Long-Term Road Tests

Last night, I got into the FX50 only to have my retinas attacked by a horde of super-bright gauges. I decided to remedy the situation by dimming the instrument panel. Given that this Infiniti is such a tech-laden beast, I expected this process to be unnecessarily complicated -- I expected to have to navigate a boatload of menus to get the job done.

Then I noticed that the controls for this function are right where you'd traditionally look to find them -- near the perimeter of the instrument panel. A couple of taps later, the brightness was dimmed and my retinas were safe from harm. Glad to see that Infiniti didn't deem it necessary to reinvent the wheel on this one.  

Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

For the past couple months or so every time I bring a car home and park it on the street, there are, what I like to call, little effers who mess with the passenger side mirror of those cars. These strangers who apparently have nothing better to do with their time will either fold the entire mirror in or press the mirror glass itself angling it outward. And it's not like they do it because there isn't enough room on the sidewalk. There's plenty. And naturally I don't notice the tampered mirror until I'm on the road and have to look at it before switching lanes and then "D'oh!" If it's just a matter of moving the mirror glass with the power function then it's not a big deal. Annoying, but no harm done. But when the whole mirror is folded in? Can make for a dicey situation.

But last night I had our 2009 Infiniti FX50 with its handy-dandy folding mirrors and that's just what I did. Tucked those babies in. HA ha! Effers.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

Below are the fuel economy numbers for October 2009. We've listed the best, worst and overall average tanks.

As usual, a couple of cars are out on the road or unavailable at the time of this writing. I'll continue to add them as they come in and let you know in the comments.

After the jump you can see the list sorted by best average MPG.

Continue reading Big List of Fuel Economy: October 2009 .

Categories: 2007 Honda Civic GX,2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution GSR,2008 Pontiac G8 GT,2009 Audi A4 Avant,2009 Audi S5,2009 BMW 750i,2009 BMW M3,2009 Dodge Challenger R/T,2009 Dodge Ram 1500,2009 Ford Flex Limited,2009 Honda Fit Sport,2009 Hyundai Genesis V6,2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD,2009 Mazda 6 i Grand Touring,2009 Nissan 370Z Touring,2009 Nissan GT-R,2009 Suzuki SX4,2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS,2010 Honda Insight EX,2010 Mazdaspeed 3,2010 Volvo XC60 T6 AWD

This is what the cockpit of the 2009 Infiniti FX50 looks like when you hit the ignition button too lightly for not long enough and then walk away with the key in your hand and lock the door, thinking you've shut down the V8 and left the lights to automatically extinguish themselves. Only to find that you've left the engine still running.

Which I've done in our noisy parking garage.

Twice.

Michael Jordan, Executive Editor @ 24,490 miles

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD,Vehicles

There are some pretty late nights here at the office from time to time. I had a string of them in a row. To add on top a touch of the flu and I'm getting a little loopy by the end of the day.

I was pretty much out of it as I left last night. I was waiting at the stop light to exit the garage when I looked down on the passenger seat. I swear to god I started to hear the piano intro to "Diamonds Are Forever" as I looked over the stitch patterns of the seat. All I needed to complete the package was Shirley Bassey to start belting out notes right behind my head.

I need to get some sleep.

Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

The only thing better than being able to turn off warning chimes associated with back-up cameras and other safety features in today's high-tech-laden cars is being able to turn them off without digging through a bunch of confusing menu pages.

Our Infiniti FX50 makes it oh-so-easy to silence the beep. When you put the car in reverse, this screen automatically comes up. Don't want to listen to the beeping? Hit the virtual button labeled "beep" and all's quiet on the reversing front. It's just that easy.

Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

For a vehicle that seems to pride itself on its masculine appearance, the FX50 doesn't exactly show off its massive V8 very well. In fact, barring the giant label on the cover, you would be hard pressed to distinguish this engine from a run of the mill four banger.

This shrouding tactic is getting more popular every year and I'm not sure why. Sure it looks clean and neat, but even the most complex overhead cam V8 can look pretty cool when you can actually see it.

Granted, about .04% of all FX owners will ever actually open their own hoods, but all that black plastic just looks like the designers punted and moved on.

Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor, Inside Line

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

You asked for it. Below you'll find recent sales totals for the Infiniti FX model line. Annual sales for 2007 and 2008 run January to December. 2009 figures span January to June:

'07 FX35: 19,129
'07 FX45: 1,598

'08 FX35: 12,079
'08 FX45: 581

'09 FX35: 5,357
'09 FX45: N/A
'09 FX50: 531

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

Our long-term 2009 Infiniti FX50 was delivered with Sport Package ($3000) that includes:

• Continuous Damping Control with Auto and Sport modes
• Rear Active Steer
• Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS, swiveling headlamps)
• Sport style front seats
• Driver's seat with power bolster adjustment (4-way) with thigh support (D&P) 
• Dark-tinted headlights, side air vents and lower door trim
• 21-inch W-rated summers tires and wheels

Unfortunately, we didn't get the Tech Package ($2900), which includes the Lane Departure warning and prevention system.

If we did get Lane Departure, it would work like this:

I tried Infiniti's lane departure system recently on a drive to San Francisco in a M45.
The system worked well, was not intrusive, and fed back just a bit of steering torque to correct the vehicle back into the lane.

However, it is not completely autonomous driving: if you intentionally attempt to leave your lane or you accidently input an extreme vector out of the lane, the system won't save you. 

 Albert Austria, Senior Engineer, Edmunds, Inc

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

I've spent the past couple of days in our 2009 Infiniti FX50. Before I grabbed the keys to the Infiniti I couldn't tell you the last time I saw any version of FX on the road. But since I've had the key in my pocket they're everywhere. I saw three (two FX35s and one FX45) yesterday on my commute home in the rain. This morning I encountered another FX35.

These FXs are understandably a rare breed. Do you see any in your neighborhood?

Mike Schmidt, Vehicle Testing Manager @ 23,904 miles

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

It hasn't rained in our part of Southern California in months, so when the weatherman announced the threat of precipitation this week, I was grateful to already have the keys to our 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD hanging on my kitchen key rack.

Nothing turns the California freeway system into a spinning, sliding, jacked-up mess like a couple of raindrops, and the FX50's standard all-wheel-drive system was reassuring during my dark early morning commute in the wet.

Kelly Toepke, News Editor @ 23,876 miles

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

What do you want to know about the 2009 Infiniti FX50?

Have you driven one? Write a review in the comments section.

Any details you want us to take a picture of? Now is your chance to ask.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

It may look like a giant squid, but it's got motor.

Our Infiniti FX50 packs a 390-horsepower 5.0-liter V8, seven-speed automatic transmission with manual mode, and all-wheel drive.

There may be a lot of crossovers on the market today but the 2009 Infiniti FX50 is a high-performance crossover.

It's big. It's bad. It's Car of the Week.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

I made this video on my way to work to show you how the Infiniti FX50's large hood makes you feel like you are taking up the entire road.

Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor

Categories: 2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD

Floor mats? We're talking about floor mats?

Well, why not? After all, Toyota just issued a humungous recall of 3.8 million vehicles because of a link between floor mats and sticking throttles. And I received a lot of questions in the immediate aftermath of that announcement, such as: Is this a Toyota-specific issue?

Well, this recall is specific to Toyota and Lexus, but my mind flashes back to numerous times when my own floor mats got fowled with the pedals in several of my personal vehicles over the years, Toyota and non-Toyota alike. And I know of the fear and panic that can come with a stuck throttle experience, because it happened to me at top speed on a racetrack, though that incident wasn't quite floor mat related.

So I grabbed a dozen random keys to some of our long-term test cars to see what I could see. No Toyota keys were handy, though. I'll catch the Prius later.

Before we make the jump, take a gander at the photo above. This is a typical Toyota/Lexus floor mat installation: An top-hinged "pendulum-style" gas pedal is paired with a generous cut-out in the mat to produce a large clearance. The floor mat is kept from creeping forward by two plastic hooks just in front of the seat. As long as it remains hooked and the floor mat is the right size and shape, things should be fine.

Moving on, in alphabetical order...

Continue reading Floor Mat Walkaround.

Categories: 2008 Pontiac G8 GT,2009 BMW 750i,2009 BMW M3,2009 Dodge Challenger R/T,2009 Ford Flex Limited,2009 Honda Fit Sport,2009 Hyundai Genesis V6,2009 Infiniti FX50 AWD,2009 Nissan 370Z Touring,2009 Suzuki SX4,2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS,2010 Honda Insight EX