2005 Infiniti Q45 Test Drive

The word "luxury" conjures different images for all of us. For some, it's a vision of a plush cocoon. For me, it's being surrounded by fine craftsmanship and functional design. The 2005 Q45 is Infiniti's flagship luxury sedan. Carrying a base price of $55,900 ($62,290 as tested), a 4 year/60,000 mile basic warranty and a 6 year/70,000 mile powertrain warranty, the Infiniti Q45 embodies my vision of luxury at most every turn, and keeps a relatively low profile in the process. It's stealth luxury.

If you live to be noticed, spend your sixty grand elsewhere. The Q45 is Infiniti's most conservatively styled vehicle. It looks like the offspring of a Lincoln Town Car and a Mercedes-Benz S-class. Every time I went to get in the Q45, I felt like I should be heading to the airport to pick up my passengers.

That said, a closer look at the Q45 reveals some very nice details. The auto-leveling Xenon headlights have seven lenses, and look a little like a high tech Gatling gun. The chrome grill is highlighted by a chrome Infiniti logo, and tasteful chrome accents shine on the trunk lid and on the door sills. The $5,800 (gasp!) "Premium Package" of options includes 18" aluminum-alloy wheels, which add a hint of sportiness to the Q45's look. Paint is of the highest quality, and everything fits together beautifully. There's no mistaking the quality of the Q45's construction, and there's nothing about its looks that is not in the best of taste. There's nothing about the looks that will get the blood pumping, either. The Q45 has a quiet authority, an understated air of luxury that I found appealing, but a little too sedate, a little too easy to overlook. To really appreciate what makes the Q45 special, you have to climb in for a ride.

My quest for the best leather seats on the planet is at an end. The Q45's seats are incredibly comfortable, usefully adjustable and covered in supple yet tough leather that feels like it will just get better with age, like a baseball mitt. My test car showed over 13,000 miles on the odometer, but the seats looked like new. Very impressive. And with the "Premium Package," the front seats are not just heated, like the standard, they are climate controlled, which was a great feature during the heat wave we've been experiencing in Southern California this summer. The rear seats are heated, and recline independently. Rear seat passengers loved this feature (except when the driver's seat was all the way back and they were crushed between the seats like bugs).

The array of useful and cool luxury features in the Q45 cabin is mind-blowing. In addition to a great Bose 300 watt audio system with a 6 CD changer in dash, there's an excellent DVD based navigation system, voice recognition, a rearview monitor, power sliding sunroof – you name it, the Q45 has it. Everything is well-laid out, useful and classy. Real wood bird's-eye maple trim accents the dash, doors, steering wheel and shift knob. There's nothing cheap or cheesy about the Q45.

The Q45 is a big heavy car, and it has just the right big, powerful engine to make it move. There's a 4.5 liter V8 under the hood making 340 hp/333 lb-ft of torque, delivered smoothly through a five speed automatic transmission (with manual shift mode) driving the rear wheels. The Q45 has traction control, dynamic control, electronic brake force distribution, 4 wheel anti-lock brakes – a full array of computerized enhancements that all add up to one smooth ride. Not floaty or cushy – the Q45's ride is firm and planted. Somehow the car manages to communicate road feel to the driver without shouting about it to the passengers, resulting in a responsive vehicle.

Best of all is the speed-sensitive power steering. When the car is moving slowly, the power steering provides all the help you need to maneuver easily. When the car picks up speed, the power steering backs off, giving you more direct feel and control. As a result, the Q45 is a fantastic highway car – with less power assisting your steering, you're in less danger of over-correcting in an emergency, and it's much easier to maintain your lane position under normal conditions. Around town, the Q45 is nimble for its size, quick and sure-footed – always a pleasant car to drive.

If I had a different kind of life – if I were, say, a real estate speculator, and I had to carry clients from one investment property to the next on a regular basis, I'd put the Infiniti Q45 on my short list of vehicles. I'd be way too protective of my Q45 to let anyone under the age of 25 in the back seat EVER, and even the best-behaved dog had better find another way to get to the groomer's.

If you're considering a Q45, you should measure it against other 8-cylinder luxury cars, like the more-expensive German competition like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Audi A8 and the BMW 7-series. Cadillac's STS and Lincoln’s Town Car don't deliver the same level of performance and quality, nor does the Jaguar S-Type, though all three are a little less pricey, while dishing out heaps of luxury and a certain kind of class. The Lexus LS 430 is worth a look and a drive. If money is no object and you just want the flashiest, most luxurious 8 cylinder luxury car available, consider the Bentley Arnage.

If cash is a consideration, though, and you're committed to the highest degree of luxury at the most reasonable price, the Q45 may be the car for you. You'll stand out from the BMWs and Mercedes, and you'll have extra padding in your wallet to boot.