2013 Infiniti FX - How This Car Proves Why Infiniti Was Doomed to Fail

Today, I look at an often forgotten car brand - Infiniti. Now defunct in the UK, Infiniti aimed to do for Nissan what Lexus did for Toyota, and Acura for Honda. However US and UK markets are dramatically different - so could the Japanese have ever catered to both? Here's why I think not.
#Infiniti #FX #QX70
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[@JayEmmOnCars]

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[@dramacentral5776]

Infiniti actually sells quite well you see them everywhere in America

[@HOTPLATEGAMING]

@@dramacentral5776 I beg to differ

[@dramacentral5776]

@@HOTPLATEGAMING you can beg but that doesn’t change the fact bro

[@HOTPLATEGAMING]

@DRAMA CENTRAL Numbers don't lie. They don't sell well in North America 2022 only 46k You can look it up Not sure where you think Infinti is doing well in the US

[@daniellantos26]

I am looking for an SUV considering the current state of roads in the UK.

[@asam9498]

The 2003 Infiniti FX35 was the first SUV coupe that's very popular segment today. Google the 2003 model and see how far ahead their design was. From the shape of the vehicle to the taillight design that is still used today in other vehicles like the Porsche Maycan and cayenne coupe SUV.

[@drock852]

I used one in the USA each time I'd visit for work, it had the same exhaust note of the 350z (which was a car that was all the rage at the time) and it drove well. It left an impression that I bought a new one in the UK (QX70d) in 2014.

[@jjay350]

It basically influenced the design of their SUV's for the next 20 years.

[@SURENITY]

Easily 20 years!

[@misa664]

We had 2004 fx45, it was awesome car for the time

[@elmayimbe5094]

​@@drock852, same engine and exhaust and the G35 Infiniti coupe and 350Z. The 350Z and G35 coupe are the same cars except the Infiniti is a 5 seater. I absolutely hated the exhaust note on all 3 vehicles.

[@paulmcadam6825]

These are still popular in the USA, Canada and across South America. One of the original "Super SUVs".

[@Zero_Ninety]

Yeah but Americans have terrible taste in cars.

[@reynaldomartinez4291]

100%!

[@joshbrailsford]

Who's the winner, though? The driver of the broken Range Rover or BMW, or the driver of the faithful Infiniti or Lexus, which cost lest to buy in the first place and is probably cheaper to run, too?

[@PoloDaBear]

Neither they're both abysmal vehicles

[@plaubelmakina8916]

@@PoloDaBear Agreed, The Range Rover or BMW will cost you a bundle to maintain.

[@dgurevich1]

@@PoloDaBear I'd argue for the Lexus. I bought my RX 3 years ago for 1/6th the original price from the original owner, it is currently 13 years old, has 280000 km and has zero things broken on it. For the entire length of ownership it hasn't failed me even once. It is big, comfortable and surprisingly fuel efficient. I spend over 3 hours every day stuck in traffic, I just want a reliable comfortable car. I only had to replace wear items, rear shocks, suspension bushings and a water pump (the last by my own choice), and when I did, it cost me barely more then the equivalent toyota service, because the parts are the same. The range rover would have half its electrical systems broken by now, and BMW would have its vanos lines cracked inside the engine.

[@robertperillo8738]

Everything comes with compromise. As someone who enjoys driving, I’ll take the compromise of reliability for an enjoyable driving experience and drive a Rover or BM. Yes the Lex is reliable, but good lord is it borrrrrring.

[@N1ckZ]

Easy question. The driver of The Range Rover and BMW. You buy a luxury car for its luxurious high-tech features, not for its reliability. Those brands offer cars far more luxurious and technologically advanced than any Lexus which feels older inside than a 10-year-old German car. People understand this, which is why in Europe Lexus has sold 744,000 since 1990something but Mercedes-Benz sold 770,000 cars in a single year.

[@felixbaum48]

It's more important for me to be able to drive a car to 250k or 300k miles with no failures. I also like driver engagement, excellent handling and all wheel drive. These cars are an insanely great bargain in this day and age.

[@petartrifonov8823]

I am in my mid 30s, live in Germany and bought two years ago a 2016 QX70S 3.7 Ultimate. I am in love with the car. I don't care that much about fuel consumption or luggage space - it's enough for me, my dog and my girlffriend. For more winter sports of long travels I have a Zenith roof box. Around 40000 km later, I had zero problems with the car. I cannot stress this enough, but you need to apply an anticorrosion layer on the bottom of the car, maybe every 2 yrs (around 200-300 €), should you live in a country with heavy road salting. Also oil change every 10000 kms, otherwise you risk clogged piston rings. The overall mechanical durability of the car is astonishing, it makes you forget the small quirks. I had a Golf GTI prior to this and I am never ever buying a new German car again, maybe some old W124 cabrio eventually.

[@elukok]

I have had A Golf GTI i our family (MK5) for the last 10 years and it didnt have a single issue (apart for squeeking belt which needed replacement) in that time. So I guess it is a lot about tanking care of the cars, maybe also about luck.

[@YOCOSMINMAX16]

@@elukok Maybe he had a newer Golf

[@wehaack2262]

Hi, how much fuel does it consume per 100km? Is the entertainment/GPS very outdated? Danke!

