2000 Infiniti I30t | Retro Review

[@gtrzdaddy]

The best days of Infiniti. They should really bring the G, I, J, M naming back

[@tom11zz884]

The J series were the best looking Infinitis ever made IMO

[@automotiveaffairsshorts]

Infiniti was hit with a decease called Johan de Nysschen, who infected the brand with his usual idiotic naming scheme, and ruined the brand!

[@MrOdee69]

You’re 100% correct

[@rummimg]

All are rebadged JDM Nissan. Lexus and Acura at least specifically designed their models for the North America market.

[@justinborysenko3885]

They could call them the K (based on Nissan Kix) the A (an Altima with leather) the R (a Rogue with a bigger screen)

[@carlossanchez-kz4wh]

His Jackets never gets old

[@FabienTeulieres93]

Still own mine. It rolled off Nissan's Oppama assembly line in Sept. of 1999 per the sticker. Now 280,000 miles and counting! Great car.

[@bghoody5665]

I'm sure Infiniti and Lexus were so pleased to hear their cars called "near luxury."

[@joestuff8]

These models(ES/I30/TL) are just that. Near luxury, premium at best. Just a re badge of their parent company counter parts(Camry/Maxima/Accord)

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

Near luxury was a thing back then and it just meant they bridged the gap between a family sedan and a luxury sedan as far as price and features go. Acura TL, Mitsubishi Diamante, Mazda 929, Mazda Millenia, Ford Taurus SHO, Pontiac Bonneville SSEi, Oldsmobile Aurora & Chrysler 300M were in that "near luxury" segment too.

[@chrisxa1222]

​@@user-sk1eh3pg6jBMW 5 series Mercedes e class and Audi a6 too

[@JPIndustrie]

Buick: “First time?” 😂😂😂😂

[@rickjohansson4257]

Not when you consider the actual slogan at Infiniti was " to keep up with BMW "

[@1mpulv]

People are forgetting there was also an i35, and manual Maxima for better performance. This car was segmented accordingly, and was a good one at that.

[@gedaman]

The I35 was the mid-cycle refresh for 2002 which struggled to sell since the all new more dazzling G35 had just arrived.

[@GS-zc4sk]

I35 overpriced

[@gedaman]

@@GS-zc4sk The I35 was fairly priced at around $30,000. It just didn’t stand out enough to warrant any attention.

[@donteadoss]

One of the cars I wanted so badly as a teen, only after the beloved first-gen Lexus ES … such a sharp vehicle it was.

[@mc3films]

same, m8. same. 🫂

[@gedaman]

I think you mean the second generation Lexus ES (1992 - 1996). The first generation Lexus ES (1990 - 1991) was like a little boxy tin can! 😂😂😂

[@donteadoss]

@@gedaman I owned both the 250 and 300.

[@gedaman]

@@donteadoss Did you think that the 1990 Lexus ES 250 was a sharp looking vehicle though? It looked very generic, plain, and boring to me. The 1992 Lexus ES 300 was very good looking and striking looking in its curvy design that aged very well IMO. Toyota knew what they were doing with the 1997 redesign by barely changing anything styling wise sort of like with the 1995 Lexus LS redesign.

[@donteadoss]

@@gedaman Yes; I also owned both an ‘89 & ‘94 Camry parallel with this gens … the ‘92 ES is my favorite of all-time YET I appreciate the ES250 having broken into the market at its time. The ‘97-‘06 ES/Camry models are my two least favorite gens aside from the ‘00 Coach Edition ES.

[@67tomcat]

Nissan Cefiro in Japan. Cannot believe this car is almost 25 years old. Infiniti was still a force back then, and the G, M, and FX models were still to come.

[@nwezetx1]

Almost? These came out in late 1998 for JDM and USA in May 1999 as I30. I don't see almost 25 years.

[@itsabigchungus]

​@@nwezetx1last I checked, 2024 - 1998 = 26 🤡

[@nwezetx1]

@itsabigchungus Exactly, over 25 years. It's more than 25 years.

[@Ethan2xm85]

I totally forgot these cars existed...you never see them anymore.

[@ultraneight]

They all ended up in the hood and the rest is history.

[@basshead.]

