2006 INFINITI Q45 Review
2006 INFINITI Q45 Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Elegant and spacious interior, long list of standard luxury features, strong V8, excellent value.
Cons
- Unnecessarily complex interior controls, small trunk capacity, not as athletic as some competitors.
What’s new
The Infiniti Q45 heads into 2006 with a new Sport variant. This version of the Q includes an active rear-steer system, a more sport-oriented suspension tune and 19-inch alloy wheels. The active-steer system monitors vehicle speed and steering input and uses motor-driven control to automatically adjust the rear suspension geometry to improve handling performance. Other changes to the Q45 this year include a revised five-speed automatic transmission (wider gear spacing and a downshift rev-matching feature), standard Bluetooth connectivity and the addition of a lane departure warning system to the optional Premium Package.
Edmunds says
Fast, luxurious and priced thousands of dollars less than most peers, the Q is a solid buy for comfort seekers with an eye on the bottom line. But if owning the best is what matters to you, drive the competition first.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2006 INFINITI Q45 Sport 4dr Sedan (4.5L 8cyl 5A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.31 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$297/mo for Q45 Sport
Q45 Sport
vs
$213/mo
Avg. Large Car
Vehicle overview
The Q45 was introduced in 1989, along with the Infiniti nameplate, and was heralded as an alternative to Germany's finest. Indeed, it was a luxury car geared toward the driver, with a promise of performance and driving pleasure over opulence. As sales numbers dwindled over the years, the Q45 was redesigned and battled the Bavarians once again between 1994 and 1997, but with an emphasis on comfort over sporting capability.
For the 2002 model year, Infiniti completely redesigned its flagship with a partial return to its athletic roots. The heart of this full-size luxury sedan is a specially designed 4.5-liter V8 bursting with 340 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. These kinds of numbers put the Q in good company alongside the offerings from Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz. A standard adaptive suspension with driver-selectable modes allows owners to tailor the ride for a higher level of body control around corners or maximum comfort on the highway. Although the Q is certainly comfortable for long-distance travel, it's no match for competitors like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Acura RL when the road turns twisty.
The interior of the Q is airy, light and spacious. Furnished with copious amounts of wood, brushed aluminum accents, leather and a simple instrument cluster, Infiniti presents the driver and passengers with an elegant interior. Passenger room is ample throughout. The power-adjustable driver seat never ceases to provide comfort and support, and the power-adjustable tilt/telescoping wheel accommodates various driver postures with ease. Unfortunately, many of the Q's features are controlled by a joystick that is simple in principle but difficult to use in practical situations. If the Q were the only luxury sedan you ever drove, you would never miss a thing. But if owning the best of what's around matters, make sure you drive the competition first.
Performance & mpg
The rear-drive Q45 is powered by a 4.5-liter V8 that produces 340 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque. This power is routed through a five-speed automatic transmission with a manual-shift mode and downshift rev matching.
Safety
The Q45 features a myriad of standard safety features, including dual-stage front airbags with seatbelt sensors that help tailor deployment to collision severity. Front-seat occupants get active head restraints and seat-mounted side-impact airbags. Side curtain airbags protect front and rear outboard occupants. Other features include four-wheel antilock disc brakes with BrakeAssist and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), and stability control. Every Q45 comes with Infiniti's RearView Monitor, which helps avert parking lot mishaps by projecting the images from a rear-mounted camera to the car's center display screen whenever the transmission is in reverse.
Driving
The Q's V8 engine feels strong once it revs up a bit, though it doesn't feel as quick off the line as competitors' V8s. As you'd expect of a large luxury sedan, the ride is delightfully quiet and comfortable on the highway. The active dampening suspension system provides a nice balance between ride comfort and handling ability, but unless you order the Sport trim don't expect the sharp reflexes of an Audi A8 or BMW 7 Series.
Interior
Step inside and you're greeted with an exquisite cabin draped in soft leather and wood trim. The electroluminescent gauges are both beautiful to look at and easy to read. Passenger room is ample throughout, and the spectacular Bose stereo fills the cabin with near perfect sound reproduction. High-tech in appearance, the Q's climate and radio controls are needlessly complicated, routed as they are through a joystick-controlled LCD -- good thing voice command comes standard. Trunk capacity (13.7 cubic feet) is a bit meager compared to the competition.