[@dragosaxinte4929]

@@wehaack2262 9.5 l per 100km outside, 12-14 in city

[@mikej6565]

I owned a 2003 FX45 until 2015. It was a perfect car. My wife currently has a QX70 limited and loves it. These are the lowest maintenance cars we've ever owned and they drive very well. I know many people who obsess over their cars and will proudly spend a fortune for unreliable cars. I've had discussions with such people and they'd still pick their more expensive unreliable cars over a reliable brand such as Infiniti because of things like "the feel of the knob when you touch it, or stroke the interior materials." I've discovered these are often people who value material possessions over the value of human life and lack practical sense and abilities. Life doesn't last forever.

[@jensz9360]

The unreliable cars you are speaking of must be German garbage cars. People who have them tend to be douchebags that like to brag and boast about how much they piss away on failed items on their cars. Its a source of extreme pride when they go to the dealer and come back with tales of $5K+ (The higher amount the more bragging rights they seem to think they have) in repairs, meanwhile people who own Japanese cars are too busy enjoying driving them to even care to hear it.

[@detonater1348]

This car looked ahead of its time when i first saw it in my home country Ethiopia back in 2009/10. Even still today in 2023 it still looks modern and non car people might think its a 2020+ car. That rear steering was incredible on a car this size. The exhaust note was very good with the V6 and will sound even better (sometimes raspy) with some resonators removed. Idk why i dont see them as much as the earlier gen FX, maybe they are not as reliable or not as many were sold. All in all for its time its a great car.

[@joundi007]

Nissan marketing department should be fired the infinity wasnt marketed well enough even the special version no one know about it (vettel edition), name was kind of new for everyone to care , again old fx35 was a success but there is fx35 and fx37 why the confusion ? Why just release fx 37 straight in 2009 and keep the fx35 vq35hr for the 2008 models , many mistakes doomed this beautiful car , vq engines are reliable but i ve no idea about the diesel , i owned the fx35hr 2009 was a great car easy to work on but the previous owner didnt take care of it so i had to fix many problems.

[@syr72]

I have a 2003 fx35 that was my first car (250k miles when I bought it) blew an engine at 310k miles but I couldn’t get myself to get rid of it so I put a new engine in it. I love that thing.

[@effctoocool9763]

It’s a madness to me that they went for Infiniti as a brand when then had SKYLINE as a nameplate on some of the same cars in Japan. Surely they sell a hell of a lot more Q50s and Q60s that way!

[@KA467]

I think the average consumer would have zero idea what a Skyline even is (Toyota Crown is just as famous in Japan, yet how many people knew about those?), and many (not all) enthusiasts have these grand images of Skyline's being racing and tuning monsters, and would be unfairly disappointed or angry when faced with the reality that not all Skylines were GT-Rs and were mostly humdrum business saloons. See the Integra, which was always a Civic in a sportier body with 5-door bodystyles available from the start, but didn't stop people from being disappointed cos they always pictured an Integra as being a Type-R coupé.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

@@KA467 Where I live we got so many ex-japan "Skyline" 4 door, 2 litre, 4 speed auto family shitboxes imported during the early 2000's that to me, that's what I think of when I hear "Skyline" - if you add the "GTR" on the end, it means something.

[@jjay350]

@@KA467 Skylines have long been an enthusiast favorite, that would definitely stir public interest.

[@aaryeshg.6526]

@Kar Wai Wong "not all Skylines are GT-Rs" Tbh you can apply that to European brands as well. Not all Mercedes C classes are C63 AMGs. Not all BMW 3ers are M3s. Not all Audi A4s are RS4s. Just because they make cheaper versions of a model doesn't make it "worse". I would blame that on marketing team only focusing on the top version of a model and not the rest of the model range as well. The buying public would obviously not know as you said.

[@AndrewL31413]

The G37s was a beast and a real competitor to the 3 series. But they just never improved it. It was actually my first car. It’s crazy to me that Japanese car makers doesn’t understand how much people that like cars love JDMs. The G37 is called a Skyline 370 GT in Japan. Why they didn’t use the skyline name for that car and the GTR is beyond me. And then they named it even worse with Q70 or whatever it became after. My 2nd car that I switched to was the 335i e90 and it still is the car I miss driving the most to this day.

[@coltonphillips1]

The FX was always my favorite they sound amazing even with stock exhaust.

[@neverthar]

Weirdly enough the power door button is to enable/disable the powered tailgate function and the IBA is meant to be a front collision mitigation assist

[@bluegables]

FX35/45 along with 06 generation Murano, Xterra, G35, 350z was all on top of the world. They were so good at that time nobody can beat their designs. Then it's 08 finance crisis, then came 09 Murano, then everything went south.

[@nickduncan1505]

I had an FX-35 when I lived in the US a few years ago. I really enjoyed it, and the 3.5 petrol gave a decent turn of speed along with a pleasant exhaust note. It was ideal for long road trips and living in Texas it felt about average sized. I completely agree with the quality comments, it definitely ranked well alongside the Ford, Chrysler etc offerings from the local manufacturers but wasn’t up to BMW, Audi or Merc standards. But this is typical of some cars today (see Tesla, large Hyundais) which are designed to appeal primarily to the US domestic market.

