By paying $25,000, one can get a perfectly capable car that will provide years of faithful service. If you pay anything above that, you expect the vehicle to do more. For many people, luxury sedans hold a very specific function. No matter what kind of bad day you're having — the boss yells at you, the dog bites, your portfolio folds like a bad poker hand — you climb aboard a premium vehicle and, like a dip in Calgon-infused waters, all your troubles seem to, if not quite disappear, then at least dissipate for a while.
Having been invited to the nuptials of an ex-whatever-we-once-were, I had the opportunity to drive the Infiniti Q45 in, through and along the Capital Beltway and its environs that were once my old stomping grounds. As one attends the wedding of a person who didn't do what one had once hoped or thought he would do, one realizes how comforting it is to have a car that leaps to your every demand, adjusting the temperature, the volume or the radio station to your every whim. And with tactilely pleasing wood and leather surrounding the driver, the Infiniti can be every bit as soothing as a calamine salve on an inflamed rash.
Luckily, our Q45 was equipped with the optional navigation system, something that came in handy in the oft-confusing traffic circles (after years of residence, the logic of Dupont Circle still eludes me) and one-way roads of our nation's capital. Monuments, even out-of-the-way ones, were found with nary a glitch. It was just a shame that most of them were surrounded by unsightly concrete barriers to thwart harmdoers. We did notice, however, that sometimes the voice direction function tended to give instructions a bit later than would be most appropriate, causing us to miss an exit off the highway for lack of preparation. A toggle in the middle of the dash controls the DVD-based system, a configuration less preferred than touchscreens or voice-activated systems, as in the 2003 Honda Accord. The Q45 already has voice-activated technology with a microphone, so we figure that it wouldn't be too difficult to switch the navigation system to be compatible.
Unfortunately, our Infiniti wasn't replete with the Premium package, which would have included a rearview monitor that employs a rear bumper-mounted camera to make sure your car doesn't receive a nasty ding (a toy that you can only get in an Infiniti) or the intelligent cruise control which utilizes radar sensors to keep a proper distance between you and the car in front of you while you're in cruising mode.
Our test vehicle was, however, equipped with the sport suspension. Designed to appease both those who seek a healthy dollop of sport along with their luxury sedans, the system dampens or firms up the suspension setting according to driver preferences. At its sportiest position, we noticed the car did tend to roll less around corners but hit bumps with more harshness. Unless you're traversing down a glass-smooth mountainous road, we'd suggest that you stick with the normal setting. Thusly established, it still provides control of wallow and fore and aft rocking but has the advantage of absorbing bumps to a much greater degree. Navigating historic cobblestone streets, such as those around Georgetown or nonhistoric streets around the Capitol building that aren't as well-maintained as one might hope, is so much more pleasant when the ride is soft and comfortable.
For a full-size sedan, the Q45 handles with a high degree of nimbleness, with a slim turning circle of 36.1 feet and a reasonable amount of feel through the quick-catching, if exaggeratedly over boosted, steering rack. Brake pedal feel is terrific and previous testing of a Q45 yielded impressive stopping numbers. Further protecting the driver is a litany of safety systems, including a tire pressure monitor, side curtain airbags for the front and rear and vented disc brakes in all four corners supplemented by ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. Helping to prevent unseemly situations is a stability control system. However, even with the firmer suspension and Z-rated tires that came with the sport package, we felt that the car's primary competitors still included cruisers like the Volvo S80, Cadillac DeVille and the Lexus LS 430, and not necessarily sport-oriented sedans like the BMW 7 Series and other German palanquins.
The 4.5-liter V8 engine, rated at 340 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 333 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, has plenty of life and will deliver punchy acceleration when asked, but it doesn't live up to its full potential. The Q45 we tested earlier delivered up acceleration times of 6.7 seconds. This isn't bad for a car of this size and weight, but it was a disappointment considering Infiniti's claim of sub-6-second runs. Infiniti will address this issue for the 2003 model year with a higher final drive ratio of 3.133:1, compared to the current 2.764. The five-speed automatic transmission is well-suited for this engine, offering quick up and downshifts with little hesitation. We never found the need to slide it into manual mode unless engine braking or higher revs were necessary to deal with slopes.
