Test-Drive: 2012 Infiniti M Hybrid

2012 Infiniti M35h. Click image to enlarge

More Infiniti M35h reviews on Autos.ca Manufacturer’s web site Infiniti Canada

Review and photos by Jil McIntosh

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2012 Infiniti M35h

Originally used to power compact hatchbacks that could be more geeky than truly good, hybrid technology has more recently entered the luxury realm. Such an example is the Infiniti M35h, an all-new model for 2012.

Nissan is no stranger to electrification – there was the Altima Hybrid even before the battery-powered Leaf – and bringing it to its premium division is a natural. So while the M35h carries a 3.5-litre V6 as its name suggests, it also has an electric motor and lithium-ion battery. The gasoline engine produces 302 horsepower, along with 258 lb-ft of torque, but when the electric motor is added in, the combination can produce up to 360 horses, and the motor can kick in 199 lb.-ft. of torque.

That’s more horsepower than the gasoline-only M37, which coaxes 330 ponies out of its 3.7-litre V6, although not as much as the M56, which has 420 horses on tap out of its 5.6-litre V8. The M35h outshines both of them on fuel economy. You’ll pay for that, though: while the M37 starts at $52,400, and the least-expensive M56 is $66,200, the hybrid rings in at $67,300, albeit in a single, fully-loaded trim line. Saving the planet isn’t always the cheapest proposition.

2012 Infiniti M35h. Click image to enlarge

Unlike its conventional M37 and M56 siblings, which can be ordered with all-wheel drive, the M35h only powers its rear wheels. And while Nissan puts CVTs into many of its models, this one uses a conventional seven-speed automatic transmission. I don’t mind giving up any extra mileage in return for the more premium feel of a unit with gears. Like most other hybrids, the M35h can run on gasoline, electricity or a combination of the two, but thanks in part to its energy-dense lithium-ion battery, it can stay on electric power at higher speeds, depending on driving conditions. The company says it can do this up to 100 km/h, but I was at 115 km/h at one point when it switched over and cruised on battery power alone. It’s not a plug-in, though; the battery recharges with regenerative braking.

The electric motor’s torque gives the M35h considerable acceleration power, and if you’re willing to sacrifice a few squirts of fuel, it feels similar to a V8 if you put your foot firmly down on the long pedal. An “Eco” driving mode can be accessed via a dial on the dash (which also includes Sport and Snow modes), but if you’re like me, you’ll try it once and then forget it exists. It’s actually unpleasant and gives the engine sluggish response to throttle input. It also activates the “Eco pedal,” a Nissan-exclusive invention that should also have been left in the box. When it’s on, the pedal will push back against your foot if it thinks you’re too aggressive on the throttle. Rather than make me fuel-conscious, it was just annoying. In case you’re wondering, the pressure is minor and you can put your foot down past it if you need to accelerate.

2012 Infiniti M35h. Click image to enlarge

Even with a few trips in Sport mode, I got pretty decent mileage for a full-size car that tips the scale at 1,883 kilograms. Against published figures of 7.5 L/100 km (38 mpg Imp) in the city and 6.1 (46) on the highway, I averaged 7.9 (36) in combined driving. By comparison, the conventional M37 rates 11.4/7.6 (25/37). Premium fuel is recommended.

Over the years, the Infiniti M has morphed from forgettable into a solid, easygoing machine that’s far more luxury than sport, along the lines of competitors such as Mercedes-Benz’s E-Class. Other than when the Eco mode is on, the driving experience is exemplary: acceleration is linear and the system switches between gasoline and electric power seamlessly. The electro-hydraulic steering is nicely weighted, if far more lenient Lexus-like than Audi-style sharp sportiness. The chassis is similarly tuned to be pliable, although it’s never floaty or wobbly. I didn’t care for the brakes, though. The pedal is too firm, with that harsh earlier-hybrid brake feel that most automakers have overcome, and it’s hard to regulate.

The exterior is handsome enough, if a little underwhelming, although I do like looking down the hood over those sweet front fender bulges. The interior’s quite impressive, though: soft-touch leather seats, handsome design and wood trim with silver powder impregnated in it, which looks much better than it sounds. There are a lot of buttons, but the audio and navigation systems are easy to figure out. Especially nice is an Infiniti exclusive called “Forest Air,” which includes special filters and humidity control. Once the cabin’s at the set temperature, the system alternates airflow through the dash vents to simulate a breeze that’s surprisingly refreshing.

2012 Infiniti M35h. Click image to enlarge

Nissan loves its technology, and the M35h is stuffed with it. The adaptive cruise control regulates the distance from the car in front, and while a few of these systems are still a bit jerky, this one has very smooth operation. A blind spot warning system lets you know if there’s a car alongside, a forward collision warning beeps if you’re too close to the car in front, and the lane departure warning will tell you if you’re drifting across the line. The car takes it a step further with its lane departure and blind spot prevention systems: if you ignore the warning and continue to creep over, the system will apply the brakes lightly on one side, guiding you back into your lane. You can shut most of these systems off if you prefer, but I’m not entirely comfortable with the rapidly expanding number of electronic nannies that automakers are introducing. In theory, they should be an extra pair of eyes to help for the odd time that drivers, being human, make mistakes. In practice, I fear that drivers may come to depend on them, figuring that it’s okay to text or play with the stereo controls, since the car will warn if traffic has stopped up ahead.

The battery resides in the rear, so the trunk is shallower than on the gasoline-only M models (320 litres for the hybrid, versus 422 litres for non-hybrid). I don’t golf, so I’ll have to take Infiniti’s word that you can still put four golf bags into the trunk, but I had no problem bringing home a week’s groceries with some room left over.

The big question, of course, is whether you should pop for the M35h’s extra cost. You can’t get an apples-to-apples comparison to its rear-wheel drive siblings, because the option packages for the gasoline-only models that add most of the M35h’s standard technology can only be added to the all-wheel models. The M35h then sits in the middle price-wise, its $67,300 tag between the M37x equipped with the package at $63,800, and the M56x which shoots up to $73,800 with it.

If it’s tough to get the purchase price back out of a Prius with its fuel savings, it’ll be pretty much impossible with the M35h when compared with its conventional V6 sibling. According to the Canadian government’s official fuel figures, the annual gasoline costs for the hybrid are $667 less than with the M37, but the M35h is $14,900 more than the base M37. By those numbers, expect a return after 22 years. (There’s an annual $989 savings for the hybrid over the eight-cylinder M56.) The M35h is pretty much the definition of premium: you buy it because you want it for what it is. And what it is, is a very nice interpretation of what gasoline and electricity working together can do.