road test: infiniti i30t
The Maxima in black tie.

BY KEVIN SMITH

Some people are going to see the Infiniti I30 as just a Nissan Maxima with upmarket makeovers of the nose, tail, wheels, and interior trim. They'll be right, but anyone who decries that scheme is missing a point: a nicely outfitted Maxima is no bad thing.

Nissan's Maxima, especially the tautly suspended SE version, has long been a favorite of this magazine's staff. When the car's fourth generation appeared (June 1994), our verdict was: "A delightful enthusiast's car masquerading as a practical sedan." It's a smooth, responsive, well-packaged automobile. So when Infiniti found itself needing a "mid-luxury" offering to span the gap between the G20 (low-$20,000s) and the J30 (pushing $40,000), the Maxima was a good place to start.

Currently, a loaded Maxima can climb to about $28,000, and it appears Infiniti's I30 will start just below $30,000 (Infiniti had not finalized prices at press time). That standard model--called, yes, the Standard model--will be a thoroughly equipped car, including power everything, a Bose stereo, automatic climate control, and anti-lock brakes. A price differential of a couple thousand bucks between comparably equipped cars will probably not strike many luxury-class shoppers as too much to spend for the prestige and the dealer treatment that comes with the Infiniti name.

Of course, they can spend more. For perhaps $32,000, buyers can choose the Leather-Appointed model. This higher-lux version is just what it says, with genuine hide seat faces, simulated leather door-panel trim, and a sunroof. It also has a system called HomeLink, which consists of three buttons in the driver's sun visor that can control RF-activated devices such as a garage door and a driveway gate.

The last member of the lineup is the I30t--the "t" stands for "Touring"--which we tested. It will cost about $34,600. To all the spiffs of the Leather-Appointed model, the Touring adds a viscous limited-slip differential, heated seats, and a rear spoiler, plus the chassis upgrades of the SE-level Maxima: fractionally firmer spring and damping rates and 215-section tires in place of 205s. All I30s use 6.5-by-15-inch wheels--same as the SE, half an inch wider than other Maximas.

Efforts to distinguish the I30 from the Maxima focused on front and rear ends. Fortuitously, these are the same areas where the Maxima styling had generated some controversy, the nose struggling with a mismatch between top and bottom halves, the tail looking curiously arched and truncated. The I30's aft end is cleaner and more squared off, with a full-width horizontal element tying together the taillights. Up front, a beautifully detailed, formal-looking grille gives the I30 an attractive face, one with clear blood ties to the flagship Q45. The lower fascia has an intake "mouth" that again looks rather incongruous to us, though much less so in the black of our test car.

Inside, the luxury message comes from a new, more conservatively contoured dash panel and attractive, if counterfeit, wood highlights. Though aesthetically subdued, the cabin trim is well executed, with first-rate materials, fit, and feel. (It's also roomy in there, with the space-efficient front-drive Maxima layout yielding more EPA-measured interior volume than the Q45.)

Those are the changes you can see in the transformation from Maxima to I30--all the changes, because neither powertrain nor chassis is modified one whit. Well, okay: the excellent 190-horsepower 3.0-liter V-6--a free-revving, all-aluminum 24-valver created for the 1995 Maxima--does get a new Infiniti logo on its forward cam cover. And there are some detail refinements to reduce noise, vibration, and harshness, though we can't claim to notice a big improvement over the already silky Maxima.

For this car, the four-speed automatic seemed to be the appropriate transmission, so that's what we sampled. But it's worth remembering a tidy and fun-to-use five-speed manual is available, and it makes an especially nice match with the I30 Touring's more aggressive chassis.

The automatic nonetheless worked beautifully, with very smooth upshifts and quick, cooperative downshifts. Our test I30 turned acceleration times remarkably close to those of the V-8-powered Q45. Last time we tested a Q-ship (February 1995), 0-to-60 and quarter-mile figures were 7.8 seconds and 16.1 seconds at 91 mph. The I30 did 7.7 and 16.1 at 87. Horsepower will out, and the Q pulls away at higher speeds, but the I30 is no stone.

Dynamically, the new car held no surprises. Refer to our June 1994 test of a manual-gearbox Maxima or the sedan comparison in this issue with its automatic Maxima, and you'll know all about how the I30 works. The Touring chassis tuning gives a slightly busier ride, especially on segmented concrete freeways, but the payback is more positive control overall, and we think it's a fair trade. There is plenty of understeer in hard corners, of course, and the all-season Goodyears on our car were quick to howl. But vernier-accurate steering and well-poised responses make the I30 the same pleasurable driver's car that the current Maxima is.