[@reynaldomartinez4291]

I own a 2016 Q70, AWD with the 3.7 V6. It is a blast to drive. Great build quality and extremely reliable. I love the looks and the driving dynamics. Wouldn't trade it for anything German. I have had BMW and Mercedes brand vehicles, none of which are all that reliable. Kudos to Infiniti!

[@sidvicious647]

Infiniti SERIOUSLY SCREWED UP when the discontinued the Fx it was ahead of it's time it had good room was sporty handled nice and the design could have easily lended to evolutionary design changes. The two vehicles that they should have never discontinued was the fx and Q45 , they dropped the ball big-time !!

[@jensz9360]

Yeah, they also screwed up by changing the names to Q and QX this and that. Whoever is leading these changes is a damn idiot.

[@drock852]

I had one of these! Brought in 2014 brand new unregistered for £31k from infiniti st Albans, a huge discount for a qx70d (updated name from fx30d) gt multimedia. I actually liked it a lot, I felt it was a 370z on stilts. I sold it in 2016 but wish I still had it and is ulez compliant. It's a really involving car, and I think a comparable macan would easily have been 50-55k at the time. Given what I paid, it didn't feel like it was 20k less of a car. A genuine bargain at the time incl discount. I'm sure no one paid 45k back in the day

[@jjay350]

Yeah that's how I feel about the QX50, the last gen at least, a lifted 370Z with a backseat and more practicality, and I say that as someone who has a 350Z.

[@drock852]

@@jjay350 I used to follow infiniti closely until they left Europe, they ended up merging the QX70 and qx50 models into a newly designed qx50 which I think looks neat but unfortunately it doesn't share the chassis with anything performance oriented unlike the first and second gen fx/qx.

[@drock852]

I now remember why I sold mine, the dealer was shit and there were some quality problems. Firstly, the pdi prep was poor, paint was marred as they didn't remove the protective wrapping properly (there's a heat gun process that needs following to get rid of these specific marks). God knows what the dealer did as that mark was scratched up and probably hand polished by an idiot. Luckily they paid for a paint correction. Secondly within 4 weeks it was leaking oil, the crank seals failed and were weeping oil, car recovered, no courtesy car given but returned fixed nonetheless. Thirdly, the leather was like paper and developed a strange tear within a year, not caused by clothing. I showed the dealer the seat, asked the service manager to push his finger into a particular area and it started tearing, weird! They replaced the drivers seat bottom cushion. Unfortunately the clown who did the work jammed in a number of screwdrivers to do the work which permanently damaged the hard plastic area of the seat bottom around the edge where they wedged tooling into. For this however they gave me a nice q50 courtesy car, with dead skin, bogeys and bitten off nails all over the seat and in the cup holder. All of this happened in the first 1.5 years within warranty, but I now see that many of these cars have lasted well, I may have been unlucky. The dealership experience in infiniti St Albans was poor, nothing like a premium or semi premium brand. Also They don't wear their interiors too well though I noticed - even at the time in 2014 looking at 2012 cars, just light tarnishing to be fair but more than I'd have expected. I did the best to keep mine in tip top condition, detailed, properly cleaned etc. The next owner appreciated the care given to the car, its been in sw London with a personal numberplate since 2016. He thought I took a huge depreciation hit when he bought it, but he didn't know what I actually paid for it. Infinitis heavy discounts took care of that for me, so in total it was super cheap motoring for me. If I still had it, it would be worth roughly half of what I paid after 8+ years.

[@stevenfarrington2361]

It is effectively a 370Z on stilts, specifically its based on the JDM Skyline of the time which was a damn good drive. Never liked that infotainment system much but the looks certainly appeal compared to other SUVs.

[@drock852]

@@stevenfarrington2361 yep it indeed! The infotainment is similar to the one used in the gtr iirc. I used to geek out on this stuff. I imagine the q60 is also a good buy, the 400bhp version is a decent drive.

[@zagovalkodmitry4403]

A bit over a year with the fx50s. It still gives me goosebumps. vk50ve seems to be brilliant, but some people say it overheats. And yes, they didn't put it in many of their cars, only in a LeMans supercar (slightly modified). The 7sp Jatco overheats as well so an aftermarket extra radiator for the tranny oil is almost compulsory in warm climates. It is not a SUV. The suspension travel is really short and the rollbars are very stiff. Several forum threads suggested that it's more like a G37 / 370z on steroids. Please do not compare it with Murano. Murano was built on a FWD base, FX has a RWD pedigree. The interior is a bit cheaper comparing even with an older Lexus (is200) and even a younger Infiniti has more cheap plastic "crickets" and a bit more noisier. But who cares when you unleash the 5.0 madness!

[@goreallyspeed4819]

I adore my V8 - I've never heard or experienced any kind of overheating, even when towing in Spain/South of France during the summer.

[@apb1236]

I own a QX70S 5.0 and have never heard of any cases of overheating of either the engine or especially the trans. Not really any overheating issues with any Nissan/Infiniti engine outside of neglect

[@emmy7848]

Mine a 2009 fx 2nd Gen overheated twice until a mechanic told me I wasn't bleeding the system of air properly. There's a bleed valve somewhere in the engine bay and once I bled it, the overheating stopped.

