2005-2006 $50K Sport Sedans From Japan Comparison Test

If your driveway is shaped like the Nurburgring, and your commute includes a few laps of Laguna Seca, your $50,000 should be spent on the 2006 Infiniti M45 Sport. It's the hot rod of the bunch, outaccelerating, outbraking and outhandling the other two with ease.

Great Drivetrain
The M45 Sport, which carries a base price of $50,160, is powered by the best engine and transmission in this test. Its 340-hp, 4.5-liter, double-overhead-cam V8 is as good an engine as you'll find in any sedan anywhere in the world. It provides gobs of low-end torque, it loves to find its 6,800-rpm redline and it's smooth enough to be in a car that costs twice as much. Power delivery, either out on the highway or off the line, is downright explosive.

This is partly due to the Infiniti's five-speed automatic transmission, which is not only the best gearbox in this test, but it's the best automanual we've ever driven. First of all, it's controlled by a perfectly placed and perfectly designed little shifter. It also upshifts more quickly than the transmissions in the other cars and matches revs on the downshifts like a good driver would with a true manual.

At the track, that drivetrain combines with the M's big 19-inch wheels to get the sedan from zero to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds, and through the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 99.6 mph. Quick by anybody's standard.

Likes to Turn
Infiniti backs up that thrust with a firmly tuned suspension and excellent balance. The M45 is built on the newest version of Nissan's Front Midship platform, which also forms the basis for the Nissan 350Z and Infiniti G35 Coupe. It places the engine behind the axle point of the front suspension for improved weight distribution and better handling. The result is a sharper turn-in than you get in the Lexus or the Acura, and a sedan that tackles a mountain road like a car half its size.

Quick steering and a very powerful set of four-wheel disc brakes, which stop the M45 from 60 mph in just 111.9 ft., also make this the car to take on a late-night run up Mulholland. Infiniti has also equipped the M with an active rear-steering system, which attaches an electrically powered actuator to the lower links of the rear suspension and adjusts the rear toe up to 1 degree in either direction depending on speed, yaw angle and whether the car is entering or exiting a corner.

But the best thing about the Infiniti on a curving road is that you can turn off its stability control so a skilled driver can push the car to its maximum. The stability control on the Lexus cannot be disabled, and the Acura's all-wheel-drive system makes it hard for the car to respond to advanced driving techniques.

With its stability system off, the M45 is downright tossable.

Has a Hard Edge
The trade-off for all of this fun is a bit less refinement than is found in the Lexus, and a lot fewer luxuries than the same money gets you in the Acura.

Compared to those cars, the M45 is noisy on the highway, its steering can feel a bit raw around town and its suspension is the only one that crashes over large road irregularities. Our tester, which cost $600 more than the Acura, was also a little light on the luxuries, with no navigation system, no satellite radio and no wood trim. These items cost extra on the Infiniti, but they're standard on the Acura.

With that said, the Infiniti is comfortable enough to drive from Maine to Miami. Its firm seats are infinitely adjustable, universally comfortable and bolstered more heavily than the bucket seats in the Lexus or Acura. Overall, the M's interior is well built and attractive, but its décor can be a bit busy compared to the simpler Lexus. The Infiniti's seats are covered in two kinds of leather; its dash wears two kinds of aluminum trim, plus chrome; and the Infiniti name and logo are embroidered on the seats, which borders on tacky.

We eventually made peace with the orange night lighting of the gauges, but never really got used to the keyboard of buttons and the giant knob that works the climate controls and the trip computer. We do, however, like the way the rocker panels light up at night. Cool touch.

In the End
And so the M45 lands in third place, albeit by just a few points. If its superior driving dynamics and Infiniti-G35-meets-Infiniti-FX45 styling appeal to you, this car can be purchased without shame.

It's fitting that the RL finishes in second place, because it's not as luxurious or as refined as the Lexus, or as sporty or as thrilling as the Infiniti. But it is an impressive car, with its own unique recipe. And it's a car we can recommend with a crystal-clear conscience to almost anyone.

