In comparison to other vehicle manufacturers. Infiniti perhaps does not hold the strongest position in terms of the notoriety of UK vehicle manufacturers, but Infiniti is hugely sought-after and desirable in Europe and the outer world.
A branch of leading Japanese manufacturer Nissan, Infiniti is now sold in a range of locations worldwide. This connection between Infiniti and Nissan, along with Infiniti’s luxurious reputation, suggests the prospect of high reliability. But some factors dispute the vision of Infiniti as a good car manufacturer.
This article explores in great detail whether Infiniti cars are ultimately good cars, particularly in terms of reliability.
Guide
Infiniti is the luxurious offspring of Nissan; Nissan is one of the most mainstream and respected car manufacturers in the world. The relationship between Infiniti and Nissan has been compared to that of Lexus and Toyota. Competing with the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, Infiniti’s car model range includes the Q60 coupe, Q50 executive saloon and Q30 hatchback, as well as the QX30 and small SUV.
Infiniti has caused a stir of excitement across Europe and the wider world but has failed to attract British car buyers and enthusiasts. Instead, Infiniti has mainly ignited the interest of buyers in the US, with their bigger vehicles, such as the Infiniti QX8o, Infiniti QX50, and Infiniti Q50.
In the future, Infiniti hopes to improve its reputation by introducing a range of electric cars and a smart petrol engine with the advantage of a diesel-like fuel economy. This could tempt British buyers to consider Infiniti as a good car in the same way as their competitors.
Infiniti was founded in 1987 after Honda introduced the Acura brand and Toyota created Lexus. Prior to this time, the car sector has been dominated by more established and recognized premium brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Cadillac.
The first Infiniti models were introduced in 1989; the Q45 sedan and M30 coupe, both of which quickly attracted the interest of buyers and raised the popularity of Infiniti cars. In the 1990s and 2000s, Infiniti expanded the brand to include more models of vehicles, styles, and designs including crossovers, a body-on-frame SUV, and the renowned G-Series line of sedans and coupes.
Are Infiniti Cars Reliable Vehicles?
Infiniti cars are generally seen as good cars because they are highly rated across the most important elements in car manufacture and purchaser popularity; safety, performance, tech, affordability, cost of ownership, and perhaps most importantly, reliability.
When considering the question “Are Infiniti cars a reliable vehicle?”, the reliability of an Infiniti car is rated as fairly average, although reliability can differ from model to model.
In comparison to competitors, like BMW Audi, and Mercedes, Infiniti cars are constantly regarded as more reliable and are stronger than most European luxury brands. However, Infiniti is decidedly lower in terms of reliability than brands such as Acura and Lexus.
Furthermore, mainstream brands like Honda, Toyota, and Mazda consistently perform higher in terms of reliability, but this is perhaps expected from such leading vehicles.
It is important to note however, that reliability issues can be more prevalent in cars featuring more luxurious technology design and features. The more sophisticated Infiniti car will naturally encounter more problems due to the complexity and grandiosity of the car’s physical and inner design, as opposed to problems of a mechanical nature.
Are Infiniti Cars Expensive To Maintain?
Despite boasting an image of a highly sophisticated vehicle, the Infiniti car is actually one of the most affordable luxury cars that are available to purchase in comparison to other European competitors. As expected, luxury cars like Infiniti cars are more expensive than average cars to own, maintain and repair, so the cost of Infiniti cars is greater than brands such as Toyota.
However, Infiniti has the advantage of being more affordable than many other European luxury car brands. Furthermore, used Infiniti cars are far cheaper than second-hand sophisticated brands like Lexus.
Luxury vehicles, like Infiniti cars, are more expensive than mainstream cars due to their insurance costs, maintenance costs, and higher initial purchase price. All necessary costs of ownership are taken into account, including repair costs, fuel economy, and depreciation. Infiniti cars are likely to depreciate at a faster rate than mainstream cars because their powerful engines are less fuel-efficient and the body of the car is heavier.
Unsurprisingly, the advanced technology and features inside an Infiniti car mean that more moving parts are in operation, and these parts are often highly complex and intricate in creation. The potential for breakdown is more likely, and the subsequent repairs will be more costly. However, this should be expected when choosing a more luxurious option of a car like an Infiniti car.
Are Infiniti Cars Long Lasting?
As discussed earlier, Infiniti cars are part of the highly reputable Nissan family and have inherited the trust of cars consumers in their reputation as a long-lasting vehicle. Indeed, Infiniti cars and Nissan cars share not only impressive quality standards but share the same parts.
Therefore, a buyer should expect an Infiniti car to possess similar longevity to a Nissan car; around 10 years or 200,000 miles, dependent on care and maintenance. However, as a result of the more luxurious yet naturally more intricate exterior and technology involved in the production of Infiniti cars, they are more likely than other vehicles to encounter technical problems.
Rust can be a factor that can affect the physical ability of a car to be long-lasting. All models of Infiniti cars are now protected by an 84-month corrosion warranty. However, some particular models of Infiniti cars have been subject to complaints from buyers regarding problems with rust affecting the longevity of their vehicles.
For example, the exhaust and trunk edge near the tail light has been known to be susceptible to rust on a Q50 model of Infiniti car.