2006 INFINITI Q45 models
The 2006 Infiniti Q45 sedan originally debuted with two trim levels, base and Sport. The base Q, which was discontinued midway through the year, comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, an adaptive suspension with driver-selectable settings, a powerful set of HID headlights, a DVD-based navigation system, a 10-way power driver seat and eight-way power front-passenger seat, front seat heaters, leather upholstery, genuine wood trim, a sunroof, a voice recognition system for various controls, rain-sensing wipers, a rearview backup camera, a 300-watt Bose stereo, an in-dash CD changer and satellite radio. The Sport adds rear active steer, sport suspension and 19-inch alloy wheels. Available only on the base Q45, the Premium Package provides 18-inch wheels, adaptive cruise control, heated and cooled front seats, power-adjustable and heated rear seats, rear air conditioning controls and a power-operated rear-window shade along with manual shades for the side windows. This package also includes a Lane Departure Warning System (LDW), which works to alert the driver to any unintended movement of the vehicle out of a designated traffic lane.
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the Used 2006 INFINITI Q45.
5 star(96%)
4 star(4%)
3 star(0%)
2 star(0%)
1 star(0%)
27 reviews
Trending topics in reviews
Most helpful consumer reviews
5 out of 5 stars
2006 Q45s
ESR, 10/11/2006
2006 INFINITI Q45 Sport 4dr Sedan (4.5L 8cyl 5A)
I have owned 1993 & 1996 Q45. The 2006 Q45s ride is exemplary and far superior to the others. The vehicle allows you to feel the road like a real sports car and yet, ridding in luxury. NOT EVERYONE HAS ONE! Mileage not bad for a V8,340hp. Design allows the car to speed up without wind noise. To bad 2007 will not see one; however, I am told that in 2008 the Q is coming back with a … vengeance.
5 out of 5 stars
INFINITI Q45
DON EASTBOURN, 05/30/2006
2006 INFINITI Q45 Sport 4dr Sedan (4.5L 8cyl 5A)
This car is understated elegance. It is truly a great car that has been mostly ignored by the reviewers and the buyers. I also owned a 1992 Q45. it was also a great car. i never had a problem with either cars. D.E.
4.88 out of 5 stars
Obscure Power and Design
Mark DeMille, 10/02/2004
2005 INFINITI Q45 4dr Sedan (4.5L 8cyl 5A)
When I bought my Q45 I was excited just
to be an owner of classy, powerfull
car. After driving it for a year and
half I find myself admiring it every
time I get in or out, Knowing that
those who notice the sleek, obscure
design can't help but admire it. When
on a freeway I enjoy the power to be in
front of anyone.
4.88 out of 5 stars
Fun, powerful, why wast on a BMW?
Joe, 10/31/2006
2005 INFINITI Q45 4dr Sedan (4.5L 8cyl 5A)
I drive 2005 Infiniti Q45 while my wife drives 2005 Lexus ES330 (got the Lexus first). Falling love with the Lexus right away, which does everything best. I thought the Lexus has finest steeling ever. Well, after the Q45, there is no way for me to trade with my wifes Lexus, the smoothest steeling ever! Solid and heavy. very firm handling. don't feel 4000 lbs at all when I curve the car … around. Manual mode (5 speed clutch-less) shift is so fun! Know how 340 hp can do, use the manual mode and 3rd gear,step on the gas! Now I know what is a difference between $40K and $60K cars! I am so spoiled by the Q45, I afraid I will have a hard time to think of other car.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2006 INFINITI Q45, so we've included reviews for other years of the Q45 since its last redesign.
2006 Q45 Highlights
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $58,100 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 18 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $297/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 13.6 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | rear wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 60,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the Q45 include:
- Back-up camera
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Pre-collision safety system
IIHS Rating
The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.
- Small Overlap Front Driver-Side TestNot Tested
- Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side TestNot Tested
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – OriginalGood
- Moderate Overlap Front Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – OriginalNot Tested
- Side Impact Test – UpdatedNot Tested
- Roof Strength TestNot Tested
- Rear Crash Protection / Head RestraintMarginal
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