first European country in which infinity (the prestigious brand of Nissan) can be bought, as they say, by law.
Infinity is supplied with adapted to Russian operating conditions. It is curious that the very gray suppliers helped greatly! The factory warranty on their car, of course, did not apply, but it is necessary to serve the car somewhere. Most owners turned to the official Nissan stations. So they accumulated statistics on failures, collected information about weaknesses to carry out argument. Journalists were able to evaluate their result and at the same time to get acquainted with a modeling number on a trip around Russia, the final point of which was outlined by the old city of Suzdal.

From princes in mud
Six handsome cars shimmering in the rays of the autumn sun were waiting at the site in the center of the capital. In the hand of a chip key from one of the cars, however, I don’t know which one. I had to go along the line until one of the SUVs winked at the headlights and snapped the door lock.
I sit in a rich salon of the FX35 model in the premium configuration. The sports seat with ten (!) Adjustments took me into its leather arms as a native, it was necessary to only change the angle of inclination of the back. When turning on a rather close platform, he did not even look into the rear -view mirrors: the trajectory of movement drawn by yellow lines was tracked on a color display.
I get out of the center under the quiet purr of the audio system Bow with nine speakers and a couple of subwoofers. High, convenient planting in the city and clear work of the machine gun allow you to enjoy the royal reception provided to me by the car. In this chic salon I want to stay forever! At the same time, he is also lucky where you want
The jelly-like flow of machines is replaced by a more or less free highway. Ahead, as far as there is enough gaze, a straight section of a two -lane highway. I translate the lever into manual mode, and the tachometer arrow instantly jumps up, and the number 4 is lit in the window on the instrument panel. The control unit independently lowered the gear, preparing the car for a more dynamic movement. A sharp blow to the pedal led to assertive acceleration, and the engine quickly rested on the speed limiter in the Infiniti FX35 of the program in manual mode only the driver switches, the electronics do not interfere with the lovers of acute riding. Such an algorithm is convenient on mountain roads and with frequent overtaking on a loaded highway.
The ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive system, in case of confident adhesion of tires with the road, transfers the entire torque to the rear axle, endowing the car with a sports character. But it is worthproof the wheels, as the ratio between the front and rear axle smoothly changes to ensure maximum acceleration and better handling.
On a smooth, recently laid asphalt FX35 behaves perfectly: only the tires on 20-inch discs hiss, and the well-fed rumbling of the engine is barely audition. Silent waves of the car swallows sedately, without swinging, the turns holds steadily, not rolling. But it is worth getting to the interrogated coating area untouched by the repairmen, as unpleasant knocks of pendants and tangible tremors penetrate into the salon. Of course, if you overcome the car in high -profile tires on the disks not so fystroly diameter, shaking will decrease. True, why then a sports suspension in the premium configuration?
The buyer has a choice: more modest Eleans with 18-inch wheels, it is 3600 dollars cheaper. Another option is the same premium, but with a 328 hp engine with a power of 328 hp. Instead of 280. In addition to a more brisk engine, the FX45 is characterized by decoration of the salon with a mosaic rosewood tree, roof religions and chrome glasses of glasses. You can go on such a car along a dirt road only if you are late for a golf club ...

