| First Drive | Birmingham, England | Infiniti M35h |
Key Facts
Pricing: £46,840
Engine: 3.5-litre V6 with electric motor
Transmission: seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: BMW 5 Series, Lexus GS, Jaguar XF
CO2 emissions: 162g/km
Combined economy: 40.4mpg
Top speed: 155mph
0-62mph: 5.5 seconds
Power: 359bhp at 6,800rpm
Torque: 457lb.ft at 5,000rpm
In the Metal: 
The looks won't do it for everyone but the Infiniti's big, brawny body and horned bonnet guarantee some head turning and it's a world apart from clinical German rivals. The rear isn't as good looking - there's a hint of Korean saloon about it, but turn a blind eye to that and, on the whole, it's a smart, distinctive car.
You're tucked in by tanned wood and thick leather inside. The seats are spacious, very adjustable and comfortable and for the most part the cabin is exceptionally classy. There are one or two miniscule bits of cheap trim that let it down, though - most notably the scratchy plastic steering column.
Driving it:
The hybrid system is very effective - the M35h can run purely on electricity up to around 60mph. Squeeze the throttle or tackle a slope and the engine takes over, but at low and cruising speeds and under gentle acceleration the electric motor does most of the work. The transition between the pair is quite seamless, too.
Yeah, it's a hybrid but there's no disguising the Infiniti's naughty side - the 3.5-litre 302bhp V6 (the electric motor accounts for the other 57bhp). It's a lovely, rumbly unit with oodles of lazy torque. Smooth when you want it to be, loud and brash when you don't, it's a real guilty pleasure. However, next to the devilish engine, the handling is a bit of a disappointment. The steering is OK but it isn't 3- or 5 Series sharp and, though refinement is impressive, the ride is harsh over potholes, which isn't ideal for a luxury car.
One of the M35h's green features is an Eco mode, which remaps the throttle for economical acceleration. This is effective in that it discourages hard driving but the accelerator pedal becomes physically more difficult to depress. You can override it with some force or by switching to one of the other Standard Sport or Snow modes, but the electronic throttle intrusion in Eco mode is just unpleasant.
What you get for your Money:
A £46,000 V6 petrol saloon sounds like financial suicide, but consider the amount of standard equipment the M35h has and it's not so bad. It's got pretty much everything - satnav, leather, reversing camera, full Bose stereo - the lot. Spec up a 5 Series to the same level and you'll easily be the wrong side of £50,000.
Equally alluring is the refreshing lack of an options list. The only choice you get is whether you want metallic paint or not. Running costs aren't supermini cheap but 40.4mpg and 162g/km are good for a luxury car. The only lurking financial pitfall is potential residual value - Infiniti assures us it will not be that bad, but only time will tell.
Worth Noting
As the decade continues, the majority of Infiniti's range will become hybrids and an electric car based on parent company Nissan's LEAF will also appear. It will be a four-door saloon and significantly faster than the LEAF, which could mean a shorter range. Infiniti reckons the kind of people who will buy it will live in cities and have a number of other cars already, so a short range will be less of an issue. Internal combustion hasn't been dropped for good, though - expect to see petrol and diesel engines in the company's forthcoming Audi A3 rival.
Summary
Like the rest of Infiniti's range, the M35h is a lot of car for the money but it's not quite as polished as mainstream rivals. It's a likeable thing, though, and makes more sense as a hybrid. Weight, proportions and performance considered, it's pretty cheap to run, and an interesting and stylish alternative to a BMW, Merc or Lexus.
