Monday, April 9, 2012
The 2013 Infiniti JX is coming soon at Parkway Infiniti
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The 2013 Infiniti JX35 is here and ready to impress
Infiniti has a goal. It plans to sell over 600,000 cars around the world by 2016. That means a few things need to happen. First, the brand needs to expand to new and emerging markets, notably Russia, China, and South America. These are the same rapidly growing markets parent company Nissan has targeted with the revival of the Datsun nameplate as its new low-priced brand. Second, Infiniti needs to expand the number of categories it’s competing in.
Currently, the G range handles the luxury/sport coupe, convertible, and sport sedan markets. The upmarket M is the mid-size luxury competitor, going toe-to-toe with luxury giants like the BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS, Audi A6, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. The EX and FX crossovers handle the luxury and sport CUV categories admirably, while the big-boy QX is Infiniti’s entry for the full-size, truck-like SUV.
With those five models, Infiniti covers a fairly decent range. One segment (and a growing one) that has been missing, though, is the three-row, family friendly CUV. With stiff competition from the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, and even the Land Rover LR4 and BMW X5, it’s going to take some effort to crack into this lucrative slice of the pie. Good news for Infiniti fans, then, that the 2013 JX has just hit the marketplace.
This three-row crossover is meant to bridge the gap between the comfy/involving EX and FX, and the big, luxurious QX. Based on price point alone it should fit in well. With a front-wheel-drive JX starting at $40,450, it sits squarely in between the EX and FX, and is about $19,000 cheaper than a QX. That price also undercuts the Acura MDX ($42,930) and the Audi Q7 ($46,250). Even when you tack on all-wheel drive, the JX still seems to be somewhat of a steal at $41,550.
There will be five distinct packages for the JX, covering a broad range of needs. The $4950 Premium Package includes a 13-speaker Bose stereo, navigation, and the Infiniti Around-View Monitoring system, as well as other smaller features. $1700 will snag you the Theater Package, which includes Infiniti’s dual, seven-inch, headrest-mounted monitors, along with a 120-volt plug-in, and RCA outputs, allowing the kids to hook up their Playbox180, or simply pop in a DVD. The Driver Assistance Package kicks the MSRP up $2200, and adds a wealth of tech options (and acronyms) to your JX, including adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, Distance Control Assist, Intelligent Brake Assist with Forward Collision Monitoring, and Back-up Collision Intervention. For $2550, the Deluxe Touring Package swaps out the 13-speaker Bose stereo for a 15-speaker Bose surround sound system, adds a fixed second and third-row moonroof, twenty-inch wheels, and the seats are now air conditioned in addition to the standard butt warmers. Finally, the $3100 Technology Pack is like an advanced Driver Assistance Package, and features lane departure warning and prevention, blind spot intervention, and pre-crash seatbelts in the front seats.
The JX exterior borrows rather heavily from the Essence concept that debuted at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show; in particular the crescent-shaped chrome trim around the C-pillar. The JX shares the current Infiniti double-arch grille that’s becoming common across the range, too.
Inside, the JX cabin proves it intends to be a luxury player with an eye-pleasing layout covered in soft-touch plastics where necessary, and wood trim where possible. The navigation system is the same setup we’ve been using for years, and it thankfully retains the analog controls on top of the touchscreen interface. The front seats were comfortable, although pleasingly snug, and the range of adjustment made it easy for us to find a good driving position. In back, the 60/40 split-folding rear seats are comfortable and roomy, and can easily be slid forward, collapsing in on themselves to accommodate rear seat entry.
We’ll be honest, few vehicles on the market make third-row entry easy, but Infiniti is giving it a serious go with the JX. There’s a nice, wide space when the second row slides forward, granting access to the surprisingly large third row. Cargo space, even with the third row up, looks larger than Audi’s Q7, and with the second row down, comes across as simply massive.
