Likes - Great price for luxury
- Smooth highway driving
- High quality interior
- Reliable
Dislikes - Loud cabin noise on rough roads
- Poor navigation system
- Disappointing fuel economy
Tech Specs - 16 city/23 highway
- 303 hp, 262 lb feet of torque (turbocharged
- 0 to 60 in 6 seconds
What's New/Changed - Just about everything (for the better)
The Vehix View - The M35 is perhaps one of the best buys for any driver looking for luxury, performance and safety, but not necessarily in need of flash or excessive pampering.
First Impressions
The 2009 Infiniti M35 (photos)is all about understated comfort and performance. From the outside, no one would guess how much fun can be had behind the wheel of this car. It's not a vehicle likely to be accused of being boring, either.
A quick glance might give the impression that the M35 can blend in with any crowd of contemporary sedans. However, if you trace the lines of the car from the front, its shape gives a slight and subtle nod to the vintage curves of some classic American models of the '50s and '60s. Easily missed at first, the unique dips around the corners seem to grow more distinct after a few miles.
While it might be short on flash, it isn't short on comfort and performance, and frankly – that's the point. This car is the on-road equivalent of a low-key invitation. It’s the party that keeps your senses buzzing and leaves you wanting to schedule another soirée as soon as possible.
Pricing, Trims and Options
Base prices start at $45,800 for the V6-equipped, rear-wheel drive base model M35, and you can expect to add about $2,000 to upgrade to the all-wheel drive M35x. Overall, the Infiniti represents a great value over the comparable BMW 5-Series and Mercedes E-Series, and comes with a reputation for superior reliability to boot. For a little more power and acceleration, the V8 M45 might be worth considering, especially given the relatively small difference in fuel efficiency. However, no all-wheel drive version is offered for the M45.
Splurging on all available options could push the total price well over $55,000 but provides the latest high-tech assortment of safety, comfort, navigation and entertainment features. Among these features are a hard-drive based navigation system, Intelligent Cruise Control with preview braking, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention and a Bose surround-sound audio. My personal favorites are the climate-controlled rear seats that keep the kids warm while watching a DVD on the power-retractable screen with accompanying wireless headphones.
Interior Features
This is where the party really begins on the M35. The cream-colored leather of the deceptively spacious cabin is high quality throughout, and comfortably accommodates all 6' 3” of this reviewer, whether sitting in the front seats or the rear. The easily adjustable seats and other features also make it easy to feel at home behind the wheel.
It's true that you may feel a little more pampered inside a Mercedes or BMW of the same class, but the M35 interior remains smart, classy and modern. It may take a while to find your way around the controls at first, but once settled in it's easy to get comfortable for a long trip. The climate-controlled seating, which uses a system that circulates air through the breathable leather, was an especially pleasant surprise, unlike other systems that seem to require constant adjustment.
The lone but constant point of frustration inside the M35 is the navigation system, which uses an operating system that seems to be very limited in its functionality and lacks an intuitive design. The voice command system could also be problematic at times, making it necessary to pull over and make adjustment more than once.
The M35 is packed with a number of additional compartments and pockets throughout, making storage in the M35 a source of almost endless discovery.. Trunk size is ample enough for a mid-sized vehicle, almost making up for a glove compartment so tiny that the manual is stored in a special case in the trunk.