Describing the FX's exterior in detail is probably unnecessary — this SUV has long become a familiar element of Russian streets. Perhaps some won't consider it a handsome devil, but one thing is certain: it's original. Just glance at the car from the side, and the image of a boot immediately comes to mind, followed by the expressive BMW Z3 Coupe. In every curve of this Infiniti's body, there's a challenge to established canons and a vivid individuality bordering on rebellion. Many SUV creators struggle with how to make the front end striking. On a large car, it turns out tall, and the current trend is narrow headlights. So designers have to erect huge radiator grilles that erase the car's face, or install tall headlights that visually reduce the front's height. The FX's creators took a bold step, keeping narrow predatory headlights with a fairly massive front bumper. If you nitpick details, the solution is debatable, but overall the Infiniti's appearance leaves a purely positive impression.
Of course, the pursuit of an expressive silhouette couldn't help but affect the interior space — the long hood ate up a considerable share of useful volume, but here it's a matter of priorities. Those seeking a comfortable and practical car would likely be better suited by the huge Audi Q7 or something from the Mercedes SUV lineup — fortunately, the choice in this segment is vast. But the Infiniti has almost no equally stylistically flashy competitors; perhaps the new BMW X5 can compare with the FX in character, but that's more a comparison at the level of image and emotion rather than design.
FX is a special kind of car, designed for those who want a bright, eye-pleasing vehicle. And for transporting, say, building materials to the dacha, it's simpler to hire a "Gazelle."
The striking exterior found its continuation in the interior — the three-spoke steering wheel migrated from the Nissan 350Z sports car, and the instrument cluster is also mounted on the steering column. The instruments move up and down with the wheel, but the steering wheel's reach adjustment is separate, and for some unknown reason, it clearly lacks travel — I constantly wanted to move the wheel closer to me. Completely unexpectedly, other ergonomic flaws surfaced. Over three days of testing, I never managed to get truly comfortable behind the wheel — on bumps, the massive headrest kept giving me knocks on the back of the head, and I couldn't recline the seatback further: my arms wouldn't reach the wheel. As if apologizing for this oversight, when the ignition is turned off, the car automatically retracts the steering column and slides the driver's seat back, easing exit. Apart from the somewhat stiff headrests, the front seats themselves are quite good: they securely hold you in corners, but the upholstery could be finer leather — the rough finish doesn't quite match the refined image of the Infiniti.
The control unit for auxiliary systems seemed to me not very convenient and not fully thought out. Almost all climate and audio functions are spread across separate buttons, which took considerable time to learn. It turns out that the rotating dial and the keys around it mainly control the onboard computer, occasionally duplicating the music buttons, which are more convenient to manage from the wheel. The onboard computer surprised me with its fuel consumption scale — instantaneous appetite is displayed only up to 15 liters per 100 km; anything above just pegs. Given that the FX's official city consumption is 19.9 liters, such a scale can only be called mockery: it merely shows whether the gas pedal is pressed or released.
But the display turned out to be very convenient: it shows all key information, and when parking, the rear-view camera activates. True, in wet and dirty weather, the camera lens instantly gets splattered, and then you either have to get out and wipe it or park by ear.
On our broken roads, the FX45 behaves like a true athlete. The body feels monolithic, and the suspension is hardly softer. The large SUV meticulously informs the driver of every pothole and crack in the asphalt, but at the same time doesn't deviate a millimeter from its course. The considerable weight and well-tuned chassis settings take their toll. It seems that if an obstacle appears in its path that you don't manage to avoid, it will simply plow through it without even noticing.
As expected, with such a stiff suspension, the Infiniti handles superbly — the compact sporty steering wheel from the 350Z is a bit heavy and clearly designed for a man's hand, but it fits perfectly in the palms and unquestioningly executes all commands, while body roll is minimal. The huge 20-inch wheels seem glued to the asphalt. If you deliberately overdo speed in a corner (which is almost impossible to do accidentally), then when you lift off the gas, the FX grips the road even harder but won't allow understeer... During active driving, the innate skid protection allows you to drive almost constantly with the stability control system off. Otherwise, the electronics cut power too abruptly: if the front wheels slip off the arc, it doesn't add safety and also hinders acceleration after exiting the turn.
The 4.5 V8 engine produces 328 hp, and with such displacement, it simply cannot lack torque. At low revs, it rumbles with a signature sound — previously, such a sound could only be heard from under the hood of a true American. At the same time, the engine willingly revs up to 7000 rpm and endows the two-ton all-terrain vehicle with excellent dynamics. The 5-speed automatic is very well tuned. The long fifth gear allows on the highway at a steady 100 km/h to stay within 9-10 liters of gasoline. But this is only under ideal conditions — when the asphalt is smooth and cruise control is on. With moderately active driving outside the city, the computer consistently shows 15-16 liters per 100 km, and in the city, consumption jumps to 18-20. Well, powerful cars have never been known for modest appetites, and every time I stopped at a gas station and paid about 2000 rubles for a full tank, I understood that I wasn't paying in vain.
I had absolutely no desire to test the FX's off-road talents — neatly painted bumpers and a stiff suspension on large wheels don't encourage storming obstacles; that's better left for a Gelaendwagen or Pajero. The Infiniti FX is a car for those who dream of a sports car for everyday use but for some reason can't get one. The car is well-suited for winter, and on the road, others give way to it. Breakdowns needn't be particularly feared — the experience of three years of operation of a considerable number of "gray" Infiniti FXs in Russia speaks to the high reliability of these cars. Moreover, maintenance should now be easier: official dealers offer privileged service.
By the way, against the backdrop of recent automotive premieres, prices for the Infiniti FX no longer seem as sky-high as before. For example, the base version FX35 Elegance with a 280-hp 3.5-liter engine, xenon headlights, 18-inch wheels, a Bose audio system with 11 speakers, chip key, cruise control, leather interior with power adjustments and memory, and wood trim costs $69,900 — $2,000 less than the 250-hp Audi TT. Don't be surprised that I compare an SUV with a sports coupe: ideologically, these cars are very close, and their technical characteristics are quite comparable.
The Premium trim adds a DVD player with a fold-down 7-inch display for rear passengers, as well as 20-inch wheels and a sport suspension. The price is $73,500. A similarly equipped FX45 will cost $82,900.
If I had $70-80 thousand free, the Infiniti would definitely be among the main candidates for my money. Moreover, I'd probably settle on the simplest modification, the FX35 Elegance — its suspension is softer, and its fuel consumption, hopefully, is a bit more modest.Leonid Pavlov