[@bbrenddon]

Maybe over in the UK but here in the states Infiniti is very popular, especially the fx I see like 20 of them a day here in my town

[@philhiggins8316]

My dad had one. It was brilliant. A little thirsty but otherwise great. The dealership in Birmingham was absolutely superb. I was gutted when he traded it in for a german rival.

[@jnz8557]

Have 2012 FX50. The big motor does add specialness. As much performance as you can sanely use. It is based on 370Z platform and steers and handles surprisingly well - I can say that as a 370Z owner too! Absolutely love the car. In 11 years the only repair has been the starter motor solenoid (cheap to fix). I can contrast this to my brother in law's experience with a V8 X5, where the valve stem seals failed at 50,000 miles despite full service history (an engine out of the car job) as well as numerous other lessor but insane faults (radiator hose back through V required removal of vanos!). I love the FX50, it's looks, how it drives, what it's like to own long term, never once wish had a BMW.

[@elukok]

I would have the X5 instead of it all day. Even with those issues you mentioned. It is car in a different league.

[@apb1236]

@@elukok the X5 is disposable German garbage. Throw them away after the warranty.

[@zhila5958]

@@elukok yeah, different league of being crap, literally every single x5 of this infiniti’s age here where i live have been scrapped

[@SicSemperBeats]

@@elukok Facts lol

[@derekless1940]

Always drove bmws until I got a good deal on a qx70. Wow I was so impressed and no maintenance . It is up there with bmw

[@id70b40]

Infiniti lasted about 4 years here in Australia…. I still quite like them. GM introduced Opel here as a bit of a premium Holden alternative….. that lasted approximately 5 minutes

[@tnutss]

My parents bought a first gen fx35 in 2003, still have it! Drives great and firm handling BUT, the earnest thing that keeps breaking are the door actuators! Alarms be buzzing off in the middle of the night and you never know when the door is going to be locked or unlocked….

[@maxmannonen8170]

Great video again James. Keep at it!

[@IndependenceCityMotoring]

Gotta give it credit for being the first "fastback SUV" that everyone copied, including Porsche.

[@nigelhenry5741]

Jay is spot on. And i do hope nissan infiniti sees this as a bit of an eye opener as to to market your prospective product line in a market outside of there own. Love my '16 qx70s. Totally reliable to a fault, unlike my previous x5.

[@nigeldeforrest-pearce8084]

Excellent and Outstanding Insights!!! Well Done!!!

[@walksfarwolf6070]

I have enjoyed my Infinii cars more than any others. High quality, loads of features, good performance. 2003 M45 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 2009 FX50 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 2013 M56 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 2018 Q70L 5.6 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 All mildly modded and all great to drive and own.

[@creatiefbijtje]

it's a good car, still have mine . a 2009 and still looks stylish, better than 90% op the suv ev

[@trukenyan]

You aptly summarized exactly what I couldn’t figure out back then, because I could l never get myself to purchase the vehicle even after a one week driving a a rental one before I purchased it. I opted for a 4Runner and never looked back!

[@Jason113EVO]

Cant wait to see your update🎉

[@dengernoodle4391]

When I visited Europe, I distinctly remember only seeing about 2 Infinitis over the course of about 4 months

[@davidporeilly1]

A very interesting and insightful commentary on the perception of "quality". You are kinder than me when you discuss the British preference for German premium cars. I call it a "herd mentality" and its the same with ski equipment. On a trivia note, you might be interested to know that the 5 litre V8 engine option is the standard spec engine in the LMP3 race car class.

[@fabiotitolo8342]

I bought the last model year QX70S with the 3.7. Great car. Keeping it until next generation twin turbo V8, hopefully.

[@johnsmith02]

While Nissan continued to update the Skyline/Q50, they neglected the FX/QX70, the segment they invented. I almost bought a FX and now have an Alfa Stelvio, which is very much like the FX. I still think the FX looks stunning.

[@abmg2081]

This car was the first crossover they should have kept it in the lineup

[@eze8970]

Infiniti never offered more than the other established players in the UK. If it still made enough in other markets, then job done. Thanks J! 🙏🙏

[@brycem0]

This is my daily driver. This is basically a jacked up, stretched 4 door rebodied 370Z. If you knew this, it wouldn't surprise you. How well it handles and steers. Great tow vehicle with 2.7 tonne limit. Freeway will see 1000kms on a tank. Diesel is the smart choice 👌

[@FleetAdmiral215]

The Auto gearboxes are an issue in the States , Great Video as always James

[@olabodealamu5297]

Thanks Jayem for this video, I always wondered why this car wasn’t so popular. I own an Infiniti q40 and while looking for an SUV, I really looked into this.

[@emmy7848]

I really don't like popular cars, I'm glad I don't see much of mine on the road when I drive, unlike how lexus 350 are every where I go. I love the uniqueness.

[@Gorbyrev]

Wasn't there a Sebastian Vettel special edition of the V8? Seem to remember Infiniti trialled steer by wire so surprised to hear the steering was so good.

[@drock852]

The vettel didn't have steer by wire, but a nice car nonetheless

[@JayEmmOnCars]

There was indeed a "Vettel" edition - £108k when new! £35k now

[@nigelhenry5741]

Steer by wire is different from active rear steer assit.. and I believe the drive by wire was not available on the top end qx70 limited, last model run in 2017.

[@Gorbyrev]

@@nigelhenry5741 Useful information.

