It’s hard to fault a vehicle with just about every accessory known to man and is just about the best crossover vehicle I have ever driven. About all I can say is I don’t like the colour of my test JX-35 as dark grey, as it is hard to keep clean when you don’t like washing vehicles, but that’s just me.
Looking over the JX for the first time it doesn’t jump out as an absolutely beautiful vehicle, but it does have very eye-catching lines that seem to be more attractive the longer you look at it. Trust me when I say it looks much better in person than in the pictures.
Nothing has been overlooked in the new design, as door and window sizes are proportionate to the size, at the same time perfect for easily getting in and out. The back hatch area is gently curved for better visibility in bad weather and is not too big to get in the way when in tight parking lots.
Since I received the Infiniti just before I was to return my other newly designed test vehicle, I was able to accurately evaluate just how well laid out and well designed the interior is. Except for a few rarely used switches that are mounted to the left and under the dash, all the other controls are well positioned and easy to reach for the driver.
The passenger can also access sound system and environmental controls fairly easily as well. I especially liked the dull dash area that doesn’t reflect any glare up as many vehicles in this class have a large slanted glass that makes for a big dash surface. I also appreciated the rather plain design controls in the big LED screen area, as they don’t tend to distract me when driving about.
Seating for the driver and passenger are, as you would expect top notch. The power seating allows for endless combinations of seating positions. One interesting feature on my test car was the cooled/heated seats. Yes, cooled seats that were very appreciated in the hot weather I experienced during testing.
In the back, there is seating for 5 individuals (7-seating total) which makes the JX an alternative to the mini-van. My test vehicle had the optional panoramic glass roof, which makes traveling back there a whole lot more interesting for passengers.
The JX comes standard with a 3.5L double overhead cam V6 with 265hp and 248lb.ft. of torque enabling the vehicle to tow 3,500-pounds with ease. Combine this with a Constant Variable Transmission (CVT), and you find you have a vehicle with quick and very smooth acceleration. The optional 235/55R20 all season radial tires make for a competent handling car even in poor rainy conditions, which I also experienced during testing.
As you might expect with all the seats up, luggage space in minimal but fold down the third row of seats and storage is very reasonable. Fold the second row of seats and you have massive cargo carrying capacity second to none.
The JX-35 is a well-thought out car that is in many cases well ahead of the competition in many areas. If you are looking for a luxury vehicle with great carrying capacity, this Crossover in the $60,000 range is well worth a look.