2013 Infiniti FX

3.7-LITER DOHC V6
Nissan's all-aluminum, 4-valve-per-cylinder V6 has long been a sweetheart of an engine. The larger 3.7-liter version (already used in the Infiniti G, Nissan Z and others) carries on the tradition, with even more power and efficiency to go with its smooth, free-revving character.

IN-YOUR-FACE SHEETMETAL
Rarely does a big car company embrace a love-it-or-leave-it exterior design, but Infiniti went all in with the original styling of the FX. Some restraint – and with it, more elegance – has crept in with the intervening facelifts, but the 2013 Infiniti FX is still a powerful aesthetic statement.

You step up, as with any SUV, to enter the Infiniti FX, but once inside, it feels more like a swoopy sports sedan. Though not as daringly styled as the exterior, the FX cabin is still quite unusual among SUVs, whose cabins are generally laid out for utility and functionality first. In the FX, a driver-centric cockpit with a pronounced center-stack design confirms the message that this thing is for driving first, and although the folding rear seatbacks add flexibility for hauling cargo, the reality is rear-seat and load-deck space is just not very generous.

The Infiniti FX's look has softened some over the years but you still won't confuse it with your cousin's Nissan Rogue. The sheetmetal below the beltline is barely able to contain the wheel-and-tire package (especially with the 20- or 21-inch wheels) while topside the greenhouse looks slightly undersized relative to the rest of the SUV's expanse. Fenders bulge not so subtly, there are aero-look details front and rear, and the headlight and taillight treatments (new last year) are distinctive. The sleek shape squeezes cargo and passenger space in back, but that's the FX proposition.

For 2013, the FX's V6 engine grows from 3.5 liters to 3.7, and benefits from Variable Valve Event and Lift (VVEL) technology to optimize power, efficiency and emissions. With 325 horsepower, it's all the FX really needs. Status and speed will lure many to the more expensive 5.0-liter V8. Rated at 390 horsepower, the V8 provides a significant increase in power over the V6 without a huge penalty in fuel economy. Both engines are connected to a 7-speed automatic transmission with both manual-shift mode and Adaptive Shift Control. The FX37 is available as a rear-driver (RWD) or with all-wheel drive (AWD); the FX50 is AWD only.

3.7-liter V6
325 horsepower @ 7,000 rpm
267 lb-ft of torque @ 5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/24 mpg (RWD), 16/22 mpg (AWD)

5.0-liter V8
390 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
369 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/20 mpg

A base 2013 Infiniti FX37 with RWD starts at just over $45,000, while AWD adds $1,450. The FX50 with AWD standard has a base of $61,600, and can top $68,000 with its Sports Technology Package and a good selection of accessories. The FX35 AWD Limited Edition model costs $53,700, for as long as they last (only 550 units are slated for production). The Acura ZDX has a similar price spread – $47,000 to $57,000 – while offering even less utility. The Audi Q7, BMW X6 and Porsche Cayenne are similarly priced to start but they can quickly accelerate toward $100,000. Check KBB's Fair Purchase Price to see transaction prices for the 2013 Infiniti FX in your area. Residual values for the FX should be roughly the same as those of the Cayenne and Q7, but below those of BMW's X6.

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