Yeah, because Nissans aren't as reliable as Toyotas.

[@GS-zc4sk]

Still see this era Lexus and Honda.

[@Edizzle15]

@@ultraneightbingo

[@peiwu979]

Wish they still made cars like this. Affordable, powerful, fun to drive. I loved my 2 Infiniti's. I30 and the I35t. Miss them!

[@minnybiker4505]

I miss my 1995 and 1996 Maximas with 5 speed manual transmissions.

[@bige6466]

My 97 i30t was by far one of my favorite ever.

[@gedaman]

I had a 1999 Infiniti I30 for 10 years. I loved that car so much. It was so comfortable to drive.

[@emilianocruz11]

The infiniti q45 it's still My favorite car from infiniti from 1997 to 2005

[@constructionbootgazer]

The original G20t, the q45t and the 2003 m45 were the best Infiniti had to offer. The G35 was a big step for the brand, but no one remembers those other models.

[@gedaman]

@@constructionbootgazerThe old Nissan Primera based Infiniti G20 was very popular when it was new. It was a fun sporty little compact sports sedan. The Q45 was always overlooked and overshadowed by the much more popular Lexus LS. The Nissan Cedric/Gloria based 2003 - 2004 Infiniti M45 was a very ugly and bland car that nobody really wanted. It was severely outdated by the time it came to North America as an Infiniti just like the old underwhelming Nissan Leopard based 1990 Infiniti M30. Lexus killed them with the completely new 1992 Lexus SC. The 2006 - 2019 Infiniti M/Q70 was a much better car in every way and well thought out to compete with the big German rivals such as the BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Audi A6. I hope Infiniti can rebound and come out with some exciting new cars like the G35 and M again. They desperately need it right now.

[@rustbeltrobclassic2512]

The Q45 was a rocket in those days, pretty much a muscle car hidden by Japanese badges..

[@googleuser3007]

These models were everywhere

[@nissanhonda25]

Crazy to think for a few years they sold this and the G35 at the same price at the same time and today they have zero sedans.

[@MatrixDiscovery]

That V6 engine was the best in the business, then the early 2000's came and Nissan dropped the ball and everything went downhill.

[@nwezetx1]

Makes zero sense what you're even claiming, when VQ grew and is still in production.

[@alexpetree2038]

​@@nwezetx1it doesn't say anywhere that the v6 is what dropped the ball. Nissan did, and they did big time with the cvts. It doesn't matter how good the vq is when they paired it with garbage transmissions and poorly styled cars

[@DanielW-wz4gj]

You evidently don't know that the VQ engine was at its most reliable and best built in the 90s! Sure they kept building VQ engines after that time but they weren't nearly as reliable like this guy was trying to say, You just might be too young to know how reliable these engines back then truly were​@@nwezetx1

[@DanielW-wz4gj]

​@@alexpetree2038if you don't think that's a great looking car, your only use to newer cars! come on man give some older cars or for that matter,Older people respect

[@nwezetx1]

@@alexpetree2038 Okay, that right there makes sense. As you know, marginal cost cutting began in the early 90s, after the big budgets of the mid 80s to early 90s, got reduced for their next generation. Stuff like the bland second gen Altima (1997) are an example. Stuff like that, this I30, and the Xterra, were the product of cost cutting, but nowhere near as glaring as the future model projects revised from September 1999 by Renault, such as the '02 Altima and '03 G35. The Nissan Revival Plan models with bad interior materials. Got even worse as time went on where door handles were cheaped to last 10 years versus expected life of the car. Those are points you're touching on I figure.

[@stevenhanna242]

These cars was bullet proof 12 years never had one day off a problem

[@rustbeltrobclassic2512]

24..25 years later it's still a sharp sports sedan..

[@muhammadislam3817]

This car is known in Japan as nissan cefiro. Good car.

[@fredrce]

But the Nissan Gloria was so much better

[@basshead.]

@@fredrce Yup. RWD makes it automatically better than the Cefiro. No man drives a FWD car.

[@fredrce]

@@basshead. I love the 2000 Nissan Gloria. So classy, got that Jaguar-esque design and engine are competitive with the midsize German sedans of the time. Also available awd, that I personally appreciate.

