Infiniti JX

Shopping for a new Infiniti JX? MSRP: $41,250 - $42,650

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The Infiniti JX is the Japanese luxury brand's first foray into the heart of the seven-seat luxury crossover market, which has been dominated for many years by the Acura MDX. Earlier Infiniti crossovers were either smaller and much more performance-oriented--the FX series--or somewhere between full-size and gigantic, like the V-8-engined QX56.

First launched in spring 2012 as a 2013 model, the JX shows off the Infiniti styling cues of large chrome double-arc grille up front and a crescent-shaped rear roof pillar. The lines are smooth and curvaceous, and considering the volume of the vehicle, we think Infiniti has done a good job in minimizing its visual bulk, with the roofline dropping slightly at the rear and gently swelling "haunches" over the wheels staking out a different direction of the Acura's boxiness.

The Infiniti JX offers only a single powertrain: a 265-horsepower, 3.5-liter V-6 mated to a new generation of the Nissan continuously variable transmission (CVT). It delivers a combined EPA rating of 20 mpg with all-wheel drive, 21 mpg if you order the front-wheel-drive model. Like most new Infiniti models, the JX offers a selection of four drive modes: Eco, Standard, Sport, and Snow. The Sport mode is unusual in that it essentially controls the CVT like a conventional six-speed automatic, giving a more linear relationship between engine speed and road speed at the cost of a few percentage points of fuel efficiency.

As a family vehicle, the JX has been designed to maximize interior volume, safety, and convenience. Among its innovations are the ability to move the second-row seat forward even if a child safety seat is latched into place, to give third-row access. If no safety seat is installed, the second-row seat is articulated in such a way that it gives 19 inches of space through which third-row kids can climb--far better, Infiniti says, than any other comparable vehicle.

Thus far, the Infiniti JX hasn't been rated for crash safety by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), though like all automakers these days, Infiniti says it expects to receive the highest ratings.

One unique new safety feature is an optional Backup Collision safety camera, which scans the area immediately behind the tailgate when the JX is put into reverse. If it senses an object--whether it's a child or a stray little red wagon--in the path of travel, it applies the brakes to prevent a collision. Infiniti says this feature tested very highly with parents, and it expects it to be very popular.

Reinforcing the luxury aspect of this seven-passenger crossover, the JX comes with a new and more capable telematics package that includes one year's free service for destination assistance, in-vehicle access to Google Calendar, and alerts if the car exceeds a pre-set speed or travels outside specific geographic boundaries. For an additional subscription fee, the Infiniti Personal Assistant service offers instant connection to a live human concierge, who will do his or her best to answer any query the driver may have.

The base front-wheel-drive Infiniti JX is priced just above $40,000, right in line with its main competitor, the Acura MDX.

For the 2014 model year, the Infiniti JX will change its name to the Infiniti QX60. For model-year information, see our Infiniti QX60 page.