But again, that doesn't seem to be the primary strength of the car, despite Infiniti's claims. Rather, it's in making the driver and passengers as content as possible. The front seats are some of the most comfortable that we've experienced, with a high seating position for a great view out the hood and soft but supportive seats. Long stretches of road and lengthy traffic jams posed no discomfort for this backache-prone editor. A perfect driving position was possible thanks to the tilting and telescoping steering wheel, and the wheel tilts up when you open the door for ease of ingress and egress. Rearseat passengers enjoyed the power sunshade that blocked out the intense, prickly sun (which is endemic to the District of Columbia in July), the 37.3 inches of legroom, as well as the fold-down center armrest with a built-in console.
The Q45 holds a comprehensive list of standard amenities, such as one-touch open and close front windows and sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control and a trip computer. We weren't too thrilled about the fact that this $50,000-plus sedan had some of the same controls and buttons as we saw on a $20,000 Nissan Altima, but at least they don't feel cheap. Other complaints about the interior will be addressed with the 2003 updates, such as the glovebox-mounted six-disc CD changer that will become a center console-mounted unit.
Editors were previously split on the styling of the Q45. We found that in the Mid-Atlantic region, where imported luxury sedans aren't as plentiful as in Southern California, the Q garnered plenty of glances from passersby. Credit its distinctive silhouette. If not attributed as universally gorgeous, its bulbous headlamps and shiny chrome details certainly render it an expensive vehicle. A blue-tone lens supplements the xenon headlamps, which are trumpeted as the brightest available, but we didn't notice a huge difference in the quality of the copious light projected.
Life sometimes throws you a fastball. Even if you're not quite prepared for it, a nice, soft mitt helps to absorb the impact. Ultimately, I toasted the lovely couple with hearty cheers, a brave smile and a quick dab to the eye. Luckily, cars like the Infiniti Q45 are nice substitutes for a shoulder to cry on, and after the ceremony, I retired to my comforting, plush retreat.
Having been invited to the nuptials of an ex-whatever-we-once-were, I had the opportunity to drive the Infiniti Q45 in, through and along the Capital Beltway and its environs that were once my old stomping grounds. As one attends the wedding of a person who didn't do what one had once hoped or thought he would do, one realizes how comforting it is to have a car that leaps to your every demand, adjusting the temperature, the volume or the radio station to your every whim. And with tactilely pleasing wood and leather surrounding the driver, the Infiniti can be every bit as soothing as a calamine salve on an inflamed rash.
Luckily, our Q45 was equipped with the optional navigation system, something that came in handy in the oft-confusing traffic circles (after years of residence, the logic of Dupont Circle still eludes me) and one-way roads of our nation's capital. Monuments, even out-of-the-way ones, were found with nary a glitch. It was just a shame that most of them were surrounded by unsightly concrete barriers to thwart harmdoers. We did notice, however, that sometimes the voice direction function tended to give instructions a bit later than would be most appropriate, causing us to miss an exit off the highway for lack of preparation. A toggle in the middle of the dash controls the DVD-based system, a configuration less preferred than touchscreens or voice-activated systems, as in the 2003 Honda Accord. The Q45 already has voice-activated technology with a microphone, so we figure that it wouldn't be too difficult to switch the navigation system to be compatible.
Unfortunately, our Infiniti wasn't replete with the Premium package, which would have included a rearview monitor that employs a rear bumper-mounted camera to make sure your car doesn't receive a nasty ding (a toy that you can only get in an Infiniti) or the intelligent cruise control which utilizes radar sensors to keep a proper distance between you and the car in front of you while you're in cruising mode.