Power, rather disappointingly, does not come from the 5.0-liter V-8 that powers the FX and QX. Instead, Infiniti’s stalwart 3.5-liter VQ35 V-6 is the sole means of motivation. With 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque hauling around roughly 4400 pounds, the JX wasn’t exactly fast. Still, on our route around Charleston, we found both the power on hand and the delivery to be quite linear and smooth. The engine sounded muted, relative to other applications we’ve seen it in, and this was a pretty quiet vehicle in general (more on that in a second). Off-the-line power was respectable, although we suspect the Audi Q7’s supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6 would prove a tough match in this regard.
Part of the JX’s smooth power delivery has to be attributed to Infiniti’s first use of the corporate-standard CVT unit. As CVT applications go this was one of the better ones we’ve tested. The ever-present rubber-band feel from lower-powered models was less noticeable on the burlier JX. Infiniti has done its fair share of fiddling with this belt-driven unit, which explains the smoother driving character.
Where the brand’s tweaks didn’t pay off, however, was in the manual mode. Frankly, it was just as useless as every other CVT manual mode we’ve tested, with its simulated shift points coming across as a poor impression of a true automatic transmission. Even when the drive mode was switched to Sport, which quickens “shift times,” the effect is still sub-par, with the engine remaining artificially high in the rev range. Keeping this transmission in full-auto mode is the smart play.
The JX’s ride and steering have a lot in common with the larger, plush QX. This is a soft-riding, comfortable suspension. It soaked up Charleston’s excuse for potholes quite nicely, although there’s a bit more impact noise transmitted to the cabin than we’d originally expected. Once again, we’d say this is a case of large wheels (twenty-inchers in this case) adding a bit of a ruckus to an otherwise quiet ride. We’d be quite happy with the eighteens, thank you very much.
Driven civilly, the JX’s handling is completely inoffensive. Push it a bit through the turns, though, and it doesn’t hesitate to roll. There’s just not a lot of lateral damping going on here. The same goes for fore and aft movement where aggressive throttle inputs can result in a bit too much squatting and diving. Perhaps the biggest issue is that the JX’s handling doesn’t inspire confidence, as it just feels a bit out of sorts when put in any dynamic handling situation. Still, if ride comfort is your number one concern, this is the way to go.
As with the suspension, the steering didn’t really prioritize dynamic behavior. Our partner during our drive called it “kind of vague,” which is a pretty solid assessment. There’s just not a lot of feedback coming through the leather-wrapped wheel. There’s also not a great deal of weight either, although we found this less of an issue. It’s not an overboosted tiller but it’s a pretty easy vehicle to manage with one hand on the wheel.
If you are looking to spend $40,000 to $50,000, there are worse choices than the Infiniti JX. If you value being involved in the driving experience though, then plan on looking elsewhere. Built to the standards of the luxurious and popular QX, and for the same breed of shopper (albeit one with a smaller budget), this is one crossover that will impress the high-end suburban set.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The 2012 Infiniti EX35 is here at Parkway Infiniti
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Infiniti has fast first hybrid
Here's an intriguing fact: The Infiniti M luxury sedan that's listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for its acceleration prowess is the same M that has the best fuel economy rating of the lineup.
It's because the Guinness record holder is the new-for-2012 M35 Hybrid, which pairs a gasoline V-6 to an electric motor and lithium ion battery pack and manages the power through a seven-speed automatic transmission. There's no continuously variable transmission (CVT) here.
The M35h's combination powerplant can move the more than 4,100-pound, four-door car from standstill to 60 miles per hour in 6.1 seconds while pushing passengers' bodies firmly into the seatbacks.
This figure, provided by Infiniti, is akin to the performance of a new Chevrolet Camaro with V-6.
Yet, the M35h's federal government fuel economy rating of 27 miles per gallon in city driving and 32 mpg on the highway is the highest of all the M models. For example, the base 2012 M37 with V-6 and no electric assist is rated at 18/26 mpg.
But even with today's gasoline prices that top $3.90 a gallon, it would take M35 Hybrid drivers a while to recoup via gasoline savings the $6,000 premium that the hybrid model costs over a non-hybrid M37.
