It may well be the new benchmark for crossovers. With seating for seven, loads ofers everything a family of four or more could want. In fact Infiniti dealers are having trouble keeping them on the lot.
The JX slots between Infiniti's gnarly and speedy looking FX37/FX50 and their full-size Q56 SUV. And although it’s shorter and narrower than the Q56, the JX has about as much passenger space as that big Kahuna.
Its car-like features include a low and near perfect 19.5 inch step-in height, a low 31.5-inch load height and a generous cargo volume of 77 cubic feet.
Slip into the perforated leather seats and you’re treated to pure comfort and upscale details that are accented by wood trim and metal. In fact the console and center stack appear to come from the sporty and hot M sedan. All instrumentation is relatively easy to use and a single mouse control makes perusing the display quite easy.
Sporting an interior volume of 149.8 feet, the JX has best-in-class interior space according to Infiniti. And unlike many third row crossovers, the JX offers easy ingress/egress into that seat, even for two adults.
Second row seats slide fore/aft 5.5 inches for either more cargo space or third row legroom. Of course both second and third row seats recline and fold for increased cargo carrying capacity.
With the third row seats up, there’s 18.5 inches of storage depth, which allows enough space for a dozen or more grocery bags. As such, the area measures 46.25 inches wide and 29.75 high. Flip the third row seats and depth extends to 45 inches or 78 when folding the second row as well. And Infiniti designers thoughtfully heated both front and second row seats, a feature normally only offered on premium-priced imports.
My test car came with dual sunroofs. One small one over the front seats and another larger (32x29.5 inches) one over the rear seats.
What I really liked about this Infiniti - as in other Infiniti models - is the 360-degree “birds eye” camera view of the area around the car. It beats a plain rearview camera view. That, and the industry’s first back-up collision system that automatically hits the brakes to avoid an accident when in reverse. Optional and probably worth the extra cost, are Blind Spot Warning, Blind Spot Intervention, Forward Collision Warning and intelligent cruise. With all these high-tech safety goodies, insurance carriers should discount the premium.
My only complaint about the JX, aside from the price, is that the second row headrests should be of low profile for a less obstructive rear view.
Power is derived from a 265-hp, 3.5L V6 that generates 248 lb/ft of torque and sends it to the AWD system through a CVT transmission. The combination provides EPA mileage estimates of 18 city, 23-highway mpg. Acceleration, however, is a bit lethargic since it’s pulling 4,537 pounds of heft. The JX is not an FX by any means but it’s not supposed to be. It’s a family car with excellent ride and handling characteristics on 20-inch Bridgestone Dueler tires. Overall, the JX provides a quiet, smooth, comfortable and compliant ride.
Loaded with a good number of safety and comfort items (I could do without the optional sunroofs), my JX test car priced out at $42,500. Since it has lots of competition from the Acura MDX, Lexus RX and Cadillac SRX, for the price, JX has more space and offers more value per dollar. However, the JX more closely competes against Toyota’s Venza, which has similar styling ques but less techy content.
By now, Infiniti knows it has another winner in its line as parent Nissan did with their Murano (the basis for the JX) when it debuted.
To test drive a JX (if they have one), stop by Bennett Infiniti on West Tilghman Street in Allentown. And to automatically receive auto news and views from Nick Hromiak, click on the “Subscribe” notation on this page.
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