Not as Athletic
The longest car in this test by an inch, the RL also has the shortest wheelbase, which gives it long overhangs and an unaggressive stance. Add its "small" 17-inch wheels and tires to the equation, and the Acura looks like the slowest and least athletic car of the three, and it is.

Despite its 300 hp, the RL's V6 just doesn't have the low-end grunt of the V8s in the Lexus and Infiniti. Plus, the Acura weighs 240 pounds more than the Lexus, which is the lightest of the three, probably due to the extra hardware of its all-wheel-drive system. That mass, and the V6's peaky power band, make the RL significantly slower off the line than the other two. Even the Lexus, which also has 300 hp, leaves the RL behind like it's run out of gas.

Zero to 60 mph takes 7.6 seconds in the Acura, and just 6.4 in the Lexus. And the RL's quarter-mile time of 15.8 seconds is way off the pace of the other two cars. When you need speed in the RL, flooring the throttle is almost a necessity. It's never really too slow for any real-world scenario, you just need to be more aggressive with the throttle than you do in the Lexus or Infiniti.

But all that throttle mashing negates one of the benefits of buying a V6 over a V8 — fuel mileage. Acura says the RL should get better mileage than the Infiniti and the same as the Lexus, which has a six-speed transmission. But during our week with the cars, they all averaged the same 15 mpg — well under the 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway Acura says the RL is capable of.

The Acura's five-speed automatic transmission is also tuned less aggressively than we would like. Despite the ability to change gears with small paddles mounted to the steering wheel, just like your favorite Formula One ego, upshifts take a tick too long, and downshifts aren't nearly as smooth as they are in the Infiniti.

Comfy but Cluttered
That same sorta-sporty-but-not-really schizophrenia applies to the rest of the RL's interior. Its seats, while comfortable, are too pillowy and too flat once you begin to explore the Acura's handling limits. Even the dashboard design, which is arguably the most dramatic with its modern waterfall center stack, is a cluttered mess of buttons, and its nav/climate/audio display screen reflects too much in the windshield at night. None of which you want while driving fast.

All-Wheel Drive Is All Good
And you can drive the RL fast. In fact, the harder you drive it the better this car feels. Its Super Handling all-wheel-drive system works as advertised, and makes the RL pretty much idiotproof. Leave its stability system on and it's super-duper idiotproof. A sleeping drunk blind guy with one arm would have trouble driving the RL off the road.

The cool part is, a really good driver can shut off its stability system and have a great time tossing this big sedan around. It'll even rotate on the brakes if you get things just right. Usually it just carves through the corners with a bit of understeer, and pulls out hard under full throttle with absolutely zero wheelspin. And it does this while kicking the life out of its front Michelins. We literally wore the brand name off the RL's sidewalls.

Through all that, the Acura's steering, which is perfectly tuned for daily life, starts to feel a bit slow, and its suspension can get a bit soft, allowing the car to bob a bit and lean more than we would like. In less severe conditions, the RL's suspension tuning feels fine.

The same can be said for its brakes, which feel great in the city and stop the RL from 60 mph in a very good 119 feet, but fry like morning bacon on the downhill stretches of twisting Mulholland Drive.

More Good and Bad
Other strong points are a large trunk opening and by far the greatest list of goodies for the money on the market, including the only navigation system with real-time traffic information.

Other bad points are heated seats that toast up quickly but then seem to turn themselves off; odd blue interior lighting, which is a bit too Vegas for us; and interior material quality that is a touch behind the Infiniti and way behind the plush Lexus.

In the End
It may not be the fastest car or the most stylish or the most exciting, but the Acura RL is more car than most people will ever need.

Here's your winner. This is the car your $50 grand should be spent on. Well, your $60 grand.

Although the GS 430 carries a base price of $51,125, our test car was loaded with stuff, from an optional navigation system to a pre-collision warning system to rain-sensing windshield wipers, and its sticker price climbed accordingly to over $60,000.

