Infiniti broadens Nissan's appeal
By John Aglionby
ADVERTISERS and marketing executives keep reminding us that brand awareness is everything, if you buy so-and-so you know what you will be getting. The problem comes when a company introduces something that is completely different from everything else it offers.
This is the case with Nissan's Infiniti I30, the car it is using to break into Indonesia's luxury sedan market. It is nothing like the Terrano, the eight-seater Serena or the 1500cc Sentra and so when testing it, one has to wipe the slate clean.
It certainly looks the part from the outside. Elegant curves and well designed exterior fittings act like a magnet; one cannot but want to have a closer look and get inside.
Once inside, it is certainly roomy enough and is also very quiet while traveling along.
The driver's seat is comfortable but the position of the hand brake means that when it is engaged the handle digs into the driver's left-hand side. It seems it was put so close to the seat in order to accommodate two cup holders between the driver and passenger seats.
I also found the position of the rearview mirror disconcerting. It seems to stick out an awfully long way, almost into one's face. But there was a plus side to this; the way the Infiniti I30 has been designed and the positioning of the mirrors mean that the blind spot is tiny, much smaller than any similar car I have driven.
The instruments are all clearly visible but are all gray and white and merge into one another somewhat, making it hard to have a quick glance while driving along.
Whether on the toll road or struggling through Jakarta's endless jams, the car handles very well. Thanks to the excellent power steering, little effort is actually needed to drive the car.
The 3.0-liter, 24-valve DOHC V6 engine accelerates very well from a standing position but there seemed to be a bit of a lag when wanting to suddenly increase speed when traveling at more than 60 km/h.
The brake also took a bit of getting used to. I like a very sensitive pedal that slows the car as soon as it is touched. With the Infiniti I30 one has to depress it quite a long way before it engages.
It's price, Rp 130 million (US$53,500), is very attractive and so, it is a tempting offer. I can see it being bought by people who want luxury, value for money and power but do not have to drive for themselves.