[@TheRealBigDan]

I actually stumbled across a Vettel edition in a local car park last month, Wife didn't believe me when I said How much they were new. Some really old guy got out of it

[@philhenderson3516]

Umm.. the Infiniti FX was the most successful SUV in their lineup, and it had quite the success, particularly the first generation which still looks timeless. Infiniti's failure, if anything, had to do with them hiring DeNysschen and changing course from sporty, BMW-esque inspired Japanese vehicles to cheap, Mexican made, no frills pseudo-luxury utes. They also got rid of their well known nameplates such as the FX, G, M, and EX. Had they stayed true to their origins and not mess around with what already worked, they would've been a solid, stable, and profitable brand these days. They got nothing but themselves to blame. Greed blinded them. They wanted to play a Lexus/Acura with the cheap FWD utes and it rebounded on them in the worst way possible. Sad but deserved.

[@bigjoewebb]

My 09 fx50S has been solid!!! It now has 288k miles on it and STILL runs strong!!!

[@petrolheadforever196]

I’ve had my 2010 Infiniti fx 50 for almost 10 years, it’s been tuned, full borla catback exhaust. Makes 367 hp to the wheels, it’s my daily and I drive it hard. All it’s ever needed is brakes, oil changes and a radiator. Everything else original parts, 210000 km still feels amazing. Very happy with it!

[@Kefuddle]

Agree 10000% I have owned a Q50S Hybrid and am currently driving a Q60S, what they call a "Red Sport" in the US. Infinity cars make a lot of sense once you have owned and driven them for some time. Then the design decisions all make sense. Coming from all sorts from Toyota to BMW I absolutely love my Q60. Ridiculously fast, comfortable and drop-dead gorgeous. I cannot replace it adequately without spending North of 60k.

[@nigelhenry5741]

Sadly, nissan/infinite never really put in the effort to exam8ne the market they tried to sell vehicle in, echoing what J says. Sad because I really like mine own 2016 qx70s, paddle shifters and all. Totally reliable, sporty if not the fastest, but quick enough with the v6. Looks different from the others... however, as of late, all the premium brands now have a couple like suv. Porsche, BMX, audi, mercedesand maserati...to name a few. Infiniti was imo the first to start this trend, then just never developed it nor promoted it. Sad

[@Inflator82]

This car was highly popular in Eastern Europe including Russia.

[@stevenwilhite4026]

I love that model. A woman at my apt. drives one. I’m in the U.S. in apart of the country that gets snow. I think that’s a great combination of winter capability with sports car styling cues.

[@okumakamizu3030]

i had to try one got my self a fx50 v8 5.0 love it to get last best condition and keep it forever in the stables

[@johang7498]

I like this one, it's one of the few SUVs that I find really stylish! I remember around 2005 I sometimes used to see grey import-FXs of the first generation here in Belgium and back then thought that if Jaguar were to bring an SUV to the market, it would look somewhat like that. A pity the brand didn't achieve more success in Europe as I feel their cars were at least decent and the Japanese definition of quality you mention is the best one ... by very, very, very far! After all, when your car has some technical failure and you have to pay big money to get it fixed, you're not likely to be saying "oh, but can you feel the soft material on its dashboard and the way the door "clicks"", are you? Those things are simply not what a car is about, even a premium one.

[@lasersailor6684]

With a great exhaust note and radar cruise control I had one of in a gas version of this in the US. I always thought it was ahead of its time.

[@owenmaddocks1506]

I've been looking at your reviews of the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli and while it's not quite like them you can definitely compare them. I'm talking about the Infiniti G37 The poshed up Skyline. It's a 4 door saloon, it's fun, it's fast, It's exclusive, it's different. One big difference it's reliable. Would love to see you do a review of one.

[@hertzair1186]

I just bought a 2020 QX80 with only 34,000 miles….I bought it because of its RELIABILITY. I don’t give a Flying Fortress about “infotainment” tech crap that you won’t spend the time learning to use anyway. I want a big massive luxurious V8 SUV that can tow my huge RV, look great, and will keep me completely safe in an accident.

[@HAYDNBBH]

I want a q50 with the 3.5l hybrid do you any experience with them

[@nomalevolence]

I have a QX70s and absolutely love it!

[@MotorTorq_ZA]

Perhaps if they based it on the qashqai and just made the qashqai more luxurious than maybe it would’ve worked

[@djgoldthing7166]

Still a great looking car. Ahead of it's time for looks before the Maseratis and other 'sporty' looking SUVs that followed.

[@luketrend1161]

Great review… I always loved the look of these cars, good to know the v8 is the way to go. Just one question though, I have a Volvo, what’s a switch? 😂😂😂 seriously, no matter what the quality of those switches, when I see physical air con buttons, I get very jealous 😊

[@lakeugly]

I have a 2009 FX(the first refresh) and they never changed the car. My car is exactly like this one except for the grille. It was excellent for 2009, but stale by 2012. Still Very Reliable

[@DimitarYanev87]

It's not a nice car. The tech and interior seemed dated even when it was new. It's sort of big on the outside but when you sit inside it feels quite tight, with a narrow windscreen and narrow dashboard. It feels like you're seated in something quite old and unergonomic. The only small consolation for this one is that the exterior design is quite impressive and aggressive.

