Infiniti FX 30d

• ROAD TEST INFINITI FX 30d

IT’S something the Americans call the big car advantage – and people certainly don’t linger in the outer lanes when they spot an Infiniti FX in the rear view mirror.

This car doesn’t just ooze presence, it has menace, bling, prestige and fluid lines all rolled into one high performance hunk of heavy metal.

The automobile equivalent of a stealth bomber, you don’t see that many FXs around. Slowly but surely though, the Infiniti brand is creeping up on a largely unsuspecting British public – the posh end of it anyway.

In the same way that Lexus is the premium arm of Toyota, Infiniti is Nissan’s equivalent.

Nor is it a young pretender. In fact Infiniti hit the American market 20-odd years ago and the UK line-up stretches to four model ranges with a mid-size Q50 to follow soon, the FX crossover being aimed at drivers who dare to be different.

With a profile leaning more towards a sports car than a boxy crossover, the latest FX has more street presence than its predecessor.

Beneath the bonnet of the tested model is a 3.0-litre diesel engine that doesn’t compromise Infiniti’s emphasis on performance.

The powerplant is mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox that can be used in normal or sport mode, and there are also paddle shifts for manual changes. It also has permanent four-wheel drive.

And of course there’s the equipment – door to door luxury with big, quilted leather seats that heat both back and butt or cool you down depending on the season, and a camera that provides an aerial view of the car as well as to the side and rear.

On the downside, foot-operated parking brakes don’t appeal to everyone, luggage space is acceptable rather than vast and the car isn’t really designed for a centre rear passenger – especially a tall one whose head will scrape the roof lining from a perched, if soft, position.

Even though it’s a diesel the average consumption figure is only 31.4mpg and if there’s a fair bit of suburban pottering then you can lop a few miles off that. In my case the return was close to it at 28.5mpg .

It’s a strong performer though with terrific punch and if it comes down to styling, image and spec the FX looks sure to continue making inroads, but it’s operating in a tough arena.