mmarshall

By non-CL member request, a Review of the 2013 Infiniti JX35

http://www.infinitiusa.com/jx/?dcp=p...cc=0.240189301

IN A NUTSHELL: Extremely well-crafted, arguably the best Infiniti SUV yet, without the QX's bulk, the FX's quirky-styling, or the EX's cramped interior.

CLOSEST COMPETITORS: Lexus GX470/RX350, Audi Q5/Q7, Mercedes GL, BMW X5, Volvo XC90, Lincoln MKT, Cadillac SRX, Acura MDX. (But not all of these competitors have a third-row seat-option)
























OVERVIEW:

I got this specific JX review-request from an ex co-worker of mine (a non-CL-member), but I will share it on CL for those who are interested.


Though they have proven reliable and well-built (except for older QX56 models), I generally haven't been very impressed, overall, with many Infiniti SUV designs. The original QX4 was nice enough, but, IMO, except for some richer-trim and extra wood-paneling inside, was too much like the sister Nissan Pathfinder, though it did offer the full-time 4WD/AWD that the Pathfinder lacked at the time. The EX35 had a nice interior and sharp road manners, but, IMO, rode too stiffly and had a very cramped rear-seat and cargo-area. The FX35/45 rode much too stiffly (especially the 45) and had what IMO was quirky, unattractive-styling. The QX56 was BIG, plush, quiet, and comfortable, could carry and tow a lot, but was hard to park, had ponderous road manners and had several years of poor reliability from the well-known problems at the Nissan/Infiniti plant at Canton, MS. So, it is no surprise that the Lexus SUV-line, generally considered their closest competitors, handily outsold the entire Infiniti SUV line by a good margin.

That, of course, could change with the JX, which, IMO, may be Infiniti's best attempt to date with an SUV. I checked one out at length at the Washington, D.C. Auto Show in January, though Infiniti didn't have a test-drive circuit set up around the citys streeets like some other manufacturers did. Still, even though it had not been officially released yet in America, Infiniti put one out on the floor and unlocked it so us showgoers could sit in it and examine it stem-to-stern......which is more than I can say for some other manufacturers and their idiotic hush-hush show policies. My first reaction, upon seeing it, was that here, at last, is a Infiniti SUV, sensibly-designed, with no apparant quirks, that can go head-to-head with the competition. But, of course, only time and sales-figures will tell. I was to be even more impressed with it at the dealership, during the formal review, than I was at first at the auto-show.........more on that below.


For its initial year (2013), the JX35 comes in one trim-version and two standard models....a FWD model starting at $40,450 and an AWD at $41,550. Both come with the ubiquitous Nissan/Infiniti 3.5L V6, in this version tuned at 265 HP and 248 lb-ft of torque, and a variable-mode CVT continuously-variable transmission. No optional engines or transmissions are offered. This is the only medium-to-large-size SUV, in the American market, that I know of using a CVT. The JX, unlike its larger QX56 cousin, is desgned on a car-based, unibody platform, hence the FWD (the QX, of course, being done off of the Nissan Titan full-size pickup truck).

For the review, a beautiful Moonlight (Pearl) White AWD model with Java (dark gray) Leather and highly-polished maple-wood inserts (one of several different interior-trims) was available. It had several pricey options on it and and listed for a cool $52,100....but, IMO, you got what you paid for. This vehicle seemed exceedingly well-built, well-crafted, and well-executed, inside and out.....I was VERY impressed with the build-quality. The Infiniti reps there made a big deal out of pointing out that this vehicle took a long time in development, was not subjected to the usual bean-counter budget from the designers, and will likely bring Infiniti's competitiveness up in the marketplace. As auto salespeople, of course, they are paid to say that.....and believe me, I've heard every kind of claim and B.S. that auto salespeople and marketers can make, at least ten times over. But I am not paid to make statements like that, and from what I can tell, there's a lot of truth to the claims made about the JX. The reps don't seem to be spouting nonsense this time.


MODEL REVIEWED: 2013 Infiniti JX35 AWD

BASE PRICE: $41,550


OPTIONS:

Roof Rails: $370

Splash Guards: $180

Driver Assist Package: $2200

Theater Package: $1700

Cargo Package: $200

Premium Package: $4950


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $950 (too much, IMO, but that might partially reflect the high price of diesel-fuel for the train and truck-transporters)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $52,100


EXTERIOR COLOR: Moonlight White

INTERIOR COLOR: Java (Dark gray) Leather with Maple Wood inserts.