[@Jesse-ld2sc]

Bought my FX50/QX70 brand new in 2012. 12 years later, still in love with it. Exceptional V8 that I've fitted with a straight though exhaust, absolute sex. Never had a single mechanical issue. So far ahead of its time, still looking modern a decade later. My only thought is how bonkers it would be to slap a twin turbo into this Frankenstein.... PS: Paint the fake chrome and wheels black. PPS: The V8 is absolute necessity to ponder what this car truly is. Agreed that NISSAN didn't put in the effort into Infiniti..... It should have become the premium EV brand, leaning in to the Q50 "drive by wire" is bad narrative. Tragic shame. Overall from someone bias to the brand even in spite of its dismal failure in Australia..... You speak the truth, Appreciated.

[@Medge2sc]

I am starting to feel like every video is a doom and gloom problem finding video recently, it’s a shame because I like your stuff

[@JayEmmOnCars]

Na, sometimes you get a few videos like that together - and a couple of recent ones have been very popular - but I like to keep the overall bias positive. In recent videos of that note, see: Cayenne GTS review, Peugeot 407, Skoda Octavia, Discovery 4,. You just gotta remember that more negative titles "sell". I don't like it either, but that's how it is. Hope that helps.

[@BlackYellow07]

I bought a 2009 FX50S last month,141k miles, love it.

[@nigell7299]

Infiniti sells good on the use car market in the USA mainly the cars , the younger crowd has taken a liking to them its fast and reliable !

[@HirooKoslov]

I personally think the best Infiniti that came to the UK, is the M35h. It's got the engine from a 350z, but paired with an electric motor. It's got the same hydro steering that I'm pretty sure that FX has, but it's a saloon. It's not something I'd buy personally because I can only realistically can own one car, and it'd have to be a manual, but if I had space for two, it'd be a strong contender for a daily.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

One problem now. The M35h began in 2013 with a battery pack that Infiniti estimated was good for 10 years. Who'd buy used ones today *knowing* (and there's the rub) that expense loomed large?

[@HirooKoslov]

@@Matt_from_Florida Yeah, that's true. If I owned one, I'd probably start by phoning one of the firms that do recon Toyota Prius battery packs, and see if they'll do the M35h as well. Though I don't know how similar the cells they used for the M35h are to Toyota's system.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

@@HirooKoslov Recon companies only replace bad battery cells so when you get it back the battery-pack once again has 100% of its original power. However, the old cells that they did not replace are still on the verge of going bad according to their 10-year lifespan. But that's why it's cheaper to recon a battery-pack than to buy a new one. It's the old adage, *_"You get what you pay for."_*

[@HirooKoslov]

@@Matt_from_Florida Yes, of course. But it'll at least spread the cost of the repair over some amount of time. And of course the same company will replace all the cells if you pay them to. It'll be a significant bill, but it also won't be the end of the world. It'd probably be worth it if you like the car and plan to keep it in the long term.

[@dieseldan420ca]

I picked up a FX50s with its 390 horsepower V8 last year for $12k to use as a cool all weather Dad mobile. I've since added custom exhaust and a JL Audio 10w6, the only thing I trade it for would be a manual trans Cayenne GTS.

[@beamoth]

The switch gear and entertainment system was used in other Infiniti cars but also Nissan cars in the US like the Maxima and Murano.

[@monk3yboy69]

@Stephen Maddex That’s the thing that always put me off Infinit. The switchgear comes straight out the parts bin of Nissan. So for me , looking at this premium brand and seeing Nissan everywhere, was just a turn off. I’m familiar with Infiniti as far back as 1997. Dull then and even more dull now. I guess Toyota and Lexus are the same. I remember when the LS 400 came out and I sat in one. I could not help pointing out to my parents that the buttons all look the same as their Camry ……

[@Kunine]

I think its down to the fact most people don't know who Infinti are in the UK. They needed more of an advertising campaign. Personally I think the quality is fine, especially in the newer ones and they come with more options as standard then german cars.

[@wads80z]

They sold shit loads of those here in the US, so I dont think the UK sales will have bothered them too much.

[@nathansands71]

I feel compelled to share that i had both an I30 and an I35, and they were incredible vehicles that i miss greatly.

[@albrown8481]

We had a fx30ds a couple of years ago,we now have a Qx70s 3.0 s premium model. The suv is a dream to drive and own. Bombproof reliability, sensational looks we live in the uk. They are very rare here. No problems with mechanical parts or electrical problems. For a 2.1 ton suv it doesn't hang around. It has a very high specification list,and a veryunique style, which is now being copied mustang mach e, Maserati Levante just to name a couple of manufacturers. We love the brand. Pity infiniti didn't give more effort in marketing it in Europe.

[@Kefuddle]

The motoring press was part of the problem. If they don't obviously try and do what BMW and Audi are doing, they are doing it wrong. That is the general mentality of the press here.

