Infiniti

Sales numbers from the fourth quarter of 2025 have begun to trickle in. Nissan had a slight boost, but Infiniti was down a tad.

We have some 2025 Nissan and Infiniti models being recalled. Armadas, Muranos, and QX80s.

About a month ago, I spent the better part of two days driving and eating my way around the Nashville area, courtesy of Nissan.

Why? Ostensibly, it was an opportunity to get up close and personal with two of Nissan's major manufacturing plants. But there was a subtext that cannot be ignored, due to policies emanating from over 600 miles away in Washington, D.C.

This one appears to be in good shape with no known issues. The mileage is 177K and the transmission is an automatic. The A/C blows nice and cold, according to the seller.

It looks like the Infiniti Q50 might return. Perhaps even with an available manual transmission.

The Q50 went away, as so many other sport sedans have, due to the crossover craze. What other sedan should come back?

The world is short on sedans, especially luxury ones. It's a crossover-crazed planet and we're just living on it. But a new report suggests that the Infiniti Q50 is set to return.

The struggling automaker could use a hit.

Mr. Guy is on some serious design posting lately, and the other day we presented some in-car analog clocks for you.

I've documented 3,142 junkyard vehicles, more or less, since I started doing this job in 2007. Out of all of those, only four have been Infinitis. I decided that I would shoot the next discarded first-generation Q45 I found; that car turned out to be this '92 in Richmond, California.

Infiniti discontinued the Q50 last year, but the automaker is now planning a replacement, and it’s not an EV. A gas-powered s econd-generation Q50 is expected in late 2027, and it will likely arrive with a performance variant and a manual gearbox.

It’s a time of both change and reckoning for Nissan’s Motor Co.’s luxury brand  Infiniti.

Faced with increased competition, lower sales and the effects of tariffs imposed on vehicles it imports to the U.S. from Japan, the brand is making moves to refine its product line and boost shopper consideration--moves that include the introduction of three concept models at next week’s Pebble Beach Automotive Week near Monterey, California.

The Infiniti QX80 is a large, beefy-looking SUV, but it has never been as rugged as it looks. That’s expected to change soon, as the automaker reportedly plans to release three limited-edition QX80 models with upgrades that boost its off-road capabilities and on-road performance.

Note: Images are of the standard QX80. Photos of the upcoming models will become available closer to their announcement date.

You may remember the massive Nissan VC Turbo engine recall from earlier this month. It was at 430,000 cars when we covered it, and the number went up to nearly 444K.

Nissan is currently in the midst of an aggressive restructuring plan to help address declining sales and operational deficiencies. Cost-cutting strategies have included production capping and plant closures, necessitating a sizable number of layoffs. However, the company is now reportedly considering selling its Japanese headquarters.

Like its parent company, Nissan, Infiniti hasn’t had the best time over the last few years. Sales tumbled in 2024, leading the automaker to eye aggressive measures to right the ship. Part of that plan includes discontinuing one of its best-selling models, as the popular QX50 and QX55 will soon be no more.

It’s no secret that Nissan’s future is uncertain. The automaker has struggled with profitability and bloated dealer inventories in recent times, leading some to speculate about its pending demise. Infiniti, the brand’s luxury arm, hasn’t fared much better, seeing a sharp tumble in sales over the last five years. To help struggling dealers, Nissan is taking a step that will allow them to combine the two brands under one roof to cut costs.

The Lexus RX has been a force to be reckoned with in the luxury SUV world for almost three decades. Competitors have come and gone, but the long-running Lexus has remained a solid contender. Infiniti has something to say about that, announcing a new two-row SUV to compete with the RX as part of its push to revamp its product line.

Infiniti said the new QX65 would land in 2026 as a smaller, sportier version of the three-row QX60 SUV. It will use the QX60’s platform and carry the same four-cylinder engine, but it diverges from the QX60’s design with a sleeker, curvier shape.

Infiniti announced a series of changes to its 2025 lineup this week, including confirmation that the Q50 sedan would be discontinued this year. While we already basically knew this would be the case, the 2024 Infiniti Q50 will be the final model year — making the brand yet another company selling nothing but crossovers and SUVs.

Today we bring you a 2004 Infiniti G35 with a six-speed manual transmission.

Come the save the manuals with this 2010 Infiniti G37S.

No, really – there aren’t any. Not even to its price.

Concept vehicles don’t often make it to production unchanged, but the new Infiniti QX80 looks an awful lot like the QX Monograph concept the automaker showed late last year. The new SUV was recently revealed with boxier styling, more interior space, and an updated interior design with more tech and high-end materials.