To be fair, we should point out that the options list on the M45 Sport is nearly as long. Check every box and its sticker would also zip past $60 thou.

The difference is that the Lexus just feels better than the Infiniti. The Lexus feels special. Although not as powerful, its engine is smoother and more refined, its interior is quieter and more elegant, and its suspension tuned more precisely. Driving the Lexus makes you feel like your money has been spent on the very best, and the car will reward you for years to come.

Not Perfect
But the Lexus isn't flawless, in fact its brakes are so grabby and hard to modulate they border on maddening. Stopping this car smoothly is near impossible, but only for some.
A few editors who drove the Lexus grew accustomed to its odd brakes, while others never did. Plus, they needed over 120 feet to stop this sedan from 60 mph, which is longer than required in the Infiniti or Acura.

Awesome Details
The steering is better than that. In fact, this is the best steering in any Lexus today. It's perfect. Plus you get to control it with a perfectly shaped three-spoke steering wheel covered in a combination of walnut accents and buttery leather. By comparison, the steering wheels in the Infiniti and Acura feel like they're covered in sandpaper.

Lexus has worked the same magic with the GS 430's bucket seats. They're soft but firm at the same time, bolstered just enough and they're swathed in leather so supple you swear you've dropped yourself into a giant Coach wallet. The inside of the Lexus even smells of leather, and we can't say that of the Infiniti or the Acura.

Another cool thing about the Lexus' interior is its hidden controls, and this is where the now legendary Lexus attention-to-detail comes in. Lexus has hidden many of the lesser-used secondary controls — like the power mirror switches and the dimmer switch for the interior lights — into a retracting panel that hides itself away in the dash to the left of the steering wheel.

All three of these sedans offer about the same rear-seat room, amenities and comfort, so we can't give the GS any points for that, but we do want to praise the Lexus for its superior ergonomics. Lexus is one of the few remaining carmakers that hasn't gone to a big knob that controls everything and confuses everyone, instead it keeps things simple with a touchscreen and controls so straightforward they border on the uninteresting.

Lexus is also a step up in safety technology. Its Pre-Collision System (PCS), which is packaged on the options sheet with Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and costs $2,850, uses a millimeter-wave radar sensor to detect obstacles in front of the car and a computer that reads vehicle speed, yaw rate and steering angle. If the computer decides a collision is unavoidable it preemptively stiffens the suspension, retracts the front seatbelts and preinitializes BrakeAssist so increased braking is applied the instant the brake pedal is depressed. Sounds cool, but we're glad we didn't sample the system.

Lots of Engine
Although this car is new from its tires to its top, it's powered by the same 4.3-liter V8 that powered its predecessor — a double-overhead-cam all-aluminum engine that makes 300 hp. And it's still one of the sweetest engines on Earth with the power delivery of an electric motor. Lexus has teamed it with a new six-speed automatic, however, which is not quite as slick as the gearbox in the Infiniti, but works well enough.

Let Us Drive
Too bad its manual mode isn't all that manual. Sure, Lexus lets you flip the shifter over a gate and the transmission will upshift and downshift at your command, but it still upshifts itself when the engine nears its redline. Wait a minute. We thought this was manual mode.

We have similar complaints about the very aggressive electronic stability system in the Lexus, which cannot be shut off. As soon as the system senses the front tires sliding, which happens when you're driving a car quickly, the system basically shuts the car down. A few times during one particular canyon run the car actually came to a literal stop in a few very slow, very tight corners. No fun.

Too bad, because the Lexus has the only adjustable suspension in this test, and it feels like it's tuned to handle as well as, if not better than, the Infiniti. We think body roll is well controlled and turn-in is sharp and overall balance is right on. We think. It's hard to tell with the computer constantly slapping your wrists like an angry schoolmarm. Lighten up, Lexus.

