Infiniti FX30dS 2012 Review

What we like:
>> Stands out from the SUV crowd
>> Cabin surfacing and finish
>> On-road manners

Not so much:
>> Cabin and luggage space tight
>> Too many Nissan bits in cabin
>> Drivetrain inertia

Infiniti is a brand in transition. It's a fact that is no better illustrated by the car which the newcomer expects will be its best-selling model Down Under, the FX30dS.

Global only for a few years after a US-market-only gestation period, Nissan's prestige brand has established a unique styling language -- clearly expressed in the FX crossover. First box on the road to brand equity ticked.

That said there's still much work to do. Indeed, this car's cabin and drivetrain especially show there's an evolution going on from closely-linked subsidiary to fully-fledged standalone entity with the parts and pieces to match.

In isolation, buyers will appreciate the hush of the FX's cabin, its high level of equipment and the quality feel of the quilted leather sports seats. Surface textures are in keeping with Infiniti's 'sporty premium' aim and there's attractive sculpturing to the dash and driver environs.

But those who have paid well above mass market dollars for their FX best stay out of a Maxima or Murano cabin. Slip into the proletarian vehicles cabins for even a quick look and they will start counting the parts and components that the mass market and prestige 'cousins' share.

Cabins are so often defined by the MMI (man machine interface) these days and the main component used in the FX is near-identical to that used in the lesser Nissans. Interestingly, Nissan itself doesn't allow its GT-R flagship to share the device.

As much as we enjoyed the close, cosy and seriously sporty ambience of the FX's cabin (more sports coupe than SUV, that's for sure), we couldn't help but fixate of the Nissan-spec multi-function controller.

Other ancillaries also look and feel just a shade below where a Euro prestige brand or Lexus might.

And then there's the drivetrain... In isolation (again), the 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel feels lusty and well matched to its seven-speed auto but there's an inertia in the system that means it never feels as free revving, nor as effortless as the current crop of best-in-show European equivalents.

The FX's V6 seems to take just a little more throttle to get things underway and the Renault-Nissan-sourced oiler is very quick to decelerate the moment you lift your right foot. In traffic this translates to you staying on the throttle longer than you would perhaps in the case of the excellent Volkswagen Audi Group V6 turbodiesel used in various Q5s, Touaregs and Porsche's Cayenne (Fortunately the M30dS we drove after the FX didn't exhibit the same reluctance to coast).

The engine's light commercial vehicle 'petticoat' shows here just a touch when the sports crossover tries to lift its skirts and perform.

In town too, the complete absence of any idle stop-start functionality compromises fuel economy. Where each of the Euros would have the powerplant shutdown and you sitting serenely at the traffic lights, the FX's turbo-diesel keeps chugging away. Not obtrusively, but chugging away nonetheless.

In the end our fuel consumption figure on the high side of 12.0L/100km wasn't too bad compared to petrol crossovers but witness the fact a recent couple of weeks in a turbo-diesel Panamera easily logged economy figures approaching single figures.

The FX's controls have a sporty heft to them. It steers accurately and in terms of its chassis, the FX's performance won't disappoint most sedan or coupe types. Ride is good despite the big wheels and liquorish-strap low profile tyres. Typical SUV buyers will think it performs like a sportscar.

But the same SUV buyers may lament the relative lack of space despite the FX's not inconsiderable footprint.

The rear load area floor is high but the hatch opening is not tall. Tumble the seats and there's room for a bicycle. Ftting two will be tight. And with the rear seat in place space is at a premium – it’s easy for a supermarket trip to fill the floor space.

It's also a tight squeeze for five in a cabin that has precious little more space than Audi's Q5, a car that is effectively a class smaller. The highly stylised exterior also compromises visibility. The rear screen is narrow and rear three-quarter vision is tight too.

Shorties won't be able to see the front of the car over the long dropping bonnet.

What the FX does do is attract admiring looks. A chance meeting in traffic with a 458 Italia had the Ferrari driver giving the Infiniti a very demonstrative thumbs-up. Footpath and carpark traffic also regularly commented on the car during our week at the wheel.

Infiniti does not pretend that its products will ever be all things to all luxury buyers. It's seeking a luxury performance niche and for those in the market for something away from the norm it has the undoubted potential to stand out from the crowd. As we stated in our intro, first box ticked...

Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site