The steady stream of teasers for the 2025 Infiniti QX80 continues apace, and it appears your author has drawn the straw to act as yer guide in this matter until the thing actually drops later this month.

Pour another one out for the eight-cylinder engine. With the configuration departing from machines like the Ram half-ton pickup truck, Dodge Charger, and comprising only a relatively slim percentage of F-150 sales, it should be no surprise it is vanishing at some other brands as well.

Welcome back to Drive Notes, a feature in which I do a brief recap of a vehicle I've been testing, whether a future full review is planned or not.

Today, the 2024 Infiniti QX60 Autograph AWD.

What would the automotive world be without an endless set of teasers for upcoming vehicles (and the attendant websites which report on them *looks around and shuffles feet*)? This time, Infiniti is keen on offering a few creative angles of a new variant of their upcoming jumbo SUV, the QX80.

Despite – or perhaps because of – headlines musing about the state of Infiniti’s current offerings, the brand is using the Tokyo Motor Show to introduce a raft of new product. Some are concepts, some are production-ish, and all apparently point the way forward in terms of design.

Infiniti’s sales numbers are improving, but the brand is still behind many rivals. It’s working on transforming itself, however, and the automaker recently showed off a new concept that previews the changes. The QX Monograph SUV marks a significant departure from Infiniti’s current design language, and it bears a striking resemblance to a certain iconic British luxury SUV brand.

In what our Managing Editor rightly described as ‘mild news’, Infiniti has announced they will use the unspeakably pompous Pebble Beach Automotive Week to show a concept vehicle they claim previews the brand’s next-gen design language.

Scanning the news today, I came across a story about Infiniti's plans to unveil four new models, and while this could've been a standard news post, I decided it also worked as a QOTD.

Infiniti has had a bumpy ride with sales numbers recently, but the rumors of its demise are overblown at best. As companies sometimes do, the automaker is hoping a fresh coat of paint will help it revive flagging interest and generate some traction to boost revenue. Infiniti recently announced a new retail setup and a fresh logo with such subtle differences from the old version that only the keenest eyes will pick up the changes.

Like it or not, the big crossover is here to stay. Three rows of seating that would really be better suited to a minivan or - dare I say it - a wagon shall be jacked up slightly so drivers can feel somewhat at ease when surrounded by all of the other tall wagons, pickups, and eighteen-wheelers clogging our roads. 

Just because the words Sports and Utility are theoretically in the definition of the vehicle segment doesn’t mean that sport needs to be part of the equation. We’ve seen many a big crossover that should never see anything more rugged than a dirt path to a youth soccer field - and many a rugged SUV that never actually sees anything more rugged than that same dirt path, so it doesn’t matter much anyhow. These are comfortable family vehicles with easy step-in heights - no more, no less. That hasn’t stopped automakers from tossing the classic luxury playbook at these vehicles, however. Leather, wood and metal trim, big wheels, and the usual advanced tech features abound on the upmarket trims.

The 2022 Infiniti QX60 Autograph is a noble effort from Nissan’s luxury division for this particular market. Light on the ruggedness, heavy on the plush - can the QX60 find a path to sales success?

Our recent QOTD post asked for your thoughts on the best Infiniti model ever. Therein, I promised a follow-up post with my answer to that very important question. So let’s get right down to it: I think the first generation FX was the best Infiniti ever.

There have been some rumblings around the TTAC virtual newsroom lately about Infiniti, and consideration of the company’s best-ever product. The best of their product is certainly not found in their present lineup, which I took time to lambast in late 2020. We bring this question to you today, dear readers: What’s the best car Infiniti ever made?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock since 2019, you’ve probably realized that just about every major carmaker has plans to go “fully electric” at some point in the rapidly approaching future. That’s going to mean big changes in the way we buy and use cars, obviously— but change is hard, and not every company is going to be willing or able to make those changes.

That equally obvious fact begs the question: who’s not gonna make it?

It’s that time of year again – time for our best and worst cars of 2021. Chris and I are the ones who most consistently get test cars, so it will be just the two of us putting our heads together. We’ve each picked one best and one worst car, as well as a few that deserve a mention either way.

Nissan-owned Infiniti has opted to merge marketing, public relations, and social media oversight into a single position. Framed as a promotion for Wendy Orthman, the brand’s current global head of communications, the management shift takes place shortly after former General Manager Global Brand and Marketing Phil York decided he had better things to do in Europe. But it really just seems like the company figured out a way to roll three jobs into a single paycheck.

Effective today, Orthman will be assuming the freshly minted title of general manager of Global Integrated Brand, Marketing and Communications. According to the automaker, the position combines the roles of a chief marketing officer and head of communications while also providing oversight for Infiniti’s social media and public relations.

