Infiniti’s 2012 FX35 is as close to perfection as it gets in its class. It’s fast, it’s great-looking, it provides all the room of an SUV without the corresponding gratuitous swagger, it’s got the absolute latest in gizmos and doodads, and was loads of fun to drive over a week’s test. It’s not a Porsche Cayenne, its close rival, but what is? Besides, the FX35 doesn’t need to be anything but itself.
It’s got a deliciously predatory flavor, particularly its pointy front end with its vast metal slab of hood. It holds the highway at speed and beyond and its tight steering and tight, responsive brake system make it a pleasure to navigate over tight turns and twists. Just make sure you keep an eye on the speedometer as it’s easy to feel you’re going much more slowly than you are. The ride is somewhat stiff due to the sport-tuned suspension, but not overly so, and an optional two-mode adaptive suspension compensates somewhat.
The 2012 model features minor tweaks such as a restyled front grille and fascia and a slightly improved gauge illumination. There's also a FX35 Limited Edition model based on the all-wheel-drive FX35.
A few drawbacks include less luggage room than some other trims in this class, and it’s not a true off-road vehicle despite its high stance. The nav system also liked to deposit me to my approximate destination rather than exactly where I’d programmed it to go as well as insisting the closest Starbucks when I was on Long Island was 19 miles away, in the Bronx. That lame aspect of the nav system is more than made up for with an optional top-view 360-degree camera allowing you to see all sides of the car as you back up or parallel park.
Options for the FX35 include a Premium package including aluminum roof rails, driver seat memory, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering column, a 360-degree parking-camera system, front and rear parking sensors, a hard-drive navigation system with real-time traffic and weather, a Zagat restaurant guide, a larger touchscreen display, voice-activated controls, expanded digital music storage and Bluetooth streaming audio. The Deluxe Touring package provides 20-inch wheels, quilted leather seating, ventilated front seats, maple wood trim and a cargo cover.
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