Entered CNET Catalog: 04/29/2005
SKU: CARINFINITIM35
Manufacturer: Infiniti
Product summary
The good: Elegant design; climate-controlled seats; useful tech interface; driver-adaptive transmission; MP3 CD and WMA support.
The bad: No navigation on our test car.
The bottom line: The Infiniti M35x is a fine example of useful, nongratuitous high-tech luxury.
Editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 08/31/2005
The 2006 Infiniti M35x has a base price of $43,140. Our test car was equipped conservatively with only the Journey Package, which includes a Bose two-channel, eight-speaker audio-system upgrade, climate-controlled front seats, the HomeLink universal transmitter, the RearView monitor, automatic-leveling Xenon HID headlamps, front precrash seat belts, and a compass in the inside rearview mirror for $2,750. Add a $610 destination charge for a total of $46,500. Much more is available: We recommend the Technology Package, which adds the nav system; a Bose surround-sound 5.1 audio system; intelligent cruise-control and lane-departure systems; and your choice of XM or Sirius satellite radio for an additional $4,200. But even without the extras, the M35x is a pleasant, sporty, and roomy luxury sedan with all-weather ability.
The 2006 Infiniti M35x, like all Infiniti M models, uses an Intelligent Key transponder instead of a regular key for access, with push-button starting, and is Bluetooth-enabled for hands-free cell phone operation. Anything that can be power-operated is, and it is simple for drivers of any size to find the combination of seat and steering-wheel positions for optimum comfort.With a 4-inch increase in wheelbase compared with the G35's, the 2006 Infiniti M35x's interior is comfortably spacious, with very good head and knee room in the front and rear. The perforated leather covering the front and outboard rear-seating surfaces is good for more than looks, since, with the Journey Package, it hides the workings of the climate-control seat system in front. Cabin air is drawn in from under the seat, then passes through a thermoelectric heating and cooling element in the seat back before being fan-forced through passageways in the foam and out through the ventilation holes. The cooling effect is pleasantly comfortable on a hot summer day. The seats themselves provide the comfort and support we expect in a luxury car.
The instrument panel has two centers of attention--the four-gauge main instrument cluster, enhanced by its orange-backlit Solar Eclipse lighting scheme, as well as the centrally mounted controls for the audio, climate, and information systems. These are controlled through well-marked buttons and the rotary controller or by voice, with information displayed on an LCD screen. Control is simple, logical, and mostly intuitive, with high marks to the voice-recognition system for ease of use. Unfortunately, the screen is not well protected from glare and can be hard to see in some light.
The 2006 Infiniti M35x's audio system has MP3 CD and WMA playback capability. The upgraded Bose two-channel, eight-speaker system that is part of the Journey Package produces fine-quality sound, which is adjusted automatically to compensate for ambient noise.
Another part of the Journey Package is the RearView system. It improves upon earlier backup video systems in that the wide-angle display is overlaid by colored dashed lines, which indicate an area that's the width of the car, as well as solid lines that display the car's projected trajectory and are calculated by the amount of steering lock. It is much more useful than systems that merely display the area behind the car, given that the straight, wide-angle perspective is confusing when you compare it to a normal visual perspective.
The 2006 Infiniti M35x's DOHC 24-valve, aluminum-alloy, VQ35 V-6 engine uses continuously variable-valve timing on its intake camshafts to produce 280 horsepower at 6,200rpm, with 270 pound-feet of torque at 4,800rpm. The five-speed automatic transmission is electronically controlled and can adapt its shifting to the driver's driving style. It does a good job in most situations, not always going for the highest possible gear and almost making manual-shift mode unnecessary--almost. Manual shifting is, at times, more rewarding, and usually results in quicker acceleration, since gears can be held as long as possible. And the M35x, even with a couple hundred extra pounds for the AWD system, is quick enough to be satisfying. EPA fuel economy is 17mpg in the city and 24mpg on the highway; we averaged 18 in mixed driving.In the 2006 Infiniti M35x, power gets to all four wheels through the ATTESA E-TS AWD system, which is also used in some FX models. With roots in the Nissan Skyline GT-R, this full-time system is designed for performance as much as all-weather traction and helps the M35x make the best use of its power. The torque split varies between full rear drive and 50-50. Interestingly, considering driven front wheels usually result in a wider turning circle, the M35x's turning radius is slightly less than that of the rear-wheel-drive models. Also, its electrically controlled, speed-sensitive power steering has a slightly quicker ratio. The steering is never too light, and its response is very good.
