For 2006, the Infiniti FX35 and FX45 receive a facelift and several new standard features.

Click image to enlarge Images courtesy: Infiniti

The FX35 receives a leather interior with heated seats, ten-way power driver’s seat and eight-way power passenger seat, and new 18-inch wheel designs. The FX45 receives a new aluminum and wood trim finish, and new 20-inch wheel designs. Both models receive a sunroof, automatic headlamps, aluminum roof rails, cargo net and cover, universal garage door opener, rearview monitor, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, power tilt and telescopic wheel, 300-watt six-CD/MP3 Bose stereo with ten speakers, heated mirrors, new centre console design, electroluminescent gauges, new front grille and bumper design, revised suspension tuning with new shock absorbers, and advanced airbag system. There’s a new Wheat interior colour, and new exterior Liquid Platinum, Serengeti Sand and Autumn Copper shades.

The FX’s on-demand all-wheel-drive system (which goes by the snappy name of ATTESA E-TS, or Advanced Total Traction Engineering System for All Electronic Torque Split) runs at 99 per cent rear wheel bias under most conditions; when slip is detected, up to 50 per cent power goes to the front wheels. As evidenced by their names, the FX35 is powered by a 3.5-litre V6; the FX45 receives a 4.5-litre V8. Both use a five-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Infiniti’s available Lane Departure Warning system alerts the driver with a series of beeps if the vehicle strays over the lines, but it’s smart enough to know when you’re just making a lane change, and can be turned off completely if desired.

The FX35 comes with 18-inch, seven-spoke alloy wheels, automatic rear hatch closure assist system, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, aluminum interior trim, heated ten-way power driver and eight-way power passenger seat, reclining rear seats with 60/40 folding split, dual-zone climate control, information display monitor, and three-spoke leather-wrapped wheel with audio controls.

The FX45 adds 18-inch, eight-spoke alloy wheels, sport suspension tuning, auto up/down on all windows, and aluminum pedals.

Beautifully designed, the FX uses a sloping roofline that dictates only two rows of seats, and there isn’t a great deal of cargo space given the vehicle’s size, although the rear seats fold to take in oversized items. The FX45 is fast, and on both models, the brakes are rock-solid and handling is superb.