2003 Infiniti Fx35 Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l Loaded And Nice! on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.

2022 Infiniti QX50 starts at $40,025

Infiniti upped prices on the 2022 QX50, but at least some of the MSRP increase goes toward new features. Nissan's luxury arm made ProPilot Assist standard for all five trims, the driver assistance suite includes tech like steering assist, intelligent cruise control, speed limit assist, and distance control assist. Apple CarPlay is another included item for next year's model, as well as an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and more soft-touch luxuries for the rear quarters with keyless entry able to be activated by the rear doors now, LED welcome lights in the rear door handles, and a USB-C port for the aft chairs. The first four grades are front-drivers; adding all-wheel drive adds $2,000 to the tab. For 2022, top front-wheel drive Autograph bows out, making AWD the de facto standard. The trims and their pricing after the $1,025 destination fee, plus their differences from the 2021 model, are: Pure: $40,025 ($950) Luxe: $43,375 ($750) Essential: $47,825 ($2,000) Sensory: $52,525 ($1,400) Autograph AWD $57,975 (no change) On top of the other newly standard equipment, the Essential trim picks up a heated steering wheel, 16-speaker Bose Performance Series audio, climate-controlled front seats,  Luxe fits "leather-appointed seats," and offers an updated Appearance Package for $1,200. The bundle is composed of black mirror caps, body color rear diffuser, black mesh grille, black fender accents, a black liftgate finisher, and 20-inch black-painted, machine-finished wheels. A graphite headliner finishes the package inside.   Sensory snares some features formerly reserved for the Autobiography, like "leather-appointed" perforated seats, four-way passenger power-seat lumbar adjustment, heated outboard seats in the second row, ultrasuede interior trim, and a motion-activated liftgate.  The eight-strong color palette welcomes a new Slate Gray hue. Mechanicals don't change, every model powered by a 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder with 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, routing its output through a continuously-variable transmission. The 2022 Infiniti QX50 should reach dealers later this month.

2019 Infiniti QX50 vs. compact luxury SUV rivals: How they compare

With apologies to the EX35, or whatever it was eventually renamed, Infiniti has been without a proper, competitive entry in the compact luxury SUV segment. You know, the segment that's growing faster in sales and entries than any other? To say the 2019 Infiniti QX50 is long awaited would therefore be an understatement. At first glance and drive, the new QX50 would indeed seem to be wildly more competitive than its predecessor, which come to think of it, was eventually called the QX50 as well. This one is based on an all-new front-wheel-drive platform, and although it lacks the inherent verve of the old, rear-drive- and 370Z-based one, the resulting increase in cabin space should be a welcome tradeoff. In fact, as you'll see below, the QX50 has gone from one of the smallest compact SUVs to the most spacious. How does it stack up in every other way? Say, against the segment's four best-selling entries last year: the 2018 Lexus NX 300, 2018 Acura RDX, 2018 Audi Q5 and 2018 BMW X3. On paper at least, really well as it turns out. Let's go to the spreadsheet! Discover and compare other luxury crossovers with our Car Finder and Compare tools. Comparing engines, drivetrains and transmissions With the exception of the Acura, all of the contenders come with 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines. As you can see, the Infiniti is the heavyweight amongst the four-bangers, boasting the most horsepower and torque. The Acura V6 nips it by 11 hp, but the QX50 is still the overall torque champ. Plus, as we documented in the QX50 first drive, the Infiniti's new VC-Turbo engine is also the most technologically advanced. The Lexus is the wimp of the group and is also the second-heaviest, which isn't exactly the ideal scenario. The Infiniti is the only one in the group to feature a continuously variable transmission. That's not going to generate much applause around here. The BMW tops the gear count with eight, while the Audi is the only entry with a dual-clutch automated manual. The Acura and Lexus have only six gears, but they're good transmissions and it's not like their fuel economy is off the pace. The Audi and BMW come standard with all-wheel drive, while the others offer a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Comparing cargo and interior space The new front-wheel-drive platform is paying dividends inside for the 2019 QX50, as it now boasts the most maximum cargo space at 65.1 cubic feet.