[@basshead.]

@@fredrce Yup. Even the name is classy.

[@timothygaynor5130]

I think its really cool seeing so many comments giving different perspectives from all across the globe for cars. I get tunnel vision seeing cars as they are here in the US market.

[@08VaNupe]

I had an I35 and my friends used to always want to take my car out for its smooth ride, room and BOSE stereo.

[@andrewlevine4376]

I remember that, at the time, the i30 had 227 horsepower and the Maxima had the same engine but with 222 horsepower. The extra 5 horsepower in the i30 was considered a significant upgrade!

[@dohc1067]

I love that dashboard design.

[@365tips]

This car was sold as Nissan Maxima in Europe with 2,0V6 or 3,0V6 engines. Manual or 4 speed automatic gearbox available on both engines. I still have a 2003 Maxima with 3,0v6 aut with all options: Leather interior, parking sensors, heated seats, xenon headlights, alloy wheels etc. 217000km on the clock and still drives beautifully. Bought it 11 years ago, now it is my summer weekend car :) This was the last Maxima Nissan imported to Europe. Last ones were sold 2005 as 2004 model year cars.

[@FabienTeulieres93]

I remember seeing them as a youngster on Renault/Nissan dealer lots in Europe back in late 1999/early 2000. They looked like nothing else on the road at the time, and I was blown away by their build quality. A salesperson even gave me a quick tour of a fully-loaded 3.0L. Sadly, they hardly sold in the EU. But he must have done a good job because 10 years later I bought a used one (same exact spec and color of the one on the lot!) as my primary vehicle. I still own it and I love it.

[@Wen-rb2sq]

This car is called Nissan Cefiro in Taiwan. My uncle bought this car in 2002, and it became my first car when I got my driver’s license back in 2015. Sadly, the car broke down in 2021.😢 I really miss that V6 sedan. (my current car is a 4-cylinder SUV😂

[@davidaubin3902]

3:37 Former graphic designer, Reggie Blackstone

[@marshalmagooo3899]

The VG30 was a great engine and especially with the manual

[@deloreanman14]

In the summer of 2001 we had some good family friends come stay with us for awhile and they had one of these as a rental car.

[@aris605]

this car was named as "Cefiro" here in Taiwan, sold with 2.0L and 3.0L engines and the transmission choice is automatic only, the model shown in this video is quite similar with 2001 model launched here in Taiwan, and had gone several facelifts through 2002~2004.

[@82_KID]

J30 for life

[@trekkie1701e]

My dad drove a '98 i30 from '99 to 2012, never had one issue with it.

[@ahmadfaisal6778]

Sold as a Cefiro Brougham in Malaysia. Still looks beautiful.

[@Kingsoupturbo]

I owned one recently for a little while, its pretty nice inside, but doesn't feel as fast as 227hp would suggest, the 4 speed seems to hold it back, very smooth though, lots of trunk space with the solid rear axle, nice stereo, big windows with a low hood line.

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

Literally a high dollar rebadge complete with a non independent rear suspension that's supposedly a sport sedan. But, I like it. And they came with 5 or 6 speed manual. I think. 5 speed fer sure, idk about 6. Perhaps it's one of the best rebadge jobs out there. Also, the 0-60 time is way off. Should be closer to 7sec flat.

[@air-headedaviator1805]

The I30 was heavy and slow. The Maxima was the one with manual gear boxes and near 7 second sprint

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

@@air-headedaviator1805 Wrong. The cars are 100% identical as far as specs go, including weight. And a manual was available on the i30. If you have no experience with these, you should atleast do your research before you "try" to contradict somebody.

[@nwezetx1]

​@@user-sk1eh3pg6jHaha, Mr. Facts and Figures. 😉👍

[@air-headedaviator1805]

@@user-sk1eh3pg6j if the i30 was ever offered with a manual it wasn’t in North America. Literally all your facts are off which is concerning

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

@@air-headedaviator1805 My ex gf happened to have a 5 speed i30 AND her sister had a 5 speed es300. Just because you have never seen one doesn't mean they don't exist. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Go to Wikipedia. Google it. Type in i30 5 speed. Use your damn brain man.

[@fitfogey]

This was a sweet ride.

