AZCentral.com's view

A powerful new engine, roomy interior and decent bottom line boosts Infiniti’s midsize luxury car, making it more of a contender in this segment populated by so many excellent automobiles.

The name is new, too, moving up the numbers from I30 to I35, mainly to designate the new standard engine, a 3.5-liter V-6, which cranks out 255 horsepower for strong acceleration and relaxed cruising.

The I35 is not an all-new car, mainly a freshened version of the previous model, but there are enough performance and technology upgrades to warrant the change.

The styling is mildly changed, with new taillights, a new grille that bears a strong family resemblance to big brother Q45 and the addition of sporty 17-inch wheels and performance tires.

Besides the new engine, there’s an improved automatic transmission, better four-wheel disc brakes with an electronic system that distributes braking force evenly, an optional sport package with tuned suspension that includes an electronic vehicle-stability system from the Q45 and a more-luxurious interior.

Inherent in the I35’s improvements is an effort to eliminate grousing by luxury buyers that the I30 was nothing more than a gussied-up Nissan Maxima. Indeed, I35 still shares the architecture and much of the content of its downstream sibling, including the powerful engine. And now that the vastly improved Altima is crowding Maxima’s space, one has to wonder whether there is room for both Maxima and I35.

I also wonder why I35 continues to have such a bland appearance, a conservative and derivative look that makes it fade away in traffic. In light of the new Altima, with its handsome and distinctive styling, the I35 could use a dramatic face lift all its own.

Still, I35 is an attractive and accommodating sedan. Even loaded to the gills with options, the test car barely topped $33,000. In the realm of Acura, Lexus, BMW, Cadillac, Lincoln, Mercedes, Audi, Volvo and Jaguar, that’s lots of high-end car for the money.

The 3.5 is really a sweet engine, very strong, smooth and quiet. Hard acceleration is accompanied by a discretely muscular growl, which disappears as the sedan settles into a comfortable lope.

Infiniti likes to call its new baby a sports sedan, but despite the engine upgrade, that’s going a stretch. The I35 is more of a cushy luxury craft than a BMW fighter, more in line with the plush softness of a Lexus ES300 than the taut control of a Mercedes C-Class.

The sporting pretensions are thwarted by a suspension that allows too much rebound over bumps, too much pitch under braking and too much roll in the corners. And this was with the so-called sport-tuned suspension.

The steering is nicely responsive, and the handling overall is balanced and predictable, but the sports-sedan label really doesn’t work here.

The interior is comfortable and roomy, with lots of leather and faux wood trim. In this arena, the wood should be real. The lovely analog clock that is an Infiniti hallmark is set nicely into the upper part of the dashboard. Gauges and controls are clear and easy to use.

The standard stereo is an excellent seven-speaker Bose system with a six-disc, in-dash CD changer and speed-sensitive volume control.

I35 comes with a full boat of standard equipment, well worth the $28,750 base price, including that fine stereo; full power accessories for windows, mirrors and seats; trip computer; climate control; safety features such as anti-lock braking, traction control, xenon headlights and side airbags; and the 255-horse engine.

Options on the test car included a package of tuned suspension, stability control, performance wheels and tires, $1,700; sunroof and rear-seat sunshades, $1,380; and a cold-weather package (skip this in central Arizona), $700.

Interesting technical note: an electronic drive-by-wire throttle that does away with a cable or other solid linkage. Watch for this in all cars of the future, as well as other electronic devices that do away with mechanical parts.