Another flaw we found with the Lexus is its small trunk opening, which is also a problem with the Infiniti. The trunk itself is large enough, but you access it through a mail slot.

In the End
This is quite a car. It's the best sport sedan from Japan in its price range. It may even be the best sedan in its class. Nice job, Lexus.

Evaluation - Drive
Evaluation - Ride
Evaluation - Design
Evaluation - Cargo/Passenger Space

Evaluation - Drive

Engine Performance
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	9.0	1
Lexus GS 430	8.3	2
Acura RL	6.3	3

Transmission
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	9.0	1
Lexus GS 430	7.3	2
Acura RL	6.7	3

Braking
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.3	1
Lexus GS 430	7.0	2
Acura RL	6.3	3

Suspension
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.7	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.0	2
Acura RL	7.3	3

Tires
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.7	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.0	2
Acura RL	6.7	3

Steering
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.3	1
Acura RL	7.3	2
Infiniti M45 Sport	6.7	3

Visibility
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Acura RL	8.0	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.7	3(t)
Lexus GS 430	7.7	3(t)

Fun to Drive
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.3	1
Acura RL	6.7	2
Lexus GS 430	5.0	3

Evaluation - Ride

Seat Comfort Front
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.7	1
Lexus GS 430	8.3	2
Acura RL	8.0	3

Seat Comfort Rear
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.3	1
Lexus GS 430	8.0	2
Acura RL	7.3	3

Wind & Road Noise
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	9.3	1
Acura RL	7.7	2
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.0	3

Rattles & Squeaks
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	9.0	1
Acura RL	8.7	3 (t)
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.7	3 (t)

Evaluation - Design

Interior Design
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.0	1
Acura RL	7.3	2
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.0	3

Interior Material
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.3	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.3	2
Acura RL	6.7	3

Climate Control Design/Operation
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.3	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.3	2
Acura RL	6.0	3

Audio System Design/Operation
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	10.0	1
Acura RL	9.0	2
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.0	3

Secondary Control Design/Operation
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	8.7	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.7	2
Acura RL	7.3	3

Exterior Design
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.7	1(t)
Lexus GS 430	7.7	1(t)
Acura RL	6.0	3

Headlight Illumination
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Acura RL	8.7	1(t)
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.7	1(t)
Lexus GS 430	8.7	1(t)

Overall Build Quality
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	9.3	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	9.0	2
Acura RL	8.7	3

Evaluation - Cargo/Passenger Space

Entry/Exit
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Lexus GS 430	7.3	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.0	2
Acura RL	6.7	3

Expanding/Loading Cargo
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Acura RL	8.3	1
Infiniti M45 Sport	7.0	2
Lexus GS 430	6.7	3

Storage Space
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Acura RL	8.0	1(t)
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.0	1(t)
Lexus GS 430	8.0	1(t)

Cupholders
Vehicle	Score	Rank
Acura RL	8.0	1(t)
Infiniti M45 Sport	8.0	1(t)
Lexus GS 430	8.0	1(t)

Sedans in this price range are loaded right from the start. Even if you don't check a single option box you get more features than you're ever likely to find use for. So when it came time to choosing our favorite optional features, the list was short. None of the five are essential, but if you're willing to pay the price, they made the luxury experience that much more enjoyable.

Features

Features
	Acura RL	Infiniti M45	Lexus GS 430
Adjustable Suspension	N/A	N/A	S
DVD Navigation	S	O	O
Heated and Ventilated Seats	N/A	S	O
Premium Audio System	S	O	O
Satellite Radio	S	O	O

Key:
S: Standard
O: Optional
N/A: Not Available

Adjustable Suspension: This feature has been offered on various luxury sedans through the years, but only recently have the engineers figured out how to make it really work. Push a button and you go from everyday plush to mountain-road firm. A suspension that's perfect in the first place is still the best setup, but the ability to have a little bit of both is always a nice option. The Lexus was the only member of the trio to offer an optional adjustable suspension.

