By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Infiniti has made a 180 degree turn with its SUV lineup electing to sell for the first time in its quarter-century history a front-wheel drive sport utility vehicle. But that's not the biggest news. The all-new 2013 JX is not only driven by its front wheels, it's motivated by a continuously variable transmission (CVT), usually reserved in the luxury ranks for hybrid vehicles.

When we first heard that startling news shortly before the JX was unveiled last fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show we were predisposed not to like Infiniti's newest crossover. But considering that Infiniti is the luxury arm of Nissan, the company that has staked its future on the CVT, it was inevitable that a vehicle wearing the Infiniti badge would eventually join the gear-less ranks.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

You say family responsibilities have mandated the need for more useable cargo space, but you are a sports sedan guy, have been and always will be. For some the conflict between buying what the young family really needs and what the young dad really wants is excruciating.

Hey, no worries. We recommend the 2012 Infiniti EX35, a compact crossover SUV that is styled like a sports sedan and drives like a sports sedan. It should because it is based on the Infiniti G37 sports sedan platform. Young dad, you can have it all in one smartly styled package.

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

If horsepower isn't everything in your driving life, but you crave luxury and style in your motorized transportation even on a modest budget, we have a suggestion. Give the all-new 2011 Infiniti G25 a test drive.

It's what you might call G37 light, Infiniti's answer to the Lexus IS250, the Mercedes C300, the Acura TSX and the BMW 328i. It has the same interior, exterior and similar standard features as the G37 and is available in three trim levels — G25, G25 Journey and G25x Journey AWD.

 By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

Infiniti’s FX line, introduced in 2003, may be best suited for the sports car addict who just can’t let go, but who needs more space for passengers and cargo. Infiniti has claimed for years that the FX35 — and its more powerful twin, the FX50 — is a cross between a sports car and a sport utility vehicle. After revisiting the FX for the first time in several years, we find the description is apt.

This unusual creation with its curvaceous lines that still is wearing well nearly a decade after it was introduced fits nicely into the modern ‘rounder-is-better’ design world.

 By Jim Meachen and Ted Biederman

The technologically advanced sporting nature of the new muscular M would not suit the needs of any number of people; their needs being for more sedate mid-sized luxury as found in the Lexus ES and GS, the current Cadillac STS, and the Lincoln MKS.

Comfort and refinement are demanded at the price-point of mid-sized luxury shoppers. This in no way implies that the revised M is not comfortable or superbly refined. It is. But it also possesses a sporty driving experience that would be wasted on the “comfort” crowd. In fact, the M’s stiffer ride compared to many other luxury nameplates might be a turn off.