The 2006 Infiniti M35x's double-wishbone front and multilink rear-suspension systems make extensive use of aluminum to reduce unsprung weight and improve handling. Aluminum is also used for the door, hood, and trunk panels to reduce overall weight. Springs and shocks are tuned in the manner of a European sports sedan, supple enough for comfort, yet firm enough for minimal body roll and very good road manners. For a car on the large end of midsize, the M35x is light on its feet and very satisfying to drive in a sporty manner. As with the G35, careful attention to underbody airflow gives the M35x a low coefficient of aerodynamic drag (0.28) with zero front lift.
Standard safety equipment on the 2006 Infiniti M35x includes a unibody structure built with front and rear crumple zones; the Advanced Air Bag System, which features dual-stage front air bags with Occupant Classification and roof-mounted side-impact curtains; a direct-reading tire-pressure-monitoring system; and four-wheel, ventilated antilock disc brakes with EBD (electronic brake force distribution) and brake assist. The VDC stability-control system also comes with all models, and unusually for a luxury car, it can be switched off for more aggressive driving.Optional equipment includes precrash front safety belts, which tighten under braking in preparation for an evasive maneuver or a crash; laser-based lane departure and intelligent-cruise-control systems; preview braking, which works with the brake assist and intelligent-cruise-control systems to detect situations that may require immediate braking and, if so, prepressurizes the brake system for quicker response; adaptive front lighting, which moves the headlights in response to steering; and the RearView backup system. A space-saver spare tire is standard, but a full-size spare is available.
The 2006 Infiniti M35x is covered by a four-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, with six-year/70,000-mile limited power train coverage and seven-year unlimited-mileage corrosion coverage.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19out of 19 user reviews
Incredible balance between performance and refinement!
Pros: Very peppy for a 6 cylinder. Technological marvel!!!! So much fun. Great value.
Cons: The only thing I can think of is no auto start.
out of 19 user reviews
features don't compensate for the terrible mpg.
Pros: like the handling
Cons: very disappointed with mpg. They should just come out and tell you 9-11 when all wheel drive is being used.
out of 19 user reviews
Build quality is fantastic - see example
Pros: Ride, handling, quality of workmanship, design
Cons: low beam lights
out of 19 user reviews
Almost Perfect!!!!
Pros: Style, Handling, Comfort, Hi Tech Gadgets galore, Price
Cons: No V8 and All wheel drive Option, Gas Mileage, Blue tooth OK, not great.
out of 19 user reviews
Not bad - but nor perfect either
Pros: Lots of Toys, powerful engine, entertainment system
Cons: Fuel Economy, loud exhaust, toys don't always work, no soul, not very smooth
On the positive side, the entertainment system is amazing. Playing MP3s is great, and when the kids are watching a movie, the surround sound is better than the system I have at home.
This is the second Japanese car I have had (the last one was 20 years ago) and I think I will return to the european cars. They seem to suit my driving style better.
out of 19 user reviews
S550 for half the price!
Pros: Fast! Roomy! Most comfortable interior in its class.
Cons: Gas Mileage is OK
out of 19 user reviews
An absolute wonder to drive.
Pros: Technology and handling.
Cons: Gas mileage.
out of 19 user reviews
A stand-out luxury car for those of us looking to not blend in.
Pros: All that you get for that price.
Cons: There aren't more cars like this on the road.
out of 19 user reviews
One major flaw . . .
Pros: Alot of car for your money. Very solid performance and a very good AWD system.
Cons: Interior is still somewhat inferior to its competitors. Oh yeah, the transmision!
out of 19 user reviews
Mr. Reviewer, What are you talking about??
Pros: Great car, love it, in the snow it's a champ!
