Infiniti's FX line of crossovers exhibit eye-catching styling, which I would argue eclipses that of all other SUVs and crossovers when it comes to visual drama. The 'superhero' image portrayed by this vehicle is distinctive, edgy and to some, over the top. To others, the 'cheetah' inspiration has been beautifully captured in the FX's bionic lines.
FX35 more powerful for 2009
Giving greater 'cred' to the cheetah allusion for 2009 is an additional 28-horsepower offset by a minor loss in torque. The FX35 powerplant remains at 3.5-litres worth of displacement. This DOHC 24-valve naturally aspirated V6 is now capable of mustering an impressive 303 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology and premium fuel assist the modestly sized mill in generating potency once the domain of V8 engines. Cramming more ponies under the bulbous hood isn't the only drivetrain surprise for '09. The automatic transmission has received an additional cog, for a total of seven.
This sophisticated autobox features Infiniti's Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), which applies complex algorithms to deliver driver-specific shift performance. Solid magnesium shift paddles provide drivers with F1-like electronic manual-mode shifting aided with downshift rev-matching. Power is dispatched to all four wheels via Infiniti's Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system.
The fortified engine and the revised transmission pair-up to deliver V6 performance that grabbed my attention more firmly than expected. This duo is quite delightful. Plenty of punch resides beneath the big stainless-trimmed gas pedal. Sports enthusiasts will likely covet the engine's throaty note, I didn't.
Ride and handling
As a premium brand, Infiniti has always emphasized 'handling characteristics' when engineering its vehicles- and the FX is a fine example of that practice. I enjoyed exploiting this vehicle's secure, composed handling dynamics.
Steering inputs are reacted to promptly and with a substantial degree of certainty given that we're talking a crossover here, not the G37 sedan on which the FX chassis is based. Ride quality isn't discarded in favor of pavement prowess. The FX35 rides on a fully-independent set up that includes an aluminum double-wishbone design on-duty up front and a multi-link format holding the rear in-check. Front and rear stabilizer bars fortify the arrangement.
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| The 'superhero' image portrayed by this vehicle is distinctive, edgy and to some, over the top. |
FX35 more powerful for 2009
Giving greater 'cred' to the cheetah allusion for 2009 is an additional 28-horsepower offset by a minor loss in torque. The FX35 powerplant remains at 3.5-litres worth of displacement. This DOHC 24-valve naturally aspirated V6 is now capable of mustering an impressive 303 horsepower @ 6,800 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque @ 4,800 rpm.
Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology and premium fuel assist the modestly sized mill in generating potency once the domain of V8 engines. Cramming more ponies under the bulbous hood isn't the only drivetrain surprise for '09. The automatic transmission has received an additional cog, for a total of seven.
This sophisticated autobox features Infiniti's Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), which applies complex algorithms to deliver driver-specific shift performance. Solid magnesium shift paddles provide drivers with F1-like electronic manual-mode shifting aided with downshift rev-matching. Power is dispatched to all four wheels via Infiniti's Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system.
The fortified engine and the revised transmission pair-up to deliver V6 performance that grabbed my attention more firmly than expected. This duo is quite delightful. Plenty of punch resides beneath the big stainless-trimmed gas pedal. Sports enthusiasts will likely covet the engine's throaty note, I didn't.
Ride and handling
As a premium brand, Infiniti has always emphasized 'handling characteristics' when engineering its vehicles- and the FX is a fine example of that practice. I enjoyed exploiting this vehicle's secure, composed handling dynamics.
Steering inputs are reacted to promptly and with a substantial degree of certainty given that we're talking a crossover here, not the G37 sedan on which the FX chassis is based. Ride quality isn't discarded in favor of pavement prowess. The FX35 rides on a fully-independent set up that includes an aluminum double-wishbone design on-duty up front and a multi-link format holding the rear in-check. Front and rear stabilizer bars fortify the arrangement.
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| This 24-valve V6 is now capable of mustering an impressive 303 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. |