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Posted April, 2007

Road Test: 2007 Infiniti M45

By Kevin S. Lowery

Infiniti has come a long way from their initial sales of “rocks and birds.” Actually, some of those first 1990 Infiniti models are amongst some of the staff of Ride&Drive Features all-time faves. This latest M45 continues some of those hallmark features with a new twist. Some we loved; some didn’t. Read on.

As for the engine, what’s not to love? My notes said it all: “It was a BLAST!” No wonder. It has a 4.5-liter DOHC 32-valve V8 engine under the hood. It achieves 356 horsepower at 6400rpm and lets loose 336 lb-ft. torque at 4000rpm. Ours was an automatic. Still was a thrill to drive. I can only imagine the pure elation of flogging the manual transmission version around the switchbacks and curves if we hadd put it through our test program. Perhaps, in hindsight, just the kind of excitement that could have gotten me into a whole lot of trouble. Still, the automatic was not a disappointment. It was perfect for getting out of those maneuvers that are difficult like a quick left turn.

I mentioned before that we loved the styling of the original Infiniti models. Not been in love with them since. Exterior design, however, is subjective so if you’re interested go and see it up close and personal. It has the Zenon HID headlights with auto-leveling, Adaptive front lighting system, fog lights, LED taillights, 19-inch wheels with W-rated high-performance tires and dual exhaust with quad finishes.

It held its own with a sport-tuned suspension system that is reminiscent of the taut, German kind. No wallowing, no lateral movement whatsoever; extremely smooth. Add that to the independent front and multi-link rear suspension, power-assisted four wheel anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, brake assist, vehicle dynamic control and traction control systems and you have a very agile vehicle.

The interior was a mixture of he loves it; he loves it NOT! It had very generous legroom in both front and back. The seats were quite comfortable, having the right amount of snug fit and side bolstering to make you feel secure but without being obtrusive. And, amazingly, there was full lumbar support on both driver’s and front passenger’s seats.

What didn’t I like about the interior? First off, the width of the car’s interior was too narrow. Next, the dashboard. While the decorative faux machine panels were interesting, the layout of the console was abysmal. It jutted out and the buttons were not slanted enough so that I had to really peer over to read them. Even the enlarged type didn’t help. As a result, the console felt too close and the buttons felt too far away. Yet, I felt hemmed in. Not a good combination.

The fancy upgraded system with XM Satellite Radio capability was difficult to use—at best. In truth, that could be said about anything controlled on the screen. There is only one large knob to control the NAV/Audio/Radio/Modes. It was like one of the new computer mice with all the buttons. Tap here for this, there for that. It’s fine for a home computer but you don’t have the added complication of driving it! It’s impossible to operated whether driving or not. As for using the owner’s manual for help on the NAV/Audio/Satellite, it was even more of a joke. The owner’s manual alone was over 300 pages and that didn’t include the separate booklet covering the Nav System! Again, do not try looking up something while driving. Your life could hang in the balance!

The 2007 M45 Sport Sedan has an mpg rating of 17mpg city/23mpg highway. Decent mileage for a large-displacement, V8 engine. The warranty is fair and offers things like roadside assistance and complimentary service loan car, etc. Our vehicle was fully outfitted with all the available packages: Advanced Technology, Aerodynamic Body and Technology. All of those packages themselves totaled over seven thousand dollars! I found that nearly all of the features were either frivolous or unnecessary. Stay with the base price of fifty thousand, though we here at Ride&Drive Features think even that is overpriced.

If you’re the kind of driver that thinks that driving should be fun as well as practical, test drive the M45 Sport Sedan. It has several features you will find that provide peace-of-mind as well as a whole lot of fun. It may not be completely practical, but it can carry four people comfortably. So, if you’re looking for an excuse to justify the purchase to your other half, that one just might work. R&D