And there are other hybrids, even luxury hybrids, that have lower starting prices than the M35h's $54,595. They also have higher fuel economy, though not the record-breaking acceleration.
For instance, the 2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid mid-size sedan, which has a starting retail price of $35,630 is rated by the federal government at 41/36 mpg. The MKZ is a gasoline-electric hybrid with a four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and so doesn't have the power of the M.
The 2012 Lexus HS is a compact, luxury, hybrid sedan with a retail starting price of $37,905 and fuel efficiency rating of 35/34 mpg. The HS is powered by a four-cylinder engine and an electric motor.
The M35h is the first hybrid for Infiniti, and the brand didn't stray from what it's known for - performance and luxury.
But the test M35h seemed as much a showcase for technology as it did for showing that a hybrid can be fast and exhilarating.
Much of the M35h's technology, including the navigation system with voice recognition and on-board Zagat restaurant ratings, was optional and helped push the final sticker price to more than $67,000.
But it made an indelible impression of a car filled with so many electronic bits that it just might drive itself one day.
Note: To keep from being overwhelmed, it's best for a driver new to an option-packed M35h to take a deep breath and learn the different driver aides one by one. Example: The optional lane departure warning gives one kind of audible warning if the car starts to drift from its lane.
Another audible warning, standard on the car, arises when the M35h is in all-electric mode, because otherwise it's a silent vehicle that pedestrians might not notice. Infiniti was the first to put this pedestrian-alerting system on a car. Federal government officials have been debating whether to require audible alerts on all cars that have an electric mode.
The M hybrid system eschews a torque converter and instead uses a wet clutch and a dry clutch to manage the power from the 302-horsepower, 3.5-liter, double overhead cam V-6 and the 67-horsepower electric motor.
Drivers don't see or operate the clutches. The clutches work automatically to decouple the engine from the transmission at stops, so fuel is saved at stoplights, and allow the M35h to travel up to 62 mph on electric power alone.
It also can stay in electric mode for 1.2 miles, which is longer than many other hybrids.
The M35h judiciously monitors battery reserves and goes right to gasoline-power-only when necessary.
The test M35h required careful throttle control at startup, because the car was eager to zoom forcefully forward in electric mode from a stop.
This affected the test drive and brought an average of just 27.6 mpg in travel that was 70 percent in city traffic.
An M35h hallmark is the lack of a CVT. Other hybrids have had CVTs because these transmissions can maximize fuel economy. But they are not the top choice for acceleration.
Unfortunately, when the V-6 power would join in, there often was noticeable roughness in the test car. It was not the seamless transition that some hybrids deliver.
As is typical in hybrids, the brakes on the M35h had an artificial feel and didn't operate with a pure linear response as the brake pedal was pressed. This is due to the car's regenerative braking that captures energy and recharges the battery pack as the car is braking.
The M35h is a handsome sedan with stylish wheels and regular, not low-rolling resistance, tires. The tester had optional, large, 18-inch tires, which conveyed a good amount of road noise.
The M35h had a substantial, solid feel, and while the battery pack adds weight to the car vs. the M37, the hybrid feels well-balanced on twisty mountain roads. The only exterior clue that the car is a hybrid is the word "hybrid" on two fenders and the little "h" next to M35 on the trunk lid.
The interior has the luxurious atmosphere of all M cars, and control buttons on the dashboard are large, with good tactile feedback. Fit and finish on the tester was excellent.
Trunk space measures 11.3 cubic feet, down from the 14.9 cubic feet of a non-hybrid M37 because the battery pack takes up some trunk space.
http://bit.ly/GZxftzMonday, April 2, 2012
Enjoy the 2012 Infiniti G37 Convertible at Parkway Infiniti
Friday, March 30, 2012
We would like to thank this customer for their great review and recommendation
"I have to say that I had a great experience with their service from the sales manger Michael and the rest of the team Jeff, David (Store manager) & Steve in finance. They're friendly, helpful, fun and great people. I highly recommend."
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Visit Parkway Infiniti today and experience the 2012 Infiniti M35h
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)