EDMUNDS.COM 2004 INFINITI Q45
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 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
Fast, luxurious and priced thousands of dollars less than most peers, the Q is a solid buy for comfort seekers on a budget. But if owning the best is what matters to you, drive the competition first.
Pros
Elegant and spacious interior, long list of standard luxury features, strong V8, costs less than the competition.
Cons
Bland exterior design, unnecessarily complex interior controls, overly soft suspension.
What''s New for 2004
The Q''s five-speed automatic transmission gets a revised manual-shift mode, and the rearview backup camera now comes standard.
Overview
Introduction:
The Q45 was introduced in 1989, along with the Infiniti nameplate, and was heralded as an alternative to Germany''s finest. Indeed it was a luxury car geared toward the driver, with a promise of performance and driving pleasure over opulence. As sales numbers dwindled over the years, the Q45 was redesigned and battled the Bavarians once again between 1994 and 1997, but with an emphasis on comfort over sporting capability. For the 2002 model year, Infiniti completely redesigned its flagship with a partial return to its athletic roots. The heart of this full-size luxury sedan is a specially designed 4.5-liter V8 bursting with 340 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. These kinds of numbers put the Q in good company alongside the offerings from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. Infiniti decided to equip the Q45 with MacPherson struts in the front and a multilink suspension in the rear. This setup is still too soft to make the Q a desirable companion on back roads, at least not at the level of the Audi A8 or BMW 7 Series. However, an available adaptive suspension with driver-selectable modes allows owners to tailor the ride for a higher level of body control around corners or maximum comfort on the highway. A strong set of four-wheel vented disc brakes is enhanced with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), which evenly doles out stopping force; and BrakeAssist that reduces brake effort in emergency situations, the Q45 can be a very capable all-weather vehicle. Finally, every Q comes with Infiniti''s Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), a stability control system that helps keep the car on track no matter who''s behind the wheel. The interior of the Q is airy, light and spacious. Decked out with copious amounts of wood, brushed aluminum accents, leather and a simple instrument cluster, Infiniti presents the driver and passengers with an elegant interior. Passenger room is ample throughout. The 10-way power-adjustable driver seat never ceases to provide perfect comfort and support, and the power-adjustable tilt/telescoping wheel accommodates various driver postures with ease. Unfortunately, many of the Q''s features are controlled by a joystick that is simple in principle but difficult to use in practical situations. Besides its overly soft suspension and complicated controls, probably the biggest knock against the Q45 is its exterior design. Compared to its market rivals, it appears dull and uninspiring. If the Q were the only luxury sedan you ever drove, you would never miss a thing. But if owning the best of what''s around matters, make sure you drive the competition first.
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For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
Infiniti offers the Q45 sedan in two trim levels -- Luxury and Premium. The Luxury model comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a powerful set of high-intensity discharge headlights, a 10-way power driver seat and eight-way power front-passenger seat, front seat heaters, leather upholstery, genuine wood trim, a sunroof, a voice recognition system for various controls, a rearview backup camera, a full set of auto-dimming mirrors and a 300-watt Bose stereo with eight speakers, an in-dash CD changer and satellite radio (either XM or Sirius). The Premium model adds 18-inch wheels, an adaptive suspension with driver-selectable settings, a DVD-based navigation system, adaptive cruise control (called Intelligent Cruise Control), heated and cooled front seats, power-adjustable and heated rear seats, rear air conditioning controls and a power-operated rear-window shade along with manual shades for the side windows. Those who opt for the lower-priced Luxury model can pick up the nav system and adaptive cruise by ordering the Journey Package.
Powertrains and Performance:
The rear-drive Q45 is powered by a muscular 4.5-liter V8 that produces 340 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque. This power is routed through a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual-shift mode. Infiniti claims that the Q45 can go from zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.
Safety:
The Q45 features a myriad of standard safety features, including dual-stage front airbags with seatbelt sensors that help tailor deployment to collision severity. Front-seat occupants get front-seat active head restraints, while the seats themselves are equipped with supplemental side-impact airbags. Side curtain airbags protect front and rear outboard occupants. Other features include four-wheel antilock disc brakes with BrakeAssist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD). Stability and traction control are also standard. Every Q45 comes with Infiniti''s RearView Monitor, which helps avert parking lot mishaps by projecting the images from a rear-mounted camera to the car''s center display screen whenever the transmission is in reverse.
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For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
Step inside, and you''re greeted with an exquisite cabin draped in soft leather and bird''s eye maple wood trim. The electroluminescent gauges are both beautiful to look at and easy to read. Passenger room is ample throughout, and the spectacular Bose stereo fills the cabin with near perfect sound reproduction. Although visually appealing and technologically innovative, the Q''s climate and radio controls are needlessly complicated, routed as they are through a joystick-controlled LCD -- good thing voice command comes standard. Trunk capacity (13.7 cubic feet) is a bit meager compared to the competition.
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For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
The Q''s V8 engine feels strong once it revs up a bit, though it doesn''t feel as quick off the line as competitors'' V8s. Still, there''s no denying that the Q45 is a fast car, and most buyers won''t be disappointed. As you''d expect of large luxury sedan, the ride is delightfully quiet and comfortable on the highway. Handling around corners is less inspired than that of other luxury sedans, so the Premium model (with its adaptive suspension) is a must if you like to take the back roads.
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For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
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