DRIVETRAIN: AWD, Transversely-mounted DOHC/VTEC 3.5L V6, 265 HP @ 6400 RPM, Torque 248 Ft-lbs. @ 4400 RPM, Multi-Mode/Auto-Manual-shift CVT continuously variable transmission.


EPA MILEAGE RATING: FWD: 18 City/24 Highway AWD: 18 City/23 Highway/20 Combined.




PLUSSES:


Smooth, quiet, silky 3.5L V6.

Butter-smooth (but motorboating) CVT transmission.

Firm, responsive, well-placed brake pedal for large feet.

Good wind/road-noise isolation.

Reasonably smooth ride (but bumps are felt).

Solid, high-quality materials used inside and out.

Substantial-grade exterior sheet-metal noticeably better than many of today's vehicles.

Slick, smooth paint job.

Solid-closing doors.

Solid but reasonably light hood.

Smooth, superb exterior trim.

Strong gas-struts used for the hood instead of prop-rod.

Plush, jewel-like interior fit/finish equal to or better than many Audis.

Very comfortable, form-fitting front seats.

Smooth, impressive-quality leather on all interior seats and trim.

Slick, polished-to-perfection chrome/metallic/wood trim.

Several nice interior wood/leather combinatons offered.

Good interior space-efficiency.

Sliding second-row seats adjust rear-legroom.

Good front and adequate rear headroom, even with moonroof-housing.

Clear, easy to read electroluminescent gauges.

Generally well-laid out and easy-to-use buttons/*****.

NAV-screen has many functions, including weather radar.

Killer stereo sound.

Relatively long 6/70 and 4/50 Infiniti warranties generally beats that of its German competition.





MINUSES:


Fairly slow steering response.

Roly-Poly handling.

Slight CVT motorboating action (but no rubber-banding).

Torque/acceleration adequate, but not strong.

Fair-to-poor underhood layout.

Upper-dash panels padded only on passenger's side.

Somewhat complex dash-screen ****/buttons.

Awkward, step-on left-foot parking brake.

Temporary spare tire.

Temporary spare relatively hard to reach.

Complex, hard-to-replace cargo-area under-floor-panels.

Chrome body-side mouldings mounted too low for door-protection.

Not enough exterior paint-colors offered for a $50K vehicle.

Undertaker-tone paint colors (except for the Moonlight Pearl White)

Some pricey option packages.

Too many electronic safety-nannies (IMO, they encourage driver-inattention).





EXTERIOR:

As I mentioned in some of my opening remarks, the JX35's exterior is arguably the most conventional and traditional of Infiniti's recent SUVs, and exhibited few of the quirks of the EX and FX body-styles. It is generally a conservative (and space-efficient), squared-off, two-box design for space-efficiency, though with a slightly tapering rear-roofline. Infiniti apparantly didn't skimp on the sheet-metal quality...it felt solid and substantial, especially compared to the ever-thinning/lightening sheet metal used on many of today's vehicles. The paint job was smoother and slicker than Mitt Romney at a debate. But only seven exterior colors (most of them dull) are offered, which, IMO, is not enough for a 40K-plus vehicle. I could live with a few of the undertaker shades if I had to, but the nicest, IMO, was probably the Moonlight Pearl White on my test-car....I've always liked the white oyster-pearl effect. The twin side-mirror housings, with integrated turn-signals, not only electrically-adjust but power-fold flush with the sides. All of the exterior trim and chrome was solid, well-attached, and flawlessly-smooth. My test-car had the optional roof-rails and splash guards....a minor complaint is that maybe the splash guards should be standard at this price. A more significant complaint (and virtually my only real complaint on the exterior) is that the chrome side-mouldings are mounted far too low on the doors (almost at rocker-panel level) to effectively protect the paint from parking-lot dings. Whoever designed or approved that set-up apparantly didn't have enough coffee that morning.