DVD Navigation: An onboard navigation system might seem like an expensive novelty item, but the latest setups are more than just electronic maps. Dig into their menus and you find everything from gas stations to Thai food. The Lexus has the most user-friendly design, but the Acura's system is the only one that can show you real-time traffic information.

Heated and Ventilated Seats: You can find heated seats on just about any vehicle these days, but the latest upgrade is the ability to provide a cooling blast of air as well. This sweet setup comes standard on the M45 Sport, is optional on the GS 430 and is not available on the RL (heaters only).

Premium Audio System: There's not a luxury sedan on the market that doesn't offer some kind of high-end audio system and these sedans have a few of the best. The RL features a Bose system with surround-sound circuitry that rivals your local Cineplex while the Mark Levinson system in the Lexus delivers similarly rich sound from its 14 speakers. The Infiniti offers an impressive high-end system as well, but our test car had a lesser system that proved solid but still a step below the top-end systems.

Satellite Radio: If you haven't spent time in a vehicle equipped with satellite radio yet, prepare to get addicted. Not only does satellite radio offer a wider variety of programming, it also comes in crystal clear no matter how far out in the boonies you find yourself. Once you have it, you won't ever want to go back.

Editorial Director Kevin Smith says:
A final-tally spread of only a couple points suggests how tricky it can be to resolve fine issues of trade-off. For example, the Acura RL represents an efficiency play I really respect, its V6 delivering perfectly adequate commuting performance. And yet I'd like to get more motor if I could. What's that worth in a numerical score?

Similarly, the Infiniti M45's faintly rowdy edge is cool, but do I want to live with that in a luxury sedan? And how do I adjust numbers to capture that ambivalence?

But the Really Big Deal in this test, for me, was the Lexus GS 430 and its undefeatable stability control. I love the polish Lexus typically works into its products, the silence inside, the carefully considered resistance of buttons and switches, the precisely damped movement of ashtray covers, fercrissake.

However, shouldn't something that calls itself a sporting sedan allow me to accelerate hard out of a corner on a smooth, snaking road? The GS' electronic nanny will have none of it, holding off on the power until I'm well clear of the turn. That's a disturbing shortcoming, and I want to punish the car for it. Now, it's true that on my drive to work, I'm not very often trying to barrel around a bend with the throttle buried. And on balance, I'd still rather live with the daily driving experience the Lexus gives. So yes, it got winning points from me. But not as many as it should have, darn it!

Senior Road Test Editor Ed Hellwig says:
As if my rapidly thinning hair wasn't enough, now I have yet another sign that I'm getting old. It hit me after we were forced to choose which one of these sedans we would buy with our own money.

The Acura was never a contender. It was forgettable before and only slightly less so now. Its all-wheel-drive system is impressive, allowing you to keep pace with cars that should be faster, but the overall driving experience remains sterile. The interior has some style and the stereo will split your eardrums open like a coconut, but my enthusiasm just wasn't there. Same goes for the exterior styling.

On paper the M45 looked right, and in person it looked even better. It gets the "most like a BMW" award for its aggressive lines and stylish wheels. The engine rips, the tranny is tuned just right and the suspension feels like a sport sedan should. There's not much wrong with the interior either, but the gauges reminded me of those in the Altima and the overly complicated dashboard is annoying.

I wasn't expecting much from the GS, as Lexus leans toward luxury more often than sport, but this GS got to me. The interior is uniquely detailed, comfortable and ergonomically perfect. Its shape isn't as dynamic as the M45, but from most angles it's undeniably elegant. It lacks the raw feedback of the Infiniti yet keeps you in touch enough to feel involved. The stability control is an annoying black spot, but you have to really push to make it matter.

In other words, the GS is perfect if you're willing to forego the last 10 percent of the performance envelope. In years past that 10 percent is all I cared about, but at my advanced age that other 90 percent is looking more important all the time.