[@Android-vk8yh]

I can agree exactly what you're saying. It's just a slightly posher nissan qashqai, I had a top of the range 4x4 and it had quite a nice interior for the money and the turbo diesel was quiet. Punchy, the only problem is they're made by Renault, which means they're generally going to break eventually. Now got a Mazda CX-5 its miles better

[@HozniakMedia]

Great review. I've always loved these after first being introduced about 7 years ago by a colleague. I've lusted after the 5.0 V8 ever since (although he said his 3.7 was more than enough for daily use (I'm greedy, shoot me) I really appreciated your section on quality and how it's perceived differently by different people. It's nice to hear it spoken about that way as I always believed my 2006 Lexus GS300s (3 of them) were extremely luxurious for the age of the car, whereas my brother for example felt it horrendously Lego like in comparison to his S class. Ok yes, I've driven a few S classes extensively and they are wonderful, but it's nice to see someone else that can appreciate other brands for what they are. I do agree on the spare bin parts from other Nissans not really being acceptable though but I'll look past that when I hear the V8 every time I press the fun pedal. Thanks! 🥂

[@jjay350]

Yeah I was looking for a good QX70 V8, but they were pretty much impossible to find. I settled for a late last gen QX50, and I have always been very happy with it.

[@goreallyspeed4819]

The V8 offers a boat load more grunt and fun over the 3.7. Admittedly I've only experienced the 3.7 in the G37, but the QX is a lump of a car and needs the 5.0 power. My long term average in teh 3.7 was 23 mpg, and 19mpg in the 5.0.

[@HozniakMedia]

@@goreallyspeed4819 sorry just to clarify. You averaged 19mpg long term in a 5.0 FX/QX? Is that US MPG or where are you based? That's amazing if you ask me

[@goreallyspeed4819]

@@HozniakMedia UK based, 25 month average is 18.9 mpg - lowest tank was 16mpg. Might get worse when it's tuned next month!

[@HozniakMedia]

@@goreallyspeed4819 ok I also use UK based. 19mpg UK long term average is still incredible I think. What are you having done to it?

[@nickloftus4188]

I'm never likely to want to buy an suv but if I had to this would be my choice. Such a good looking vehicle.

[@manafhasan]

Thank you for your decent review. As an Infiniti driver, my first infiniti was FX35 2005. Boy that car was a monster with sexy looking, loved the power it had and the luxurious interior. I kept it until the new design came out in 2009, so I purchased it right away and it was such a reliable SUV. I put 200k within 5 years and still when I sold it, I sold it with $18,000. The parts they I services were oil change, rotors and breaks. Since I sold my FX in 2013, I hadn't driven anything and just two weeks ago, I found the lowest FX35 milage in all Canada. It's FX35 2012 with ONLY 2800km for ONLY $22000 ..guess what ? I bought the vehicle cash right away. The car was being used only for summer and been kept indoor for all these years. So this car is a time traveler and I won't replace it with anything else.

[@rafatymkow2373]

I think you should try the q70 as well 😃 they did try a bit more with the interior

[@BenjaminBanks615]

I owned a 2015 Qx70 limited in Hagane Blue and it was a beautiful beast. Infiniti dropped the ball when this was discontinued and ultimately replaced with the Qx55 with a CVT.😢 Carlos Goshn really messed up this brand.

[@davidgouyaie8027]

hmm a rare thought on this car.. use to like it.. but the brand just give me goosebumps.. at least since 2000s..

[@venskus2009]

I don’t care what you say. The FX50S is such a sick car. 5.0 DTM high revving v8. 370Z motor with two extra cylinders. Sounds amazing and goes like hell. Look it up

[@motodrang4287]

I almost bought the v8 version of this. Loved it; though, literally the worst visibility I’ve ever experienced.

[@unclejoe6811]

Infiniti was a great brand in the US, the Q45 was BMW 740 performance while the LS400 was closer to a S320. The G20 was a top spec Primera GT. The J30 was a four door 300zx. Infiniti's next game changer was the G35, last gen Q45, the M series (Fuga) is often overlooked great cars. Nissan/ Infiniti was among the best for technology and performance in 2005...but that's when they stopped innovating. Tell me what's changed in Nissans lineup since 2010...

[@mattylf1]

I think the only time I've seen one of these is when Sebastian Vettel drove one up the hill at Goodwood Festival of Speed back in his Red Bull days.

[@deargdoom8743]

I have a 2018 Q60S 3 litre V6 and it is a fab car. Fast as hell and extremely reliable. God knows why they didn't develop a diesel version like everyone else. Might have survived had they done so. Great car even so.

[@kanderson8219]

Is the the same as the states fx35??

[@kempowarrior]

This Infiniti was ahead of it time and one of only few SUV that handle like a sport sedan. I have an Infiniti FX37, G37S coupe and Q50S and a Lexus IS350. I actually love driving this car then the lexus is350. And it still so good until this day. In fact better looking then all the new SUV because the newer one all look the same. Very reliable and cheap to maintain.

[@zuhirmuhammad9322]

I think it’s a beautiful every lasting styling mid suv.

[@rachegreenrg]

I own 2013 FX 37 with 180k miles in the US. No problems, no repairs,all original. Very good engine, no leaks,no oil consumption.Built in Japan. In America Infiniti was huge 10 years ago, now they have future again with new models, they investing tons of money in Infiniti brand. In America Infiniti is always a cheap lease, so they are still popular.

[@jensz9360]

Yeah but their current lineup sucks besides the Q50, but that has issues. They screwed up by not continuing the FX / G line and just redesigning them. They changed them all to Q and QX basically and ruined the lineage. They ruined the name and basically the brand did themselves in. They need to redesign and bring back the FX . Even this one in the video looks better than almost all sport crossovers even on the road in 2023.

