CNY Infiniti

The 2009 Infiniti FX-50 SUV is definitely the one to beat as one completes the reviews of the brands competing in this category of cars. This all wheel drive (AWD) beast of an SUV develops a stupendous 390 horsepower and a torque of 369 pound-foot. This it is able to achieve through the new 5.0 liter V8 engine.

The drive is facilitated by an advanced total traction engineering system for all electronic torque split (ATTESA-ETS). So, what if this gas guzzler gets you a city fuel economy of 14 miles per gallon and 20 miles per gallon on the highway? I am sure you can sacrifice fuel economy for the power it provides to you on highways.

This SUV from the Infiniti stable has all the requisite safety systems in place inclusive of the Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution on all FX trims. If you want, you can go in for the optional Distance Control Assist (DCA), the Lane Departure Prevention/Lane Departure Warning, and the Intelligent Brake Assist functionality.

This last will come in useful if an imminent frontal collision with another vehicle becomes a possibility. The other two safety systems help you in keeping your beauty of an SUV from other vehicles in heavy traffic.

That brings me to the width of the FX-50 which is a considerable 75.9 inches. It hogs road space much to the chagrin of other vehicle drivers in heavy traffic especially on city roads. Therefore, the above safety systems are very much required. But of course, I am sure you would like to use the FX-50 for highway drives rather than on city roads, for that is the purpose for it has been built mainly for. Otherwise too, the FX-50 is hugely built with its length being all of 191.3 inches.

On highways you will find that the FX-50 zooms fast and quick like a Bionic Cheetah. It accelerates to 60 miles per hour in just 5.2 seconds flat. At a speed of 104 miles per hour the FX-50 practically negotiates the quarter mile in a trifle 13.6 seconds. Starting to think in terms of Formula One aren't you? Yeah, that is just about as fast as the FX-50 can zoom.

Well, if you think that's about all, you are wrong for the powerful engine in the FX-50 has plenty of spare RPMs (revolutions per minute) unutilized at even velocities of 80 through 120 miles per hour. The only downside to the FX-50 is the transmission. The 7-speed gizmo transmission is programmed to shift gears automatically, so by the time you reach 30 miles per hour you are already up into 5th gear. So, in city traffic the FX-50 will only give you practically single digit miles per gallon.