2005 INFINITI Q45 Review

For 2005, Infiniti's flagship sedan receives updated exterior styling with new front and rear fascias, a new hood, headlights with integrated foglamps, a new trunk deck lid, LED taillights and fine-line chrome trim. Instead of offering Luxury and Premium models this year, Infiniti will sell a base Q45 (with all the Luxury equipment) with an optional Premium Package. Inside, the Q45 features new "sport contour," double-stitched seats and a new instrument cluster, along with a metal-trimmed shifter bezel, metal knobs and dark maple wood and chrome accents. The transmission has been recalibrated for better response, and the performance-tuned active dampening suspension, previously available only at the Premium level, is now standard on all models. Base models get a new 17-inch alloy wheel design this year. Other enhancements include standard rain- and speed-sensing wipers, a revised DVD-based navigation system (also standard), and new brake-operated "pre-crash" front seatbelts, which tighten under emergency braking.

Fast, luxurious and priced thousands of dollars less than most peers, the Q is a solid buy for comfort seekers on a budget. But if owning the best is what matters to you, drive the competition first.