Infiniti introduced the production version of its all-new, seven-passenger 2013 JX crossover utility vehicle at the recent Los Angeles auto show, and announced it will go on sale in the spring with a starting price of $40,450 (plus freight).
The JX, which will be the first Infiniti vehicle produced at Nissan’s factory near Nashville, Tenn., will come in two versions: the JX35 FWD (front-wheel drive) model and the JX35 AWD (all-wheel drive), which will begin at $41,550.
This is the first three-row crossover from Infiniti, and the first for the Nissan Corp. But so far, there have been no plans announced to have a Nissan-branded version of it.
There are no other Infiniti products that share architecture with Nissan models since the redesigned QX56 SUV came to market for 2010. Previously, that vehicle was a fancy version of the Nissan Armada full-size, truck-based sport utility and was assembled along with the Armada at Nissan’s plant in Canton, Miss.
But with the redesign, the QX56 moved to a new chassis, and production was moved to Japan.
Like the JX, the QX56 has three rows of seats and a large cargo area, but the similarities end there. The JX has unibody construction, like a car. It will be the roomiest luxury crossover on the market, Nissan said.
Nissan rolled out a concept version of the JX model at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance luxury car show in California in August, then followed with the production version in Los Angeles in late November. The two were substantially the same, though.
“The three-row luxury crossover segment is one of the fastest-growing among all luxury vehicle segments, providing a huge opportunity for Infiniti,” said Ben Poore, vice president of Infiniti Americas.
In the Infiniti U.S. lineup, the JX will fall between the midsized, five-passenger FX crossover and the larger QX56. FX prices for 2012 range from $43,450 (plus $895 freight) for the FX35 with front drive to $59,350 for the FX50 with all-wheel drive. The QX56 begins at $58,700.
There is a compact, five-passenger Infiniti crossover as well, the EX35. Prices for it range from $35,600 to 39,300 (plus $895 freight).
Under the hood of the JX will be a 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 265 horsepower and 248 foot-pounds of torque. It will be connection to a sport-tuned continuously variable automatic transmission — the first Infiniti to get this gearless style of transmission.
Nissan says fuel-economy ratings are expected to be 17 mpg city/23 highway, with a “real world” combined rating of 19 mpg.
The engine is a version of Nissan’s VQ series six-cylinder. In the FX35, a variant of this engine has 303 horsepower; in the EX35, it has 297 horsepower. Both of those vehicles use a conventional seven-speed automatic transmission, however.
In developing the JX, Nissan said three elements were emphasized: interior flexibility and roominess, safety and “innovative hospitality features.”
The exterior was given a “dramatic” look to help differentiate the JX from other premium crossovers, such as the Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia, Acura MDX and Audi Q7, the company said.
The JX will have a second-row seat that tilts and slides forward to allow for easy access to the third row. A child seat latched to the second row won’t have to be removed to get in or out of the third, Nissan said.
Passengers in the third row will have “adult-sized room,” and the middle seat will be able to slide forward or backward up to 51/2 inches.
Available features will include a 15-speaker Bose Cabin Surround sound system with Acoustic Waveguide bass technology.
Also offered will be the Infiniti Connection Telematics system, similar to GM’s OnStar, which can automatically synch a computer business calendar and provide navigation guidance to appointments.
The system also includes the Infiniti Personal Assistant, which provides a personal concierge service with 24-hour access to live operators, Nissan said. This feature already is offered at no additional cost on every 2012 Infiniti vehicle.
In addition, the JX will be available with Backup Collision Intervention, designed to detect objects that are crossing behind the vehicle when the transmission is in reverse, and then to automatically apply the brakes to help avoid a collision.
Other available safety features include intelligent brake assist with forward-collision warning, a lane-departure warning and correction system, blind-spot monitoring and the Infiniti Around View Monitor with moving-object detection.
Standard will be 18-inch, split five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels with 235/65R18 T-rated all-season tires. Optional will be 20-inch, split five-spoke aluminum-alloy wheels with 235/55R20 H-rated all-season tires or polished 20-inch forged aluminum-alloy wheels.
A Premium Package adds the Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System with 8-inch color touch-screen display, Infiniti Voice Recognition, XM NavTraffic/NavWeather, the Zagat restaurant guide, streaming audio through Bluetooth, and a Bose 13-speaker sound system with Acoustic Waveguide bass
Also included in the Premium Package are a memory system for the driver’s seat, steering wheel and outside mirrors; entry/exit assist for driver’s seat and steering wheel; an enhanced Intelligent Key system; outside mirrors with reverse tilt-down feature; maple interior accents; and a self-dimming mirror with universal garage opener.
The Deluxe Touring Package brings the Bose Cabin Surround system with digital 5.1-channel decoding and Acoustic Waveguide bass, the 20-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with 235/55R20 tires, a panoramic moon roof with power rear sunshade, an advanced climate system with auto recirculation and air purifier, heated and cooled front seats, and heated second-row outboard seats.
For the rear passengers, there will be an optional Theater Package that adds a DVD player with dual 7-inch color monitors, two sets of wireless headphones, remote control, auxiliary audio/video input jacks, 120-volt power outlet and rear headphone jacks with volume control.
The Driver Assistance Package tacks on the Backup Collision Intervention, Intelligent Cruise Control, Intelligent Brake Assist, Blind Spot Warning, Distance Control Assistance (DCA), Active Trace Control, an Eco Pedal (gives the driver feedback when applying too much pressure to the accelerator), heated steering wheel and remote engine start.
A Technology Package includes the features of the Driver Assistance Package, along with the Lane Departure Warning/Prevention system, Blind Spot Intervention system and front seatbelts that lock up if a crash is determined to be coming.
Nissan is working on expansion of its plant in Tennessee to accommodate production of the JX, as well as two other new vehicles the complex will get over the next two years: the Nissan Rogue compact crossover and the Nissan Leaf electric car.
The company already builds the Altima sedan and coupe, Maxima sedan, Frontier pickup, Xterra and Pathfinder sport utility vehicles, and the Suzuki Equator pickup at the Smyrna plant.
Also under construction at the site is a $1 billion plant to make lithium-ion battery packs for the Leaf.
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