Infiniti broadens Nissan's appeal

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.