Infiniti JX35: A people mover
It delivers luxury and practicality along with the best in its class
Infiniti has spent the past decade chasing Germany’s sportiest automobiles. The compact G and mid-size M target BMW’s legendary sport sedans. The FX50 is aimed squarely at the Porsche Cayenne. The new IPL trim level is the first step toward a full-bore performance sub-brand like Mercedes-Benz’s AMG.
With the launch of its allnew, seven-passenger JX35, however, Infiniti sets its sights on a very different target. Rather than BMW or Porsche, this seven-passenger crossover will have you thinking of Lincoln and Lexus. In place of Infiniti’s usual seven-speed automatic and classic longitudinal engines, the JX has standard front-wheel drive and the brand’s first continuously variable transmission (a milestone unlikely to be recorded in the company’s history books).
We typically bemoan the soggy responses and buzzy nature of cars saddled with CVTs, but this V-6 engine makes the best of the shiftless transmission.
The surly 3.5-litre V-6 also picked up some manners at Infiniti finishing school, but 265 hp makes for humble acceleration. Although JX35 drivers are unlikely to be steering fetishists, it won’t take one to notice the fluctuations in the assist from the electrohydraulic power steering system. As a pragmatic people mover, though, the JX35 has its merits — namely a civilised ride and a quiet cabin.
It doesn’t look or feel familiar under the skin, but the JX35 is an unmistakable Infiniti both inside and out. The brand’s polarising design language is fully intact, with a bulging grille and curvaceous body lines that work well on this crossover’s proportions.
Spacious interior
Sumptuous, stylish interiors have been an Infiniti specialty for some time now, and the JX35 does nothing to break that trend. The front seats are wide, supportive, and nicely cush- ioned, and the cabin has a spacious and airy feel. The second row slides to juggle legroom between the two rows of rear seats, and the third row is absolutely cavernous compared to the segment standard.
Getting back there is easy, too, thanks to a single lever that kicks the seat cushion up, tips the seatback forward, and slides the second-row seat forward. Even better, the access mechanism works with a child seat strapped into the second row.
This seven-passenger family hauler prioritises practicality and comfort over driving dynamics and performance, but the JX35 delivers luxury as well as the best vehicles in this class,