Decision Time
 

I have been looking for a long time for the "perfect" vehicle, it's down to the Q5 and the new infiniti jx. I realize it may seem like apples and oranges, but just go with it for the sake of this post.

The jx is a more techy car, but there is something really cool about the Q5 which is hard to explain. Depending on options, there is between a $4k and $7k difference... jx is more expensive optioned out.

I know a lot about the Q5, not so much on infiniti. Is anyone here enamored with the jx or is it Q5 all the way?

Can you elaborate on this a bit more as to what 'more techy' is?

How was the driving? was the jx as agile as the Q5? stylish? comfortable???

You probably already know that the JX, like the upcoming Pathfinder, is essentially a stretched Murano with a unique look and nicer materials. My wife put 110,000 essentially trouble-free miles on a first generation Murano, and couldn't be persuaded to trade it until the Q5 2.0T came along. (She does not like the styling of the newer Murano.) I don't want to say the JX styling is 'love it or hate it', but it would have to be a darn fine driver for me to consider it. I simply don't like Infinit's styling direction - particularly the front end/grille treatment. But based on my experience with Infiniti/Nissan products, I would say the JX probably offers a lot of value for the money. Their controversial CVT transmission has been greatly improved over earlier versions, but don't expect it to be as good as Audi's 8-speed auto. Infiniti's Nav system seems more intuitive with up-to-date maps. From my experience during my G35 ownership, the Infiniti sales and service experience is at least on par with Audi's. If you can wait for the new Pathfinder, you might add that to your list. It has more traditional styling than the JX and will of course be less expensive.

http://www.autoguide.com/gallery/gal...Concept-06.JPG

http://images.thecarconnection.com/m...00376489_m.jpg

You can add me to this group as well, as long as you consider Lexus along with Infiniti. They have both headed into the realm of cartoonish looking front ends/grills, in my opinion.

Me too, not real big on there styling and it doesn't come in manual so my heart is still with the Q5.

My wife and I looked at all the Infinitis at the Chicago auto show and were unimpressed. I think the guys that used to do design for Jaguar 10 years ago now work for Infiniti. The space efficiency of their designs doesn't seem very good. Amazed by how small the cargo area was on the FX, EX, etc. Styling is a bit out there, too.

The test drive in the jx was okay, but it didn't blow me away. I would say that it was generally a comfortable ride & spacious.

In terms of the "techy" features, here are some examples...

Intelligent Cruise Control (Full-Speed Range)[*]
Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA)[*] with Forward Collision Warning (FCW)[*]
Blind Spot Warning (BSW)[*]
Back-Up Collision Intervention (BCI)[*]
Distance Control Assist (DCA)[*]
Active Trace Control (adjusts vehicle braking and engine torque to help enhance cornering feel)
Eco Pedal
Heated steering wheel
Remote engine start
Climate-controlled front seats
Heated second-row seats (outboard only)
Rain-sensing front windshield wipers
Infiniti Hard Drive Navigation System with 8-inch WVGA color touch-screen display, Lane Guidance and 3-D building graphics[*] Video Demo
Infiniti Voice Recognition for audio, navigation, and vehicle information systems
NavTraffic with detailed traffic information provided by SiriusXM[*]
NavWeather with current weather updates and 3-day forecasts provided by SiriusXM[*]
Zagat Survey® Restaurant Guide
Infiniti Connection, including 1-year subscription for all safety, security and convenience services[*]
Around View® Monitor[*] with Moving Object Detection and Front and Rear Sonar System[*]
Bose® 13-speaker Premium Audio system, including AM/FM/CD/DVD with MP3 playback capability, Radio Data System (RDS) and speed-sensitive volume control
Streaming audio via Bluetooth® wireless technology[*]
Dual-occupant memory system for driver's seat, steering wheel and outside mirrors, linked to individual Intelligent Keys
Entry/exit assist for driver's seat and steering wheel
Enhanced Intelligent Key memory stores an occupant memory position, and last used audio, climate control, and navigation settings

As someone who works in high tech, I understand how companies come up with these feature names/acronyms, but some of these... sheesh!

Eco Pedal??!! really?? Made from Bamboo, I'm guessing?! :D

and Active Trace Control... sounds a lot like something quattro system does (only quattro is a way cooler name). I'm not beating on Infiniti, they make great cars... just their marketing people ;-)

Beyond marketing speak, how much of it is "need" vs "nice to have"? That's what I am trying to figure out.

The Around View camera is a really nice feature. A few other companies are starting to copy it, but I believe the EX35 was the first US model to have it. Super slick and very helpful!