[@clarkbrown3248]

If you had one do these back in the day. You. Were posh !

[@rootsmanuva82]

I worked at a BMW dealership when they were at their absolute peak in the very early 2000's. E46 3-Series, E39 5-Series, E38 7-Series etc... On occasion I would drive an Infiniti or Lexus from their lot, on the same huge luxury dealership complex. Back then BMW's were still built like tanks and these cars felt so cheap in comparison. I remember driving a First-Gen Lexus RX300, and being used to X5's, the RX300 felt like an actual minivan. I couldn't believe how far forward and high the seating position was or how soft the suspension was. Long story short, BMW's today are nothing special (with a few exceptions of course).

[@DavefromCA2023]

WOW I had this EXACT car minus the rear spoiler! It was such a NICE car, but was a piece of junk. I bought it used in 2006 with 70,000 miles and it constantly needed repairs, brakes, suspension, catalyst, the little lights in the clock…soon after selling it I heard the transmission went. Notice the cup holder over the passenger side outside vent lol

[@MercOne]

A really nice Maxima.

[@stevebowzer]

Damn back when Infiniti was competitive and current

[@tccanny8309]

“But no Volt or Oil Pressure gauges.” When did they realize that those gauges were no longer necessary for modern engines?

[@air-headedaviator1805]

Wasn’t yet modern engines then lol

[@blisterbrain]

Well, by that logic you could do away with all of them. Even the big 2. GPS and navigation systems could just make sure to keep the speed within limits, and automatically direct you to a filling station when it was needed.

[@mjuellarsen]

John fought this fight bravely until a couple years after this video

[@andi4life]

Where did he say this? Did i miss something?

[@gedaman]

@@tccanny8309 I remember my parents both had Ford Crown Victorias (twin 1992 models, then later a 2000 and a 2003) with those volt and oil pressure gauges, but no tachometer! I don’t think the Panther platform Ford sedans (Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, Town Car) got tachometers until 2007! Ford thought that volt and oil pressure gauges were very important though for some reason… 😏

[@donaldwilson2620]

The main difference between the Lexus ES300 and Infiniti I30 is that Lexus actually made the ES more distinctive in the looks department when compared to its Camry cousin, most notably the ES's frameless door glass on the first three generations. The I30 still looks like the Maxima but with a different grill, wheels, and taillights. Both are still nice cars, though.

[@snowfall1771]

Love this car 200k miles very reliable and I give the car hell

[@Tuppoo94]

European Nissan Maxima right here.

[@snggarageeng]

I saw how the NISSAN MAXIMA WITH the SAME ENGINE (SAME CAR ) with manual won sl500 in the drag race

[@TrailBlazerSS502]

It even played second fiddle to the Acura TL.

[@TimJoseph08031990]

The 2000-2001 I30 and I30t have notable differences, especially in the front and the wheels.

[@aaryeshg.6526]

This car was brilliant. It's just let down by the 4 speed auto. The automatic transmission itself was good, but having only 4 long gears is frankly stupid. But then again... most FWD automatics back then did have 4 gears only so it was only a matter of time till they improved by adding more gears.

[@RoadCone411]

Hot day for testing, geez...!

[@texan176]

Car was high quality and durable but depreciation was brutal on them for some reason. Once they dropped to under $10K they were destroyed by the owner who acquired it used at that price. Lexus was just killed everyone in this segment with the 92 ES300. People who had an ES never considered another make or model unless they went to a full size luxury car but even that move had a RWD Lexus like the GS or LS first on their list.

[@futurepaver2039]

Is that not just a rebadged Maxima

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

It is a rebadged Maxima. Even uses the exact same body all the way around.

[@gedaman]

@@futurepaver2039 It’s a badge engineered Nissan Maxima, yes. In Japan it was sold as the Nissan Cefiro. There are subtle differences. The main difference is the dealership experience with Infiniti.

[@J.Wick.]

8.9 seconds to 60? That doesn't seem right. These were far quicker than that.

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

Yes they were. He probably forgot to turn off the traction control. Note the lack of wheelspin.

[@donaldwilson2620]

It could possibly be the transmission's gearing and/or tuning.

