Ever since the Infiniti FX has been pounding the pavement, it has been delivering thrilling performance while turning heads the entire time. Not surprising that the all-new 2009 FX is just as bold and even better than its predecessor.
There really are very few SUVs in the market that offer the muscular looks of the Infiniti FX along with the performance and luxury this SUV delivers. Built on the same platform as the G coupe and sedan as well as big brother M sedan, FX has all the right genealogy to be a world-class performer.
Improving on a really great first generation FX, Infiniti made sure it maintained the bold, muscular stance for the exterior style while enhancing the interior comfort and performance with high-tech wizardry and engineering.
On the outside, 18-inch five-spoke aluminum-alloy rims attract your attention as you move up to the rounded nose and sculpted hood lines. The FX appears to have a much longer nose because the wheels get pushed so far out to the corners and the long hood runs up a heavily raked windshield. You might think there was a disproportunate amount of weight at the rear, but the balance is outstanding and it helps with high-speed handling, the forte' of the FX.
Three FX models are offered for 2009: FX35 RWD ($40,950), FX35 AWD ($42,350), and FX50 AWD ($56,700). My FX35 AWD tester came standard with leather appointed seats and an amazing 300-watt Bose 11-speaker Premium audio system. My tester featured the Premium Package ($2,350) that added niceties such as: climate-controlled front seats, Blue-tooth phone system, iPod interface, driver memory for seats and mirrors, power steering tilt/telescope and a set of aluminum roof rails. These rails adorned the sleek roof adding a touch of sporty class to the SUV.
As if the techy world of auto isn't one step closer to a Terminator-esque machines-rule-the world scenario, Infiniti offers an advanced Scratch Shield paint that employs a "self-healing" clearcoat finish which automatically repairs fine scratches over a period of several days by using sunlight to heat the clearcoat, filling in the imperfections. (C'mon, it's really millions of nano-pod organisms buffing it out, right?)
While it is at times difficult to convince people the FX35 is in fact an SUV, it becomes even harder when you get inside and surround yourself in the posh leather interior. Thanks to that premium Package, power everything is the order of the day and it takes very little effort to find the perfect driving position.
Driving position, once perfectly set, clears the way for the Infiniti signature double-wave instrument panel and impressive gauge cluster. Everything in the FX is lit to set a calming mood of sophistication that seems to transcend whatever you have on the radio (think Jazz with an approving wink and nod to Lynyrd Skynyrd).
Back seat passengers have good head and leg room, though tall rear passengers might feel the roofliner as the sloping roof overhead dives into the rear utility area. There are still some issues with blind spots on this Infiniti, but there are an assortment of safety items and add-ons that remedy any issues you might find.
It really takes something special for me to have a Gee-Whiz moment in a car these days, but my FX35, and the new Around View Monitor system, provided a wonderful tech high-point. This system utilizes four small super wide-angle cameras to project an all-around view of potential objects on every side of the vehicle, helping reduce blind spots when parking. It appears on the 7-inch dash screen as a view from overhead. At first I thought it was some translated illustration appearing onscreen, but as you back up you see every crack in the driveway, every imperfection in the parking lot. Gee-Whiz, bring on the Terminator again.
A revised 3.5-liter V-6 engine that produces 303 horsepower powers Infiniti's two FX 35 models. The new FX50 adds a 5.0-liter V-8 that pounds out 390 horsepower. Each powerplant is mated to a standard 7-speed automatic transmission. Manual shift fun can be had with magnesium paddle shifters. The FX35 AWD and FX50 AWD are equipped with Infiniti's advanced all-wheel-drive system that steers torque to the wheels that have grip.
Getting the FX35 on the road and running is the best part of the experience. This luxury SUV handles like a sport sedan and it features a sport-tuned chassis that responds to the immediate challenges a driver might throw at it. The V-6 in my tester was very responsive, though the new seven-speed automatic transmission had some hiccups when shifting at higher speeds.
A Navigation Package ($2,850) provided an appreciated Real Time Traffic Information service that tells you about traffic snafus long before you come upon them. This package also included a 9.3 GB Music Box Hard Drive, an iPod interface, Compact Flash (CF) card slot, and voice recognition. |