Cons: Expensive (duh), gas mileage could be better
I love this car. I bought this car in September as a 25th birthday present to myself and man oh man. It looks great, drives great, and the technology inside this car is amazing. I can do almost anything in this car just by talking to it. I don't understand why CNET gave it an 8.7 and it's major con listed was that the test model didn't have the navigation system. What sense is that? But then again sometimes CNET's reviews can be a bit weird. All in all, I love this car. I got it with the journey/tech package and I'm glad I did. The only things I wish this car had are better bass from the subwoofer (but then again it's Bose so how good can it be?), full Ipod/Mp3 player integration (my car came with aux inputs that I can plug the Ipod into but I'd love to be able to control it from my steering wheel), and something like XM's Nav Traffic capability. I live in the NYC area and something like that would be really useful here. All in all though, I consider this car to be one of the best purchases I ever made. I love it.
I love this car. I bought this car in September as a 25th birthday present to myself and man oh man. It looks great, drives great, and the technology inside this car is amazing. I can do almost anything in this car just by talking to it. I don't understand why CNET gave it an 8.7 and it's major con listed was that the test model didn't have the navigation system. What sense is that? But then again sometimes CNET's reviews can be a bit weird. All in all, I love this car. I got it with the journey/tech package and I'm glad I did. The only things I wish this car had are better bass from the subwoofer (but then again it's Bose so how good can it be?), full Ipod/Mp3 player integration (my car came with aux inputs that I can plug the Ipod into but I'd love to be able to control it from my steering wheel), and something like XM's Nav Traffic capability. I live in the NYC area and something like that would be really useful here. All in all though, I consider this car to be one of the best purchases I ever made. I love it.
out of 19 user reviews
Nissan is the way to go
Pros: nissan technology
Cons: could use more horses
out of 19 user reviews
An amazing automobile
Pros: Tech is flawless; fit and finish is beautiful
Cons: gas mileage
Anyone who drives this car would find it impossible to score it below an 8 or 9. A score of 4 is clearly absurd.
Well, I've been driving my M35x now for 2 years and I still get a kick out of drivng it everyday. I actually look forward tot he commute and still look for reasons to drive places. This car is truly flawless, not a single day of trouble or defect. Interior has held up exceedingly well over the 30K miles so far. This is clearly the best purchase I have ever made, no doubts. I'll replace it only with another, perhaps an M37X?
out of 19 user reviews
not a bad car
Pros: nice tech controls
Cons: to operate all the features of the car you lose track of the road
i got a perfect example for u, do you know anyone who has bought a used infiniti? i doubt it
its a pretty good car but to me its average and all the pros that cnet mentioned only the passenger can really enjoy them its too difficult to control if your driving
out of 19 user reviews
Excellent performance, design, & technology
Pros: More value than any of the competition in this class
Cons: Navigation system does not invoke easiest or most direct trip...doesn't offer a "most use of highway" option
out of 19 user reviews
The best automobile for technology lovers!
Pros: Even M35X has great performance, superb audio, lots of computingn power in a car.
Cons: Doors don't automatically lock/unlock when driving or in "Park".
The in-dash CRT is far brighter and sharper than my previous Lexus products. But Infiniti dealers don't have a clue how to treat customers like Lexus dealers do.
The BMW-like handling is great. Performance off the line is amazing. Exhaust sounds great during acceleration, but then is nice and quiet for cruising.
Rear DVD scsreen is very clear, but the remote control came from another planet - doesn't work like any remote I've ever used. Rear wireless headseats in black velvet bags - classy and sound great.
I've owned 32 automobiles. This will go down in the book as one of the best.
out of 19 user reviews
So for, it is excellent
Pros: Quiet, fast, good gas mileage, comfortable
Cons: Navigation can be a little daunting
Infinity is aware of a partial electrical system failure in the M35/45's. My new M35 has now been in the shop for over 3 days because of a system failure in the center console. All A/C controls are frozen, the Nav does not work and there is no radio, CD, XM satellite. The dealership has replaced nearly everything and still it does not work. They are still scratching their heads and are keeping the car over the weekend. I'll keep you updated on their findings. Apparently a bulletin has been issued to all dealerships and they are experiencing problems with this car throughout the nation.