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

@@donaldwilson2620 It's geared similar to most wide ratio 4 speeds. They don't use the best torque converter either, like Mitsubishi. But 227hp is definitely quicker than that. I didn't hear any wheelspin so I'm assuming traction control was on and killed the show like it always does. Lol

[@mattmayo3539]

Nissan in its golden hour

[@cgreenfield6655]

I find that 0-60 time super disappointing.

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

It's way off, atleasr 1 second off. They aren't that slow especially with 227hp on tap.

[@Mr_57ChargerRT]

The 2000 Chrysler 300M had more horse power and a faster 0-60 times

[@peterbennett4124]

That's slow a 91 Acura Legend is beating that.

[@LeftIsBest001]

Back when you could still buy a sedan.

[@grunkohlaktionar7474]

I would take a Mitsubishi Diamante.

[@johnjones393]

They are all in the junkyard now.

[@cheetahjab]

Just a mere 104f woo!

[@coreylucas5997]

This is when Nissan and it’s so called near luxury like Infiniti brand where built to last

[@gedaman]

@@coreylucas5997 The Infiniti Q45 that came out in 2002 after this I30 was something special. It’s a shame not many people knew about it. Infiniti was on a roll throughout the 2000s and then quickly fell off around 2014 with that disappointing Q50 and the redesigned 2019 QX50.

[@dunky7157]

Back when Nissan cars were actually desirable and well made

[@gedaman]

@@dunky7157 This was one of the last cars Nissan made before they got more aggressive with the cost cutting and throwing CVTs into anything with front wheel drive. The follow up 2004 Maxima was so cheap inside and out compared to the refined and suave A33 Maxima and A33 I30 and I35.

[@Ficon]

When you are a second slower to 60 than ES300… No wonder none of the six cars they sold have survived.

[@donaldwilson2620]

Not really a surprise. If you ever driven a Camry V6 or ES300(along with the Honda Accord V6), those cars are pretty much sleeper cars. They may not look sporty, but once you floor it, they accelerate very quickly. R.I.P Camry and Accord with the V6 engine. Plus, the Infiniti's slower acceleration may be due to the transmission's gearing and/or tuning.

[@ReviveAndDrive-mk1]

Mid size pakage 😉😂

[@benjochs]

These and the Q45 were a little too anonymous looking to me. Almost looks like a Hyundai at a glance. I’m surprised they haven’t brought back a Maxima or Altima based sedan as the entry level INFINITI. RIP Maxima..

[@coreyclark75]

Most likely to keep infiniti completely in their own lane. Rear wheel drive, luxury, and more refined. It makes sense. Nissan cut down a lot and condensed a lot of base platforms together to cut cost. Maxima morphed with Altima, the 350z with g35. It phased out the i35 which probably wasn’t selling enough compared to the Lexus es300.

[@coreyclark75]

Nissan was smart to do that, but…….. they cheaped out on transmissions, timing components, etc…

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

It wasn't anonymous when it was new. Hyundai copied the i30's front end with their first gen XG300. Can't fault Infiniti for what another automaker did after they brought the i30 to market.

[@nwezetx1]

​@user-sk1eh3pg6j Thanks dude, but people like the guy you replied to never take those things into account. Everyone works hard, so I'm careful not to make unfounded accusations nor draw unfaie comparisons.

[@nwezetx1]

OP, it's not fair to imply the Infiniti looks like a Hyundai, if they copied Infiniti in the first place. I would think that would be obvious to you, no? Hyundais looked nothing like this in 1998-99.

[@jaro1977]

Nissan Maxima QX in Europe, I own one

[@gedaman]

@@jaro1977 Nissan Cefiro in Asia.

[@incyphe]

should've done more to disguise the maxima 2000 origin. such a sad attempt.

[@mohammadshahin8758]

This is Maxima in the middle East and 3.5 so it's faster and stronger than this

[@RacingHeartMedia]

All it needs is a vq35 6 speed swap or just buy an i35

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

No it doesn't. All it needed was the test driver to turn off the traction control.

[@2H2521]

The beginning of the end for Nissan reliability!!!

[@dj2prince]

8.9 seconds from 227hp…yikes!