[@robsmall6466]

Need to look at a modern Mitsubishi product on this channel at some point. Considering they have left the UK

[@snapyo1472]

I would love a FX50s. Such a hidden gem!

[@jacobjordan7144]

I had one of these with nearly 200k miles but wrecked out. And I’ve seen ones with 300k MILES plus! and they were gas not the international market turbo diesel version. Which probably could last that long if taken care of because Renault engine.

[@josephblanchard943]

I have a 2010 EX35 with 207,000 miles and it has been the most reliable car I've ever owned. Yes my previous BMW X5 4.8is was a little more fun to drive but it was terribly expensive to maintain. With the way the economy is going and the craziness of the used car market in the US nowadays I hope that I'm one of those owners you mentioned with Infiniti's reaching 300k + miles 🤞

[@_Xorag]

can anyone tell me about disel engine? any issue?

[@johnhanson8442]

The silver switch gear in the steering wheel is the same as in the NV 200 van I use for fishing gear no wonder the inside was rubbish

[@AdamAus85]

When I was over in Qatar my big boss, an Al Mana, had one of these. He had the Nissan dealership over there. Same guy went on to marry to Janet Jackson. Anyway, definitely looked a bit special in the sea of land cruisers, silverados, tahoes/suburbans and and Armadas.

[@irenefunn4261]

I have 2013 Pearl white FX37 . I still love it. My husband tells me that I should get a newer car, but, I still love my baby, and I only drive a few days a week. I must admit the FX55 is a beauty, but I don't drive enough to justify a $55m car. So I think I'll keep it and in a few year, I get a used FX55.😢

[@goreallyspeed4819]

I have a QX70 with the 5.0 V8 here in the UK. When I lived in the US I owned several Infini models, alongside the Murano and 350Z. The Murano was great despite the CVT, and the 350Z was a hoot. The Infiniti G35X and G37X were very boring and suffered from the 'trademark' Infiniti sluggish auto gearboxes. I traded my last one for a Mazda 3 MPS and I loved it. Back to my top spec QX70, it has some nice tech but what lets it down is the awfully dated ICE system, terrible bluetooth integration, a low res screen (barely updated from my 06 Murano screen), no DAB, ridiculous pedal parking brake and annoying beeps with the lane keeping systems. The 5.0 is a great engine though - it sounds the business, and with the AWD really shoots away from the lights, surprising many people. I love the way it looks and was a massive fan of the first gen, and at first it feels enormous when you get behind the wheel, but in reality it's quite small and I like how compact it is. I'm currently modifying mine for more power and looks and intend to keep it until V8s are long gone. EDIT: my long term MPG is 19mpg and I also tow a caravan.

[@dieseldan420ca]

How are you "Currently modifying it for more power" I have one with exhaust/ drop in air filters and there's not much us consumers can really do to increase their power.

[@goreallyspeed4819]

@@dieseldan420ca drop in filters, remove cats, full exhaust, Uprev dyno tune. Not going to get huge amount more without doing the throttle bodies or modifying a 370z supercharger, but should smooth out torque and be helped with a gearbox remap

[@apb1236]

I have the same vehicle, a 2014 5.0 in the US….what would really get us more power would be the tune/ mods from the rare Vettel edition FX50. 420hp

[@goreallyspeed4819]

@@apb1236 The Vettel has different headers, cams and tune I believe - but that's about it from stock.

[@ToyotatechDK]

It’s really god looking. A lot of similarities with the Audi Q5 from the sides

[@1258-Eckhart]

In fact throughout the 1970's and '80's, all German manufacturers invested a lot of money into market research in Britain. The UK is (or was) a very worthwhile market and perticularly BMW deliberately anglicised their cars, because restrained style and tactile quality (one of the yardsticks was British High-End sound systems) could sell well elsewhere in Europe too. Left to our own devices, I don't think German manufacturers would have bothered with wood veneer surfaces, alcantara and leather, leaving that sort of thing to the top range Benzes, but the Brits wanted it already in the executive bracket, so just fit it for everyone else was the pragmatic choice. For a German-German/British-British comparison, compare the interiors of a 1973 W114 Benz with a 1973 Rover P6.

[@reececollison5101]

Funny you mention the tactile quality, when you showed the sat nav before mentioning it I though ‘that looks a little cheap for its premium price tag…’ 😂

[@goreallyspeed4819]

It barely beats the screen and nav I had in my 2004 Jeep Commander unfortunately. Which was in turn better than the screen in my 06 Murano to which this, and the actual UI is almost identical. Staggering cheapness on such an expensive vehicle and I hate Infiniti for it.

[@SicSemperBeats]

The car is a lifted Z/G so its not surprising it handles well. The FX35 legit sounds like a muted Z if you step on it or if you hear one with an exhaust, just kinda funny looking

[@jamesstothard5781]

Had one of these for 2 years, only paid 10k for it and it's never broken down once, just the usual maintenance. The biggest downside is the boot space and fuel usage is bad even for a big car

[@delftfietser]

New upside: the new Ferrari Purosangue is also front midship engined with almost the same front/rear weight distribution as your FX.

[@cptnkrenon]

The CO2 emissions figures you referred to for the German cars, were those the real numbers or the fiddled ones?