2005 Acura RL

"Audio is first-class with superior sound. Speed, cornering, braking is excellent. Comfortable seating with ease of locating dials and knobs to operate this vehicle. Hands-free phone linking along with a superb GPS system. Overall, this is the car of the year. Well done, Acura. You guys have exceeded my highest expectations."
— Adley Clarke, January 22, 2005

"It's hard to not be excited about this vehicle — whether you're a fan of technology, power, handling or overall performance. We moved up to the RL from a Lexus GS 300 — a move that was motivated primarily by a desire for a luxury sedan that would handle better on snow and ice. Needless to say, the RL's 'super handling' AWD is in an entirely different league in terms of wintertime handling. And the acceleration and handling far exceed the capabilities of the GS 300. Oh, then there's the technology — the GPS, XM radio, OnStar and integrated hands-free connectivity to your Bluetooth-equipped cell phone — make this vehicle a rolling technology playground." — Msoadmin, January 26, 2005

"Nice car, good value for money, very nice interior. Peppy V6." — NG, January 22, 2005

"Like riding on clouds. Very quiet interior with super sound system, esp. the DVD audio. Great handling and power, esp. with the paddle shifters. Fit and finish are perfect. Navigation is intuitive." — Mike, January 3, 2005

2006 Lexus GS 430
2005 Acura RL
2006 Infiniti M45


2006 Lexus GS 430

System Score: 10.0

Components: Our GS was equipped with the top-of-the-line Mark Levinson audio system. This is the first car to feature Mark Levinson's Premium Surround System and its components list is an alphabet soup of advanced digital technology. We couldn't possibly list everything here, but the speaker array consists of the following: four 25mm tweeters, five 65mm midranges, four 16cm woofers and one 25cm subwoofer. Mark Levinson claims that this system is the only surround-sound system specifically designed for an automotive application. It supports CDs, CD-R, DTS 5.1 CDs, DVD Video, DVD Audio and DVD-R. As advanced as this system is, we found the controls easy to use whether you're using the steering wheel controls or the center stack display.

Performance: There are several systems on the market today that can be justifiably called faultless and this system is one of them. No matter where you're sitting or what kind of music you're listening to it all comes through in perfect detail. Dig into the menu and you can fine-tune the listening environment to suit particular tastes, but left alone it rarely suffers any noticeable defects. Bass is tight, accurate and never overbearing while highs come through with flawless accuracy. Crank it up and it never loses its ability to generate strong, distortion-free sound that completely envelops driver and passenger alike.

Best Feature: Easy-to-use interface that doesn't detract from the listening experience.

Worst Feature: Only comes bundled with navigation system.

Conclusion: Yet another top-of-the-line factory system that redefines the limits of automotive audio technology. — Ed Hellwig

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2005 Acura RL

System Score: 9.0

Components: This high-tech audio system is no mere add-on option for audiophiles and tech junkies, it is a highly advanced surround-sound system that has been integrated into the design of the cabin and is standard equipment on the RL. Components include an in-dash six-disc changer that can play DVD-Audio, CD, MP3 and WMA media. The tuner utilizes Centerpoint logic software to provide true surround sound to all five seats when used in combination with DVD-A files, and it can simulate the surround-sound effect with standard CDs. Audiopilot software adjusts the audio signal in response to exterior noises, and Active Noise Cancellation technology dampens road and miscellaneous cabin noise as the car travels down the road. Ten speakers are employed throughout the cabin, including a 6.5-inch full-range speaker in each door, a 1.5-inch tweeter in each front door, a 2.5-inch twiddler centered in the middle of the dash, two more 2.5-inch twiddlers in the rear package tray and a 9-inch woofer behind the backseat. A total of 250 watts drives the system.