I have a new Infiniti M35 with 800 miles on it. It's already in the shop and has been for over three days. The vehicle has an electrical short in the navigation/radio console. Everything tied to the console is blanked out or frozen (including air conditioning controls). If this happens to you, your controls are frozen in the position they were in when the short occurred. You will not be able to access navigation, CD, DVD or the radio. However, the instrument panel is working. According to the service writer, Infiniti is aware of the problem - a nationwide bulletin has been issued - but they are scratching their heads as to how to fix it. RATING: MARGINAL! For a $50,000 car, I think I would look elsewhere until Infiniti gets this major glitch ironed out.
Comment by austinlaw (see profile) - October 5, 2005
I have a new Infiniti M35 with 800 miles on it. It's already in the shop and has been for over a day. The vehicle has an electrical malfunction in the navigation/radio console. Everything tied to the console is blanked out and/or frozen (including air conditioning controls). If this happens to you, your controls will be frozen in the position they were in when the malfunction occurs. You will not be able to access navigation, CD, DVD or the radio. You will not be able to operated the A/C, heater or defroster. This could pose a SAFETY problem. Again, everything is shutdown. The instrument panel is working. According to the service writer, Infiniti is aware of the problem but they are scratching their heads as to how to fix it. RATING: 4! For a $50,000 car, I think I would look elsewhere until Infiniti/Nissan gets this major glitch ironed out. UPDATE: as of September 13th. The M35 has now been in the shop longer than a week and Infiniti does not have a fix for it. They think they need to order a new "module" but it will take 5 weeks to arrive from Japan. I have been talking to top management at the dealership and they are talking to the district rep. So far, no word. The car is still at the dealership. I could bring it home, but then I wouldn't have A/C, heater (don't need it yet in Texas!) defroster, or any radio/CD. I have chosen to leave it with the dealership so that they will be reminded of it everyday. No replacement has been offered at this time. I'll keep updating this site to let you know how this comes out.
Update: 10/21/05. No repair in sight soon. Car still in the shop since October 5th. I will get rid of this vehicle IF it can be repaired. Parts ordered from Japan have only 4 more weeks before arriving! Let's hope they can fix it then.
out of 19 user reviews
Smooth, refined, and... FUN!
Pros: A real value for the money. While ~$50K may seem like a lot, you really get a lot of car. Smooth ride, great handling, good acceleration (weight/6 cyl. engine). IMO, a better value than the Q45!
Cons: The cruise control will not work when driving into the sun because the distance control is infrared laser based. It is a shame that the V6 doesn't get the 298 hp the manual G35 does.
The ride is exceptionally well controlled. We moved up from a G35 sedan and while the M35x isn't quite as quick, "sporty feeling", or communicative (road touch), the wider tires and AWD provide handling that is on a par with the G35. However, the suspension controls bumps, jarring, etc. to a level that makes the G35 seem almost unrefined (and the G35 is an excellent vehicle in its own right).
Infiniti's M-series has been winning accolades from every publication that has tested it and very deservedly so. Drive one, compare it to the competition and see how superior the "M" really is... especially for the same money as the much smaller, lesser equiped BMW 330.
The Tech and Journey packages are worth the money (if you can afford them). However, I don't feel that the DVD entertainment system is worth the money. You can get a much larger/better system for the same money, though it won't be "integrated" into the vehicle or have an Infiniti warranty.
One other issue, shop around as some dealerships are definitely more willing to bargain than others!
out of 19 user reviews
Fun To Drive
Pros: Well thought out, comfortable and fun
Cons: Gas Consumption
After you get over marveling at all the technology, you'll notice the car is really fun to drive. It hugs the road. The steering and transmission respond perfectly. I still look forward to every ride.
out of 19 user reviews
Sporty luxury. Great mix for a fun and exciting drive.
Pros: Acceleration, tech gadgets, unique look, reliability.
Cons: None so far, only been driving it for 3 days!