By some reckoning, a $30,000 I30 makes a substantially identical $28,000 Maxima SE look like a pretty good value. And such competitors as the ultra-refined ES300, the sexy Millenia S, and the ever-dominant 325i cannot be ignored either. (See "The $32,000 Compromise," C/D, August 1994, for a survey of the opposition.)

But we still think a handsomely upgraded Maxima sounds like a fine idea. And the I30's appealing blend of comfort, efficiency, and driving precision proves the point.

THE VERDICT

Highs: Eager engine, accurate steering, efficient packaging, and high apparent quality.

Lows: There are sexier competitors lurking around the same price point.

The Verdict: A worthy addition to the Infiniti line, one whose Maxima roots are an asset, not a liability.

Vehicle type: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan
Estimated price as tested: $35,200
Estimated base price: $34,600
Options on test car: automatic transmission

Major standard accessories: power steering, windows, seats, locks, and sunroof, A/C, cruise control, tilt steering, rear defroster

Sound system: Bose AM/FM-stereo radio/cassette/CD player, 6 speakers

ENGINE
Type...............V-6, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke...............3.66 x 2.89 in, 93.0 x 73.3mm
Displacement...............182 cu in, 2988cc
Compression ratio...............10.0:1
Engine-control system...............Nissan ECCS with port fuel injection
Emissions controls...............3-way catalytic converter, feedback fuel-air-ratio control, EGR
Valve gear...............chain-driven double overhead cams, 4 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters
Power (SAE net)...............190 bhp @ 5600 rpm
Torque (SAE net)...............205 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Redline...............6500 rpm

DRIVETRAIN
Transmission...............4-speed automatic with lockup torque converter
Final-drive ratio...............3.62:1, limited slip
Gear/Ratio/Mph @1000 rpm/Max. test speed
I/2.79/7.0/46 mph (6500 rpm)
II/1.54/12.7/82 mph (6500 rpm)
III/1.00/19.6/127 mph (6500 rpm)
IV/0.69/28.2/127 mph (4500 rpm)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Wheelbase...............106.3 in
Track, F/R...............59.8/59.1 in
Length...............189.6 in
Width...............69.7 in
Height...............55.7 in
Ground clearance...............6.1 in
Curb weight...............3220 lb
Weight distribution, F/R...............62.7/37.3%
Fuel capacity...............18.5 gal
Oil capacity...............4.6 qt
Water capacity...............8.1 qt

CHASSIS/BODY

Type...............unit construction with a powertrain cradle
Body material...............welded steel stampings

INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat...............58 cu ft
rear seat...............42 cu ft
luggage space...............14 cu ft
Front seats...............bucket
Seat adjustments...............fore and aft, seatback angle, front height, rear height, lumbar support

Restraint systems:
front...............manual 3-point belts, driver and passenger airbags
rear...............manual 3-point belts, center lap belt
General comfort...............poor fair good excellent
Fore-and-aft support...............poor fair good excellent
Lateral support...............poor fair good excellent

SUSPENSION
F:...............ind, strut located by a control arm, coil springs, anti-roll bar
R:...............rigid axle integral with 2 trailing arms, sliding Panhard rod with central link, coil springs, anti-roll bar

STEERING
Type...............rack-and-pinion, power-assisted
Turns lock-to-lock...............2.9
Turning circle curb-to-curb...............34.8 ft

BRAKES
F:...............11.0 x 0.9-in vented disc
R:...............10.9 x 0.4-in disc
Power assist...............vacuum with anti-lock control

WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size............... 6.5 x 15 in
Wheel type...............forged aluminum
Tires...............Gooodyear Eagle RS-A, P215/60HR-15

Test inflation pressures, F/R...............33/32 psi

CAR AND DRIVER TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION in seconds
Zero to 30 mph...............2.8
40 mph...............4.1
50 mph...............5.7
60 mph...............7.7
70 mph...............10.1
80 mph...............13.1
90 mph...............17.1
100 mph...............22.1
110 mph...............28.0
120 mph...............39.4
Street start, 5-60 mph...............7.9
Top-gear passing time, 30-50 mph...............3.8
50-70 mph...............5.0
Standing 1/4-mile...............16.1 sec @ 87 mph
Top speed (drag limited)...............127 mph

BRAKING
70-0 mph @ impending lockup...............189 ft
Fade...............none light moderate heavy

HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad...............0.78 g
Understeer............... minimal moderate excessive

FUEL ECONOMY
EPA city driving...............21 mpg
EPA highway driving...............28 mpg
C/D observed fuel economy...............17 mpg

INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle...............38 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration...............72 dBA
70-mph cruising...............68 dBA
70-mph coasting...............69 dBA