Performance: Sound quality is absolutely stunning, especially when the signal comes from a source designed specifically for surround-sound systems such as a DVD-A or one of the many XM music stations. Clarity is astounding and the array of speakers placed throughout the cabin really does emulate the feeling of sitting smack-dab in the center of a concert hall (or in our case a mosh pit). The 9-inch sub doesn't crank out quite as much bass as we'd like without distortion setting in, but that was only a problem when we had the heavy metal station on XM cranked waaaay up. Considering that most RL buyers will probably prefer Amadeus to Air Supply, the RL's Bose system is top-notch.

Best Feature: The combination of true surround-sound technology and the high-tech wizardry of active noise cancellation.

Worst Feature: Main control dial can be cumbersome to use until you get the hand of its multifunction design.

Conclusion: Acura has not only introduced one of the finest and most technologically advanced stereos in the world, it has made it standard equipment. True music fans rejoice, your chariot has arrived. — Dan Kahn

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2006 Infiniti M45

System Score: 7.0

Components: Our M45 was somewhat of a stripper. Not only did it not have the top-of-the-line 14-speaker 5.1 Bose audio system, it didn't even have the optional midgrade eight-speaker setup. What it did have was a six-speaker base system with an in-dash six-disc changer and steering wheel audio controls. We liked the general layout of the controls with its large control knobs and easy-to-use preset buttons. Auxiliary controls are bundled into the upper display screen, but once everything is set you don't need much more than the steering wheel controls to sift through stations or CDs. One smart design feature we noticed was the angle of the CD slot. It was tilted in such a way as to make inserting CDs over the automatic shifter handle easier — a nice touch.

Performance: Given that this was the base system of a three-system options list, its sound quality was pretty impressive. It produced good vocal clarity on softer tracks and decent bass and separation with heavier songs. Like most standard systems, sound quality starts to go down as the sound levels go up. In this case the bass gets muddy on the low end and you start to lose separation at the high end. There's not much power to spare either as the sound quality drops off once you get much past halfway.

Best Feature: Controls are right where you want them and don't take a manual to figure out.

Worst Feature: Only good to about halfway up the volume dial.

Conclusion: A solid base system with plenty of functionality and acceptable sound quality, but upgrading to the eight-speaker system is something worth considering even if you don't consider yourself a serious audiophile. — Ed Hellwig

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Final Rankings

Final Rankings
	Lexus GS 430	Acura RL	Infiniti M45
Personal Rating (10% of score)	77.8	55.6	66.7
Recommended Rating (10% of score)	77.8	88.9	33.3
Evaluation Score (20% of score)	80.6	74.0	77.8
Feature Content (20% of score)	66.7	66.7	40.0
Performance (20% of score)	86.0	60.0	100.0
Price (20% of score)	77.5	100.0	100.0
Total Score	77.7	74.6	73.6
Final Ranking	1	2	3

Scoring Explanation

Personal Rating: Purely subjective. After the test, each participating editor was asked to rank the vehicles in order of preference based on which he or she would buy if money were no object.

Recommended Rating: After the test, each participating editor was asked to rank the vehicles in order of preference based on which he or she thought would be best for the average consumer shopping in this segment.

24-Point Evaluation: Each participating editor ranked every vehicle based on a comprehensive 24-point evaluation. The evaluation covered everything from exterior design to cupholders. Scoring was calculated on a point system, and the scores listed are averages based on all test participants' evaluations.

Performance Testing: Each car was subjected to a set of performance tests that measure acceleration, braking and speed through a 600-foot slalom course. Scores were calculated by giving the best sedan in each category 100 percent. Subsequent vehicles were awarded points based on how close they came to the best performing car's score.

Feature Content: For this category, the editors picked the top 5 features they thought would be most beneficial to the consumer shopping in this segment. For each vehicle, the score was based on the amount of actual features it had versus the total possible (5). Standard and optional equipment were taken into consideration.

Price: The numbers listed were the result of a simple percentage calculation based on the least expensive vehicle in the comparison test. Using the "as tested" prices of the actual evaluation vehicles, the least expensive vehicle received a score of 100, with the remaining vehicles receiving lesser scores based on how much each one costs.