Driving an Infiniti car in wintery conditions can worsen rust on the exterior of the vehicle, particularly in regions that excessively salt road surfaces in winter, or in coastal areas with a high level of salt present in the air. This is because salt can intensify the speed at which rust can build upon an Infiniti vehicle and the amount of rust that materializes on the paint surface.
For many, avoiding driving a car during winter is not an option, but the following measures could be effective against rust instead:
- Invest in a rust proofing treatment, such as Krown. This could be particularly necessary if living in a region which experiences severe winter conditions.
- Wash the Infiniti car regularly, particularly after exposure to snow or other extreme weather conditions.
- Try to repair any scratches or paint areas in need of attention as soon as possible. This is because any exposed metal surface will begin to oxidise, before turning to rust.
- During winter months, try to keep the vehicle safely indoors where possible protected from the harsher elements.
Rust is, without doubt, the biggest factor affecting the physical longevity of a vehicle like an Infiniti car. Taking the above steps will ensure that your vehicle stays pristine for years to come and will provide long-lasting service.
Do Infiniti Cars Have A Lot Of Problems?
Many problems and complaints relating to vehicles surround their safety features. Safety is hugely important when considering a choice of vehicle, and Infiniti cars are seen to be one of the safest cars available. This is largely thanks to the expertise of Nissan, which has created safe vehicles for the road for over 80 years.
Infiniti cars are designed with structural integrity and encompass the most up-to-date safety and driver assistance tech in their vehicles. Naturally, customers can expect to be offered the best accident avoidance systems when opting for a luxury choice of a car like an Infiniti car.
Evidencing the safety of Infiniti cars, in North America, all models perform well on crashworthiness tests carried out by the IIHS and NHTSA and even receive the highest ratings to prove their ability to protect both driver and passengers before, during, and after the unfortunate event of an accident.
There is the potential for any vehicle to encounter a problem. In general, Infinity cars do not have a reputation for being problematic, yet many users have documented severe issues with Infiniti cars, including:
- Electrical system – problems have been reported with the camshaft positioning sensor, alternator, regulator, wiring and on-off sensor in Infiniti cars. A system breakdown has occurred in over 527 cars. Whilst a small electrical system fault could cost up to $300 in repairs, a more acute repair could cost up to $1,000.
- Issues with airbags – this safety issue has been a serious and frequent problem for passengers and drivers in Infiniti cars; more than 11% of users have reported this. This issue most often involves the warning light on an airbag. The replacement cost of a sensor for an airbag is $100.
- Rusting problems – as discussed, in the past Infiniti cars encountered serious problems with rusting. However, the company now provide an 84-month anti-corrosion warranty and are confident that corrosion will not occur even following exposure to moist conditions.
- Cooling system – users of Infinity cars have claimed that cooling fans within the cooling system do not work accurately or reliably. Furthermore, hardware issues have been known to occur in the cooling systems. One reason for this problem could be that Infiniti cars are designed with a Japanese outlook, and perhaps do not fully consider more tropical climates in our regions and countries.
- Transmission Failure – considering the purchase of Infiniti cars, second-hand buyers report cases of transmission failure after the 70,000-mile mark and discuss experiences of the steering rack leaking after 60,000 miles. These problems seem to occur across most models of Infiniti cars.
Yet despite these reports of problems with Infiniti cars and evidence of problem areas, there are few problems in comparison to cars made by other manufacturers. Prospective buyers are advised to consider the risks of these problem areas before opting for an Infiniti car.
How Many Miles Do Infiniti Cars Last?
Japanese cars are characterized for reliability and this extends to how many miles Infiniti cars can last. Certain models of Infiniti vehicles, such as the Infiniti Q50, are recognized to be reliable and durable cars, lasting anywhere between 250,000 and 300,000 miles, dependent of course upon care and a high level of maintenance.
With an annual mileage of 15,000 miles, an Infiniti vehicle could last for around 20 years, before the need for necessary and costly repairs becomes essential.
Generally, once 250,000 to 300,000 miles have been achieved in an Infiniti car, there is a high chance that the engine could fail. In this circumstance, the repair costs could be greater than the original cost of the vehicle.
The mileage longevity in a car centers around the quality of the materials and design of the vehicle. Certain measures can extend the mileage in an Infiniti car, such as:
- Procedurally maintaining routine checks on the vehicle, taking care to monitor tire pressure and fluid levels.
- Always ensuring to drive in a smooth manner.
- Following the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedules.
Taking steps to care for and preserve the vehicle should extend the mileage longevity in an Infiniti car.
Final Thoughts
This article recognizes that Infiniti vehicles have all of the strong attributes of a good car, following in the footsteps of their leader and companion Nissan. Overall, Infiniti cars can be regarded as a “good car”, with better than average reliability compared to other similar sophisticated vehicles of luxurious build and design.
The advanced, complex technology and features in an Infiniti vehicle can naturally lead to more risk of breakdown and higher repair costs. However, the strong quality and craftsmanship of an Infiniti vehicle make this car are an enviable choice of drive for anyone potential buyer.
Please comment below if you have any questions about this article and share your views on whether an Infiniti car is a good car.