You know it’s a slow news week — at least so far — when you get an embargoed release from Infiniti mentioning software updates that will now enable wireless Apple CarPlay on vehicles that came from the factory without that functionality and find it worth a post.

Like the Nissan Pathfinder it shares its bones with, the 2022 Infiniti QX60 is redone for 2022.

Infiniti folks try to shy away from the Pathfinder references and comparisons because it’s their job to sell consumers on the differences, as well as why one should pay more for the QX60 when it’s mechanically a Pathfinder.

Never mind that most car buyers, regardless of their level of industry knowledge, know that Infinitis are Nissans in fancier clothing, just like Lexus with Toyota and Acura with Honda. Luxury-car shoppers know this and don’t care – they are spending bigger bucks on the luxury brands for some combination of the following reasons: Standard features, available features, the dealer experience, interior materials, and styling.

I can’t speak to the dealer experience, but Infiniti has gotten the differentiation right when it comes to the rest of that list, especially the styling and materials. As for the feature and content mix, well, that’s going to come down to what you’re willing to spend.

Tonight’s the night. The wraps finally officially come off the next Nissan Z.

Your humble author is sitting at a Starbucks in Brooklyn, counting the hours until tonight’s unveiling. And thinking about the future of not just the Z, but Infiniti.

Late last year I put forth some thoughts about the future direction of Infiniti, largely about how the company was on a downward trajectory. Looking forward, the brand needs a major change in direction – not much has changed since December when I wrote that piece.

But one might then logically ask “Where did the company first lose its way?” I’m going to answer that question right now. Let’s take a little trip to the Before Times, in 1990.

Today’s excessively titled Rare Ride is one of a select few Infiniti Q60s blessed with a unique set of colors and options, and sold via luxury department store Neiman Marcus.

Hope you like Metallic Mustard.

Infiniti wants so badly to show that it is back on the comeback trail.

It wants to do that so badly that it made a big marketing and P.R. push around the QX55 crossover. It even trailered the vehicle to journalists’ homes when it came time for each writer’s turn to evaluate the vehicle.

In Part I of this two-parter we were introduced to the J30, Infiniti’s luxurious new sports sedan for the Nineties. Having learned from their Q45 mistakes, the brand was determined their new mid-sizer would be appealable to the American Market.

So what went wrong? Let’s find out.

The other day while we were reviewing the daringly spectacular first generation Q45, commenter SSJeep requested coverage of Infiniti’s other rear-drive sedan from the period, the J30. I thought Rare Rides already covered Infiniti’s mid-size offering, but it turned out I was remembering an installment of Buy/Drive/Burn.

That means it’s time for J30.

In Part I of this two-parter, we discussed the birth of the Infiniti brand, and Nissan’s decision to reinvent the large luxury car with the Q45. Today we talk technology, advertising, and aftermath.

We’ve covered the second album of Infiniti’s ill-fated Q45 flagship previously, in a stunningly clean example from 1998. However, the first generation is much harder to find; they just didn’t have the longevity or caring ownership profile of the Lexus LS 400. But someone in Japan maintained this one, and it’s been imported to the US just for you.

It’s time for blue-green, grille-free luxury.

After teasing, promises, and COVID-related delays, the Infiniti QX55 debuted a few weeks ago, as Infiniti eagerly drew direct comparisons between their new “classy” successor and the departed FX35/45. You might remember that shapely SUV headed to its demise in 2017 after it was left to rot for a few years, then renamed QX70. Infiniti chose to ignore its final QX70 name in the press materials and call it FX instead, which says something about their branding strategy, doesn’t it?

Today I’m here to tell you this “new car” is a perfect example of exactly what’s wrong at Infiniti, and the changes needed years ago, not sometime in the future.

With auto shows borked until next year – assuming that’s even possible – automakers need to show off concepts one way or another.

So it is that yet another livestream reveal took place tonight – this one showing the Infiniti QX60 Monograph. Which isn’t a production vehicle so much as it is an expression of what Infiniti wants to do going forward, in terms of design.

In this case, the brand wants to take the QX60 three-row crossover even further upscale.

With the upcoming QX55, Infiniti is tearing a page from the Volkswagen Atlas’ playbook. That German manufacturer saw that it had a good thing in its midsize crossover, so it decided to get more bang for its buck by shaving a little length and height from the three-row model, creating a mildly upscale, slightly restyled two-row variant to widen the model’s net.

The QX55 is the same recipe applied to Infiniti’s QX50 crossover — a model that landed with a resounding thud in late 2018, but one whose sales have proven interesting in the grim year of 2020. Why is that, you ask?