Our test vehicle was, however, equipped with the sport suspension. Designed to appease both those who seek a healthy dollop of sport along with their luxury sedans, the system dampens or firms up the suspension setting according to driver preferences. At its sportiest position, we noticed the car did tend to roll less around corners but hit bumps with more harshness. Unless you're traversing down a glass-smooth mountainous road, we'd suggest that you stick with the normal setting. Thusly established, it still provides control of wallow and fore and aft rocking but has the advantage of absorbing bumps to a much greater degree. Navigating historic cobblestone streets, such as those around Georgetown or nonhistoric streets around the Capitol building that aren't as well-maintained as one might hope, is so much more pleasant when the ride is soft and comfortable.
For a full-size sedan, the Q45 handles with a high degree of nimbleness, with a slim turning circle of 36.1 feet and a reasonable amount of feel through the quick-catching, if exaggeratedly over boosted, steering rack. Brake pedal feel is terrific and previous testing of a Q45 yielded impressive stopping numbers. Further protecting the driver is a litany of safety systems, including a tire pressure monitor, side curtain airbags for the front and rear and vented disc brakes in all four corners supplemented by ABS, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. Helping to prevent unseemly situations is a stability control system. However, even with the firmer suspension and Z-rated tires that came with the sport package, we felt that the car's primary competitors still included cruisers like the Volvo S80, Cadillac DeVille and the Lexus LS 430, and not necessarily sport-oriented sedans like the BMW 7 Series and other German palanquins.
The 4.5-liter V8 engine, rated at 340 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 333 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, has plenty of life and will deliver punchy acceleration when asked, but it doesn't live up to its full potential. The Q45 we tested earlier delivered up acceleration times of 6.7 seconds. This isn't bad for a car of this size and weight, but it was a disappointment considering Infiniti's claim of sub-6-second runs. Infiniti will address this issue for the 2003 model year with a higher final drive ratio of 3.133:1, compared to the current 2.764. The five-speed automatic transmission is well-suited for this engine, offering quick up and downshifts with little hesitation. We never found the need to slide it into manual mode unless engine braking or higher revs were necessary to deal with slopes.
But again, that doesn't seem to be the primary strength of the car, despite Infiniti's claims. Rather, it's in making the driver and passengers as content as possible. The front seats are some of the most comfortable that we've experienced, with a high seating position for a great view out the hood and soft but supportive seats. Long stretches of road and lengthy traffic jams posed no discomfort for this backache-prone editor. A perfect driving position was possible thanks to the tilting and telescoping steering wheel, and the wheel tilts up when you open the door for ease of ingress and egress. Rearseat passengers enjoyed the power sunshade that blocked out the intense, prickly sun (which is endemic to the District of Columbia in July), the 37.3 inches of legroom, as well as the fold-down center armrest with a built-in console.
The Q45 holds a comprehensive list of standard amenities, such as one-touch open and close front windows and sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control and a trip computer. We weren't too thrilled about the fact that this $50,000-plus sedan had some of the same controls and buttons as we saw on a $20,000 Nissan Altima, but at least they don't feel cheap. Other complaints about the interior will be addressed with the 2003 updates, such as the glovebox-mounted six-disc CD changer that will become a center console-mounted unit.
Editors were previously split on the styling of the Q45. We found that in the Mid-Atlantic region, where imported luxury sedans aren't as plentiful as in Southern California, the Q garnered plenty of glances from passersby. Credit its distinctive silhouette. If not attributed as universally gorgeous, its bulbous headlamps and shiny chrome details certainly render it an expensive vehicle. A blue-tone lens supplements the xenon headlamps, which are trumpeted as the brightest available, but we didn't notice a huge difference in the quality of the copious light projected.
Life sometimes throws you a fastball. Even if you're not quite prepared for it, a nice, soft mitt helps to absorb the impact. Ultimately, I toasted the lovely couple with hearty cheers, a brave smile and a quick dab to the eye. Luckily, cars like the Infiniti Q45 are nice substitutes for a shoulder to cry on, and after the ceremony, I retired to my comforting, plush retreat.
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