KING FOR A DAY
Having flew almost half the way to Suzdal, I moved to the infinity-M35 sedan with a 280-horsepower six under the hood. In fact, five options for this model are offered to the buyer: with different equipment, type of drive and engines. The power of the same 8-cylinder engine as on the SUV, for the sedan increased to 339 hp. In the trim levels of premium and elites, the machine can be either the rear and all-wheel drive (the latter only with the V6 motor). In the version of the sport, the sedan is equipped with a V8 engine and the Active Rear Steer -steering rear suspension, which increases the price to $ 79,900.
But we will lower the bar and start with the most modest M35 for $ 64 900. And again I plunge into the world of comfort and luxury. Leather seats, the front panel and the central console, trimmed with a rosewood, soft, amber light of the devices all this immerses in another dimension. Recent everyday problems are fading into the background, I want to stay longer with the owner of life, forget about the bustle for a while.
Why not? I ask myself, sitting down in the back seat. Let a colleague who had long been driving behind the wheel take me along the autumn road to an old town, and I will stay a caliph for an hour. What does a person do, sitting down on the back sofa of a business class sedan? That's right, it lowers the armrest between the seats. Along with banal cup holders, I find a comfort control panel. By pressing the key, I put the seat pillow forward, while the back becomes more gentle. If I were more tall, I would also send the front passenger chair forward. But I already have enough space. Grusting slightly in the autumn wind, for a couple of minutes I turn on the heating of the seat and start setting up the stereo system. Laughty jazz and a smooth passage of a car, I quietly find myself in Suzdal.
The car on the track behaves perfectly. No noise from outside, pendants easily smooth out the flaws of road builders. The car gives pleasure not only to me in the back seat, but also to a colleague driving.
It is possible to grab a couple of tens of kilometers on M45 in the sport version. Now under the hood of 339 hp, and under the floor a more rigid sports suspension. Near the city there was a decent path with a bunch of turns, separated by a tuberous bridge. You can’t find the best place to compare pendants!
After a pair of shot ranges, I try to go this site on the verge of my own capabilities and cars. Yes, the sports suspension is noticeably tougher. It is shaking pretty much on pits and hillocks, but at the charged version of the suspension they never worked before the end, and it was more willing to be screwed into the turns. The Rear Active Steer Active Istruction System, which receives signals from speed sensors, corner of the steering wheel and transverse acceleration, helps this section of the road safely.
The difference in the behavior of the machines is noticeable, but for myself I would choose the one with a standard suspension. And not only because I visited the caliph for an hour: it is more pleasant to travel long distances in this car.
M35 with the same ATTESA E-TS, as FX35/45, costs $ 3,000 more. Those several tens of kilometers that I spent behind the wheel of an all -wheel drive machine allow us to draw some conclusions. The increase in price with more than pays off on snowy roads! The manners of the rear -wheel drive car with a sports character are good in hippodrome bends, but when under the wheels the ice or snow porridge is fired, I vote for all -wheel drive!
Before I could look back, a short acquaintance with the infinity family, not yet complete, came to an end. The first impression was obtained, the sea emotions, sales have started. There is a hope that the first official swallows will pull on themselves and other infinity models to the vast expanses of Russia. After all, Mark personifies himself with infinity, which means that we are so similar
Infiniti FX35/45
The SUV appeared in 2003 and became one of the most successful models of the company. This year, restyling has undergone.
Engines: gasoline 3.5 and 4.5 liters (280 and 328 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic. The transmission is all -wheel drive.
Complete: Elegance, Premium.
Price: $ 69 90082 900.

Infiniti M35/45
The sedan based on the Japanese model of Nissan-Fug, the 2004 model made his debut in 2005.
Engines: gasoline 3.5 and 4.5 liters (280 and 339 hp).
Gearbox: 5-speed automatic. The transmission is posterior or four-wheel drive.
Complete: Premium, Elite, Sport.
Price: $ 64 90079 900.
Infiniti FX35/45 luxury SUV with an original design and excellent handling, which allows the owner to move along dirt roads if necessary.
+ A worthy level of comfort and good dynamics, a stylish appearance adapted for Russian roads, protected body elements.
- High price, a spare wheel of a dock.

Infiniti M35/45 Business Class sedan without any reservations. The presence in the lineup of all -wheel drive and sports modification is a good trump card in the struggle for a place under the sun.
+ Rich selection of configurations, chic interior decoration, spaciousness in the rear seat, honed controllability of the M45 configuration.
- Little fame in the Russian market, the lack of an all -wheel drive version with the most powerful engine, an unorurated menu of the on -board computer.
 

 

Source: The magazine "Driving"