[@senseicorey9979]

Surprisingly slow. Seemed like the maxima was quicker

[@VideoAmericanStyle]

My goodness, how far Infiniti has fallen from this era into a totally forgettable brand today.

[@air-headedaviator1805]

Maxima was simply to good to justify an Infiniti version. Slower and softer just wasn’t more compelling. The next era of introductory Infiniti cars needed to be leaps ahead

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

Wasn't slower. They're the same damn car dude. Their test figures are off in this video. I've noticed that with several models they test, some of their acceleration times are way off likely because their test driver forgot to turn off the traction control.

[@Wasabi9111]

I agree. The maxima was a great car. And this Infiniti looks almost exactly like the maxima with the same doors and profile. At least the Lexus es had different sheet metal than the Camry.

[@air-headedaviator1805]

@@user-sk1eh3pg6j the 5 speed manual Maxima is faster off the line than the 4 speed auto I30. Its lighter too topping out at around 3000 lbs vs 3200 lbs. i’ve looked into this long before this video. The same platform but not equipped the same. You’re just wrong

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

@@air-headedaviator1805 And the 5 speed Maxima is faster than the automatic max too. A 5 speed i30 is just as fast as a 5 speed max. They both weigh the same if they have identical transmissions. Why else would the i30 weigh more? It doesn't have anything significant extra that would cause it to weigh more. A rear sunshade? Not even 2 pounds. What else, dual power leather seats? Not even 5 pounds. A navigation system? Not even a pound. Give it up dude.

[@gedaman]

@@user-sk1eh3pg6j The Infiniti I30 had more sound deadening materials and other things that weighed down the car.

[@ThatFoo.frmTha713.]

As a owner of a 97, 98 and now 00 ES I can easily say the ES destroys the I30 in every way.

[@GSXSF1k]

Everything was going great back then now, fking cheap digital and cvt craps! The designs back then was great but now, it's a freaking transformer kids stuff designs.

[@vetteluvnh]

A slow sloppy handling slug. No wonder nobody remembers these cars.

[@markw9512]

This was a great car, but didn’t sell well as the styling it took on was by then dated. Unfortunate.

[@gedaman]

@@markw9512 The styling was fine for the time. It still looks great today. The competition was just too strong from Lexus and Acura back then. I would rather have an I30 over a Lexus ES 300 or Acura TL from those years.

[@markw9512]

@@gedaman it stuck out like a sore thumb, it looked 10 years older than other cars at the time. This is not just my opinion this is the opinion of Automotive journalist at the time, cars had moved on from the squarish looked to a more rounded look popular eyes by Audi at that time and this car got caught with its pants down. Anyway enjoy yours, sounds like you’re an owner

[@gedaman]

@@markw9512 I used to own a 1999 Infiniti I30 (A32 model), the predecessor to the 2000 Infiniti I30 (A33 model). The A32 was somewhat boxy and looked very much like the Maxima with a big chrome grill. The A33 added some curves to the design and increased the overall size. The (1999 - 2003) Acura TL from that time was actually boxier than the A33 Infiniti I30.

[@skisgy]

Nissan maxima and not one left on the street straight trsh!

[@Jag-leaper]

Saw one not too long ago.........after many many years 😂

[@Bahraini_Carguy]

I'm surprised. These A33 Maxima's are still fairly common over here. More so than most other mid-size saloons that aren't a Camry.

[@Jag-leaper]

@@Bahraini_Carguy I'm in the midwest where rust takes everything that isn't washed and looked after and undercoated

[@user-sk1eh3pg6j]

Dude you're seriously complaining because you don't see a particular 25 year old model on the road anymore? 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I guess you have amnesia. When the G35 hit the streets and the Maxima became a stretched Altima, everyone traded in their i30 or i35 on a G35 or a new Maxima.

[@nwezetx1]

​​@@user-sk1eh3pg6jA lot of these were also victims of exportation to the developing world and Cash For Clunkers. Not to mention, demographic of these cars on the used market totaled them frequently.

[@SafeBandicoot]

These were decent cars but nowhere near Lexus quality. Almost all Nissans/Inifitis of this era including this I30 had solid beams rear axles which were quite garbage.

[@nickb5417]

HaRd tO bEliEve tHis iS rEtRo 🥸