UNDERHOOD:

Unlatch the strong but reasonably lightweight hood, and a pair of STRONG gas struts (no cheap prop-rods on this one) are more than eager to help lift it for you. There is a nice large, thick insulation-pad underneath the hood that feels like it could almost double as a mattress. Underhood, unfortunately, with one exception, Infiniti has (once again) given in to the tendency of luxury/premium automakers to hide most of the components under covers. The ubiquitous, transversely-mounted Nissan/Infiniti 3.5L V6 fits in a bit on the tight side. The yellow-handled oil dipstick is somewhat difficult to reach, requiring a reach and insertion down a small canyon at an angle (still, IMO, that beats the risky electronic oil-sensors, used on some premium-vehicles, that can fail and ruin the engine). Fortunately, the battery, though a little low down in a compartment on the right, is accessable wthout a cover. The filler-caps and fluid-reserviors are generally easy to reach.




INTERIOR:

The JX35's interior, IMO, is superbly-done....as well or better than that of some Audis, which are considered an industry benchmark. I was just as impressed, if not more, inside than I was with the exterior. The conservative design of the body and roofline, of course, helps with interior space-efficiency, and headroom/legroom was generally not a problem, even under the sunroof's housing. The smooth, slick Java (dark gray) leather used on the seats, door-trim, and steering wheel was the real stuff, and certainly looked and felt it.....no cheap imitation stuff here like in some competitors. The Maple-Wood trim, with brushed-aluminum edges, was also gorgeous, impeccably-fitted, and was polished just enough to give it a nice shine without making it look like a dark-brown or black mirror like in some vehicles. The ceiling headliner and sun-visor coverings used nice pleasant materials to the touch. The front seats are very comfortable and form-fitting for a person my size, yet still give some support. The second-row rear seats slide fore/aft to adjust legroom. The smaller third-row seats, while generally unsuited for large adults, are fine for kids and small adults....and the leather on them is just as nice as that on the other seats. All of the interior hardware felt durable and well-attached. All of the controls/*****/buttons had a quality-feel, and had a good layout. The primary gauges were well-designed, easily-read, and had the traditional Infiniti electrolumiescent back-lighting. The smaller, secondary fuel/temperature gauges were contained in the lower-arcs of the primary gauges. The stereo-sound quality was a killer, almost to the Lexus Mark Levinson level. The NAV screen had many different functions, including weather-radar, local restaurants of most food-types, and a very wide choice of both regular and satellite-radio programming.

So...any complaints inside at all? Yes, a couple of minor ones. Infiniti, like many luxury/premium vehicles, uses a round dash-****/controller for the NAV screen. I've never cared for the complexity of dash-controllers and video-screens, and this one is no exeption, though it is admittedly not as complex or annoying to use as BMW's I-Drive or Audi's MMI systems. And the second-row seats, while folding to increase cargo-area if desired, fold and unfold in a several-step, somewhat cumbersome process. The parking brake is a high, awkward left-foot pedal instead of an easier-to-use type. But, overall, it's been a while since I saw an interior I respected this much, both visually and material-quality-wise. As I said, IMO, it beats even that of some Audis.




CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:

The cargo-area in the rear, despite the inherent space-efficiency from the conservative squared off roofline, was, IMO, like the underhood covers, one of the vehicle's few annoying features. A power motor raises and lowers the strong, solid rear hatch (make sure your head is out of the way when you use it). The floor-panel is carpeted well, but the walls are somewhat bare-looking. My test-car had the optional ($200) cargo-package, which added a few convenience and protection items. The main floor panel pulls up to reveal a secondary-panel underneath separated by several plastic dividers, which are difficult to insert and remove. On the left side, under the floor panel, is a fairly large box containing hardware and electronics for the Bose speakers. To get at the temporary spare tire (many SUVs still use a real spare, not a temporary one), one must remove several of those plastic-panels, insert a coin or other object into a small groove-switch and twist, and that lowers the spare tire down underneath where you have to crawl under the rear bumper to get it. Fortunately, Infiniti's Roadside Assistance Plan (which, like most automakers, is often just a contract with AAA towing) precludes the need for this nonsense.....up to its expiration date, of course. The third-row seats, like the second-row seats, drop-fold for added cargo space.




ON THE ROAD:

Start up the ubiquitous Nissan/Infiniti 3.5L V6 with a START/STOP button (expected, of course, in a vehicle of this class). The engine settles into a silky-smooth, quiet idle (remember that big, thick insulation-pad under the hood I described above?) The engine remains silky-smooth and quiet on the road, even under load. But, even with the efficient CVT, torque and acceleration is adequate but not particularly impressive......the vehicle's size and weight shows.

