Year-End Deal Reality Check: Infiniti

Just because the Christmas shopping season is over, doesn't mean the deals are. The end of the year can be a great time to buy a new car. Infiniti's Limited Engagement sale is back this year, enticing new-car shoppers with low financing on new 2011 and 2012 vehicles.

Well-qualified buyers can purchase select 2012 Infiniti cars and SUVs and take advantage of 1.9% or 2.9% financing. The former is offered for between 36 and 60 months, and latter is offered for 72 months. Vehicles that qualify for the deal include 2012 versions of the Infiniti G25 sedan, G37 sedan, M sedan (including the M37, M Hybrid and M56), FX and QX56. The offer excludes the 2012 Infiniti G IPL.

In an effort to clear 2011 vehicles off the lots, Infiniti dealers are also offering the financing special on 2011 G37 coupes and convertibles and the EX35 SUV. For example, you can buy a 2011 G37 coupe starting at $37,150 (excluding destination charges) and get 1.9% financing for 60 months. These offers end Jan. 3.

Recall Alert: 14,718 2011-12 Nissan and Infiniti Vehicles

Nissan is recalling 14,718 model-year 2011 and 2012 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles due to faulty engine bolts, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced. The recall affects the 2011 Infiniti FX, 2012 Infiniti M, 2011-12 Nissan Frontier, 2011-12 Nissan Xterra, 2011-12 Nissan Pathfinder and 2012 Nissan NV.

The affected bolts connecting the engine oil cooler and the engine oil filter to the engine and may have been manufactured below specification strength. Weak bolts could break and lead to an engine oil leak. If there is a leak, the engine oil warning lamp will illuminate, and the engine may become noisy. If the driver ignores the condition, the engine could seize, increasing the risk of a crash.

Nissan will begin notifying owners on Jan. 19. Nissan and Infiniti dealers will inspect and replace relevant parts free of charge. For more info, owners can call Nissan at 800-647-7261 or NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.

Cars.com Reviews the 2011 Infiniti M Series

The Infiniti M was redesigned for this model year, now featuring curvaceous lines not only on the outside, but also in the cabin. The new V-6 is so robust that you don’t need to opt for the available V-8, says Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder, but the indecisive transmission doesn’t deliver seamless power. Also, the Infiniti’s price tag has slowly crept up, nearing the price of the BMW 5 Series. Is it worth the Benjamins?

2011 Infiniti M37 Reivew

2011 Infiniti M56x Video

The Infiniti M is a perfectly acceptable luxury sedan for families, with a roomy backseat and adequate trunk, Cars.com senior editor Joe Wiesenfelder says. Overall, the V-8 powered M56x feels more punchy compared with the V-6 powered M37, and the engine sounds terrific when revved. Still, the M56 is expensive and might not be worth the extra cost compared with the more down-to-earth M37, Wiesenfelder says.

Cars.com Podcast: 2011 Kia Forte Five-Door, 2012 Infiniti M56X, 2011 Nissan 370Z Roadster

There’s a little bit of everything in this week’s podcast. Kia has been on a roll lately with its Optima sedan and Sorento SUV, but they’ve got compacts, too, and unlike Hyundai, they have a hatchback version of the Forte compact sedan. Does it make the Forte platform more versatile? And how do editors Joe Wiesenfelder, Kelsey Mays and Mike Hanley feel about the new Infiniti M56X and Nissan 370Z Roadster?

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2012 Infiniti Lineup: Ch-Ch-Changes

The big change for Infiniti’s 2012 lineup is a new hybrid variant of the M sedan and a minor refresh for the FX crossover. The Infiniti M35h went on sale in March, and the FX goes on sale in the October.

You can learn more about the Infiniti M35h here:

• 2012 Infiniti M35h
• 2012 Infiniti M35h Hybrid Priced at $53,700

The 2012 FX receives a revised front grille and front end design, a new instrument cluster and standard heated front seats on all models. There’s also a new Limited Edition trim for the FX35 AWD, which includes 21-inch wheels, navigation and an exclusive Iridium Blue exterior color option, among other trim changes.

The rest of Infiniti’s lineup received updated packaging for 2012.

Hybrids, Luxury Cars Top Cars.com Search for April

Fuel-efficient cars and some luxury models topped our 15 biggest gainers in Cars.com search traffic for April. After analyzing the last 30 days of search data, the recently launched Infiniti M35h, Fiat 500, Ford Focus and the Lexus CT 200h saw significant gains on our site.

Increased search demand for more fuel-efficient options lead to a surge in compact and hybrid car traffic on Cars.com when gas surpassed the $4 a gallon mark for the first time in 2008. As we near $4 a gallon once again, it looks like the same trend is shaping up this time around; the only difference is this time more automakers are prepared with fuel-efficient options, including luxury players.

2012 Infiniti M Hybrid Rated at 32 MPG Highway

Infiniti announced official EPA fuel-efficiency ratings today for its first hybrid model, the 2012 M35h. The hybrid sedan has a 27/32 mpg city/highway rating, with a combined composite rating of 29 mpg.

That’s better than the 25/30 mpg rating Infiniti estimated earlier this fall, and it’s more fuel efficient than BMW ActiveHybrid models, the Mercedes S400 Hybrid and the BMW 335d diesel.

The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is more fuel efficient, at 41/36 mpg, but that model features a less powerful four-cylinder compared with the Infiniti’s V-6 power. It is also a smaller sedan.

Speaking of the powertrain, this is the first hybrid system for this Japanese luxury carmaker. Infiniti’s Direct Response Hybrid system is powered by a 302-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 plus a 50-kilowatt electric motor for 360 net hp, which should be pretty punchy.

The best comparison is this will be a more fuel-efficient player to the sporty-minded Lexus GS 450h, which only nets a 23 mpg combined EPA rating and has been a poor seller since being introduced. In fact, not many luxury hybrids have sold well.

The M35h is scheduled for a spring rollout. Do you think it will fare better than past competitors?

2012 Infiniti M35h Hybrid Sedan: First Look

• Competes with: Lexus GS 450h, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid
• Looks like: An Infiniti M sedan with a couple of extra gauges
• Drivetrain: 302-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 plus 50-kW electric motor for 360 net horsepower; 376-volt lithium-ion battery; seven-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive
• Hits dealerships: Spring 2011

Due at dealerships in spring 2011, the 2012 M35h is Infiniti's first hybrid and parent company Nissan's first homegrown hybrid technology after many years of selling a Toyota-derived system in the Nissan Altima Hybrid, which is available in limited markets. According to Infiniti, the as-yet-unpriced sedan will achieve 25/30 mpg city/highway, though official EPA ratings aren't available yet.

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Using a single electric motor and two clutches, the Direct Response Hybrid system's mileage characteristics are closer to those of Honda and Hyundai. Their hybrids' higher mileage comes in highway driving. Competitor Lexus' hybrids get better city mileage. Infiniti points out that the combination of 360 net horsepower and 30 mpg is unmatched in the market.

What Does This Button Do?

This one is almost too easy. It’s a picture of pine trees and sits right in the middle of other climate controls in the redesigned 2011 Infiniti M37. That means it clearly kicks on the automated air freshener that the Infiniti engineers ingeniously invented. It maintains the perfect level of pine tree aroma in the cabin. It even senses when the winter holidays are approaching and dials the fragrance up to 11.

OK, that’s not what this button does. What do you think the pine trees bring about inside the cabin?