We’ve spilled a lot of digital ink on Infiniti lately, primarily due to the grim announcement that the brand will become “Nissan-plus” in the coming years. While the brand produced a few bright spots like the G35 and FX over its 30-year history, most of its products were duds.

That got me thinking about one such dud product, and one that happened to appear for sale right as I was pondering. It’s the 1998 Q45, a disappointing flagship.

Commenter Chocolatedeath is absolutely adamant we talk about today’s trio of unpopular sedans. They’ve all got V8s, rear-drive, and found few buyers in their day, but that won’t stop us from choosing one among them to take home.

So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at Chocolatedeath’s car comparison, shall we?

Celebrating 30 years of existence, Infiniti announced it was time for a sea change this week. While sales have improved since the recession, last year saw a modest decline in volume that carried over into 2019 in a big way. Year to date, Nissan volume is down 6 percent, with Infiniti posting a 17.1-percent loss — we discussed this earlier in the day, if you’re interested.

Most of this saga is occuring in the United States, where Infiniti sources the bulk of its sales. China and Europe are footnotes for the manufacturer. Yet Infiniti would very much like to improve its global appeal, so it’s banking on EV adoption as being the next global consumer craze.

Considering how many countries are embracing stringent emission goals, Nissan’s premium arm could be making a wise choice. However, the U.S. hasn’t been quite so eager to push (or embrace) automotive electrification — meaning Infiniti could be endangering the one market that’s keeping it afloat. Unfortunately, the status quo doesn’t seem to be working, either — encouraging the automaker to adopt alternative powertrains and design cues in the coming years.

Infiniti’s sales took a tumble in September, dropping 44 percent (43.9 percent, to be exact) compared to September 2018.

Last year, Nissan’s luxury brand sold 12,536 units in September, while just 7,031 units left dealer lots this time around. The brand is also down 16.5 percent over the first nine months of the year.

Bigger picture, the industry has been hit by six months of sales declines in 2019, and all large automakers, Asian or American, were facing large drops (double digits, in many cases) in September. The good news for the industry is that the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate (SAAR) checked in around 17.16 million units across all brands – a healthy number despite the sales declines.

Regular readers of these digital pages are well aware of the pressures facing Nissan’s Infiniti brand. While the premium marque’s status is better than in years past, it is not where the brand would like it to be. U.S. volume has declined since 2017, and the marque recently gave up on Europe.

Perhaps a slinky new crossover will draw eyes — and buyers — in an overly crowded segment?

As it blows out the candles on its 30th birthday cake, Infiniti’s biggest problems aren’t rocks and trees, but sales. That, and a shaky financial foundation underpinning its parent’s house.

Unlike in 1989, when the fledgling premium brand tempted buyers to pick up a new Q45, um, sight unseen, Infiniti is doing all it can to draw pairs of eyes to its real, physical vehicles, launching an Edition 30 trim package to mark the anniversary.

Last week, we accepted suggestions for our readers’ least favorite front-drive cars from the 1990s, but commenter Art Vandelay (an importer/exporter) wanted more. We’re back a week later to repeat the same question, but with a focus on rear-drive rides. Let the aero-infused criticism begin.

Think of an occasion in which something really good appeared in a place where it was underappreciated. A fantastic steak at the downtown greasy spoon, perhaps? Beautiful new windows installed in a student rental house? My writing on this website? Wait, I wasn’t supposed to say that last one out loud…

Buried in the mire of Ghosngate at Nissan is some nifty new tech that should be turning the car world on its ear. The company’s variable compression engine, displacing an industry-typical 2.0 liters from a turbocharged four pot, is actually about as far from industry-typical as Yugo was from being a class leader in fit and finish. It’s able to vary its compression from 8:1 to 14:1, thus offering the best of power and economy characteristics. It’s been called the “holy grail.”

So where does this engineering marvel and technological triumph first appear? In the company’s sports car? Don’t be silly. It’s under the hood of a grey crossover, of course.

Talk about being underappreciated.

Recently, I’ve shared musings about selling my old Infiniti, as well as the coupe or sedan options pegged to replace it. You readers had your helpful hearts in the right place, with funny suggestions of Challenger, Charger, and Mustang. A couple of weeks have elapsed since then, and there have been developments. Let’s chat.

In an introductory post last week, I detailed a couple of cars I was considering as a replacement to my decade-old Infiniti M. The comments (some filled with unusual anger) prodded me to add another car to the list.

A week later, I can tell you that two of those former options are absolutely out of the question.

Some heavy thoughts are weighing on my mind lately; some might even call them urges. And those urges are telling me to sell a blue Datsun sedan and get something else. Should I give in?