The CVT transmission is even smoother and more refined than the engine (Nissan has a reputation for using some of the best CVTs in the auto-market). There is a small but noticeable amount of typical CVT motorboating-action underload, but no discernable rubber-banding. The Multi-Mode feature in the CVT/engine-throttle, selected by a console-mounted rotary-****, allows a choice of Standard, Sport, Snow, or Eco setting, and varies throttle and transmission-response accordingly. Even SPORT setting, though, didn't produce drag-strip acceleration. The CVT, like similiar Subaru units, has built-in "gears", which are pre-set drive-belt ratios that more or less mimic gears in a conventional transmission.....they can be manually selected either my the lever or by nice, solid-feeling steering-wheel shift-paddles.

IMO, there are too many electronic nanny-aids on the JX. Buzzers and beepers constantly remind you if your wheels are drifting too close to the lane-markings, if you are approaching the rear of the vehicle ahead, if you are going to back into something (along with the back-up camera), if it detects a vehicle in certain mirror-view fields....the list is endless. Fortunately, at least some of them can be shut off. I'm not against safety by any means....and some of the devices, IMO, are well-done, like anti-lock brakes and traction/stability control. But many of today's luxury-vehicles assume that one is not capable of simply driving the vehicle by himself/herself, and treat you like a Hal computer on a space-ship. As I see it, luxury-vehicle or econobox, a driver is expected to LOOK at the road ahead and watch out for other vehicles. Anyone who can't do that, IMO, should not graduate from Basic Driving 101.

The chassis is generally well-done by medium-to-large-size SUV standards, and the general road manners more or less reflect that. Handling is about what you would expect in a high-center-of-gravity vehicle like this...relatively slow steering response, moderate-to-strong understeer, and noticeable body-roll. But it remains stable, and is perfectly OK for the generally sedate driving that this vehicle is designed for....one is not expected to throw large SUVS around sharp corners. Ride comfort is reasonably smooth.....helped by the nice, tall-profile 65-series all-season tires. But is not a Town Car by any means...bumps can be felt, especially on broken pavement and small potholes. Noise-control and sound-insulaton is very well-done, easily up to the standards of competing Lexus SUVs. Wind noise and road/tire-noise were both very well-muted, even on some coarse surfaces. I was also very pleased with the brakes. The pedal was well-located for big circus-clown shoes like mine, felt firm and reponsive, had almost no mushiness, was linear-responding, and did not cause my feet to hang up on it when lifting off of the gas pedal....a problem I have in some vehicles.




THE VERDICT:

BY now, you would probably guess that I was generally impressed with this vehicle, and you would be right. It lacks the quirkiness of the EX/FX models, the huge bulk of the QX56, and the (IMO) overly-stiff ride of many other Infiniti designs. It is not cheap by any means (and gets even pricer with options), but, considering what you get, and the quality that went into it, the price is not outlandishly high. It is well-finished inside and out, well-constructed with quality materials, reasonably space-efficient, offers a lot of features (too many, in some cases, with the nanny-aids), generally pleasant to drive, and, of course, offers all-weather traction/security in the AWD versions. It competes very well, IMO, with other SUVs in its price/class range (sometimes exceeding them), and, IMO, should sell well if and when people actually get to an Infiniti showroom or auto-show to look at one.

It's not perfect, though, and, like any vehicle, could be improved. The cargo area, IMO, could use some re-designing. The front suspension could use a slightly stiffer anti-roll bar (but is OK for most normal driving). Take the covers off the engine and underhood components. Make the dash/video controls a little simpler. And let's see some more spring-like paint colors instead of dead-of-winter shades. But, for anyone who wants a luxurious, well-built, feature-laden mid-size SUV, and has about (+/-) $50,000 to burn.....you've got my blessings on this one.

And, as always, Happy Car-Shopping.

MM

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Great review Mike! We have a few at my auto mall but I haven't had a chance to drive it yet. So I'll reserve my own judgement, however my initial impressions are

- arguably one of the best looking 7-passenger SUVs out there
- third row seat headrests are UGLY
- attractive center console (though not liking the rounded/curved base around the shifter) - not a fan of the steering wheel design either
- surprised that the big SUV has only 265hp when the exact same engine in the Maxima puts down 290hp
- nice speedo/tach and multi informational display

mmarshall

Thanks. I was generally impressed with this one.

