Infiniti is not a car manufacturer that many will be familiar with, however this luxury manufacturer, aiming for fourth place after Mercedes, BMW and Audi is definitely worth considering.
Given the manufacturers partnership in F1 with champion winners RedBull Racing they really are a manufacturer with impressive pedigree.
This 359bhp petrol-electric M is the fastest accelerating car of its kind on sale today, with 0-62mph taking just 5.5 seconds – rivals from BMW and Lexus need an extra 0.4 seconds.
What’s the 2012 Infiniti M35h like to drive?
The V6 petrol engine in the M is powerful and it makes the car rapid. This is true whether you’re nipping away from the lights under electric power or using the engine at higher speeds. The switch between battery and electric power is very smooth, too.
However the brakes are a little keen for town driving (queuing).
What’s the Infiniti M35h like inside?
The M35h has a classy interior built from a selection of high-quality materials that look and feel great. The model we had featured lots of pale dark wood which dated it slightly, however there are black inset options available.
The biggest downside is the vast amount of space the battery robs from the boot; the standard diesel and petrol models’ 450-litre space falls to just 350-litres, which is a long way short of the class best.
There’s room for four adults inside, but this is definitely a 2+2 as there is a large transmission tunnel eating into rear foot space.
Should I buy one?
We were very impressed and overall this car was better than the diesel Mercedes E Class it displaced for this week long trial. Given the CO2 output of sub 160g/km, the fact that for London users there are Congestion Charge advantages over rivals like the BMW 5 series, and the very personal service you get from owning an Infiniti over its, mainly German, rivals we would seriously suggest taking a look.