Not only that, but a lot better-looking, IMO, than the other Infiniti SUVs.


If you don't want to look at them, you can drop the whole 3rd-row seat/headrest assemblies and get them out of the way. But, of course, that's assuming you don't need the third-row seats for kids or packages. And the seat-folding mechanisms in the JX are one of the few things that could probably be improved.


The console uses Audi-grade trim-materials, too.


The Maxima, of course, is a sports-sedan, so power is a priority. But, in a vehicle the size and weight of the JX, I agree with you.....power should also be a priority. But, for most driving, of course, torque is a more important figure than HP....you can't always go by HP numbers.

It has the traditional Infiniti white back-lit electroluminescent lighting. That looks much better, IMO, than the silly yellow-orange dash-lights that some Nissans and Infinitis used for years.

pbm317

QX is no longer on the Titan/Armada platform and is quite a leap from the previous generation. It is now made in Japan based off of the Nissan Patrol.

mmarshall

Yes, the Infiniti reps there mentioned that the QX is now built at Japanese plants (One way to tell that, BTW, is to look for a "J" as the first digit of the VIN, which, with any vehicle, represents a Japanese plant). Regardless of platform, though, the QX still dwarfs the JX. It is one of the largest SUVs available in the U.S. market outside of the Chevy Suburban or Ford Expedition XL-class.

rkyat

I found this kinda odd too when they annoucned the JX. The smaller EX has a 295hp variant of the VQ iirc.

Blackraven

I'm not sure but maybe this one is tuned with greater emphasis on torque instead of HP.

I8ABMR

I like the new JX. I would consider one when we trade my wife's Murano in a couple of years

rkyat

EX is listed at 253@ 4800rpm. mere difference of about 5tq. I dunno, but i guess Nissan had a reason they went this route.

mmarshall

The torque figure, though (248 ft-lbs. at 4400 RPM) is not especially high for the 3.5, and is a little peaky at that.

TripleL

Thanks for another great review MM, we appreciate it!

I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with most all of your review. My Sister in Law picked one of these up a couple of weeks ago so I also have had some seat time in JX and it's a nice place to be!

Yes I agree there is not much power/torque in the JX and it's not sporty by any means, but then again I guess that's not what they intended it to be either. It was, as you say, very smooth and quiet on the road.

The interior, in my opinion, could be the very best Infiniti interior produced to date. It had nice fit and finish and was pleasant to look at (except the headrest shape is polarizing to me) although I will respectfully disagree with you as it is still not near Audi/Lexus grade inside, but nonetheless its very good.

I was also impressed by the electronics. Stereo and Nav seemed top notch. But to me the real WOW factor was the surround view for the cameras when it's time to park. Not only is there rear and front view with guidelines that change with steering wheel angle, there is also side view cameras for parallel parking where you can see the curb and wheels on the side. Very cool for making a big beast of a vehicle seem manageable to park.

Thanks again for your review MM

stlgrym3

iTrader: (4)

Nissan chose this powertrain for fuel efficiency. just like Honda Pilot's motor, the same 3.5 L V6 as the Accord, but detuned to 248hp. imo, Pilot is the most likely competitor to the JX. to be honest, for 50k there are a lot more attractive 7 seater SUV out there, a base X5 or a fully loaded MDX for starters.

mmarshall

Glad you liked it.

Congratulations to your sister. Did the dealership go over the break-in procedures with her? Break-in, on today's cars, is less critical than in the past, but is still a good idea.

In this area, unlike where your sister picked hers up, they are just starting to hit dealerships now. I got to review one of the first.

You can feel some of the bumps on broken-pavement or potholes, but, otherwise, it's pretty refined and silky.

The M56's interior is also quite impressive.


Fine...opinions differ. But, by Audi-like, I was referring to the trim-quality/materials and the way it was assembled/fitted.

Just wait till you hear James Brown on a stereo like that.....or a Mark Levinson.

Yes....I agree it's a help for some parking-needs. But, IMO, too many of those electronic safety/driver-aid nannies tends to lessen a driver's skills and requirements for paying attention.

mmarshall

No offense to your wife's Murano (it's a good small-to-medium-size SUV), but there is just no comparison between a Murano and a JX. Once you sit in and drive a JX, you'll forget the Murano in about thirty seconds.

mmarshall

Yes, in some ways, but the Pilot is in a totally different price/class range.