According to Infiniti, the 2012 M Hybrid luxury sedan features the performance of a V8 engine with the fuel economy of a 4-cylinder.
If this sounds too good to be true, consider the numbers: Infiniti claims 0 to 60 in well under six seconds, and up to 32 mpg. Could the M Hybrid be the automotive equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too?
The M Hybrid, or M35h, utilizes Infiniti’s new Direct Response Hybrid system, the first hybrid system developed fully in-house by Nissan/Infiniti. The system combines a 302 hp 3.5-liter V6 engine, a 7-speed automatic transmission, and a 50 kW electric motor powered by a lithium ion battery. Total output is a notable 360 hp engine with peak engine torque of 258 lb-ft.
Key Takeaways
- Powertrain: a 302-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and a 50 kW electric motor, 360 horsepower total, through a seven-speed automatic.
- $53,700 starting price; the test car added the premium, deluxe touring and technology packages, over $10,000 of equipment.
- 13.9-second quarter-mile, certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s fastest full-hybrid car.
- 27 mpg city and 32 highway on the original EPA rating.
- Handling: Perhaps the main performance limitation is the handling, which is on the softer side, especially compared to true sports sedans.
- Highway mileage: A brief road trip down the coast to scenic Monterey, CA showed that 32 mpg is very doable.
Powertrain and Performance
Luckily, real world performance is as impressive as the numbers suggest. Stand on the throttle and the car launches forward with surprising haste, aided significantly by the electric motor’s 199 lb.-ft. of torque.
To prove the point, Infiniti managed to get the folks at Guinness World Records to certify the 2012 M Hybrid as the world’s fastest full-hybrid car, based on a 13.9 second quarter-mile run.
The M35h even features a sport mode, which alters throttle response and shift points to facilitate more aggressive driving. There are also paddle shifters, should you want to make the gear changes yourself.
Handling and Fuel Economy
Perhaps the main performance limitation is the handling, which is on the softer side, especially compared to true sports sedans. Like other hybrids, the M35h carries some extra weight, which combined with modestly sized all-season tires means you can’t get too crazy in the corners.
If all this performance talk is making you doubt the efficiency claim, just slow down to more sane speeds, put it in Eco mode, and watch as the MPGs climb to compact car territory. The EPA rates the M hybrid at 27/32 mpg (city/highway), and these aren’t the kind of inflated figures you’ll never achieve in the real world.
A brief road trip down the coast to scenic Monterey, CA showed that 32 mpg is very doable. Just set the cruise control to around 70 mph and you’ll be getting the same mileage as the owner of a 4-cylinder Honda Accord.
Interior and Equipment
And unlike your average midsize sedan, the M Hybrid features the kind of luxurious, well-appointed interior that we’ve come to expect from Infiniti. Leather seating, dual zone climate control, UV-reducing solar glass, Japanese Ash wood trim, and a host of other luxury features come standard.
2012 Infiniti M Hybrid Verdict
Our loaded test car also featured the premium, deluxe touring, and technology packages, which adds over $10k worth of additional luxury and safety goodies. Touch-screen Navigation, climate-controlled front seats, Bose Studio Surround sound, Intelligent Cruise Control: it’s all here. Anyone who thinks buying a hybrid means making sacrifices definitely needs to drive one of these.
The M Hybrid starts at $53,700, which makes it competitive with most other mid-sized luxury sedans, hybrid or not. Since there are no major performance sacrifices and serious efficiency gains, this could be among the most guilt-free cars available.
Facts & Figures: 2012 Infiniti M35h
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Price | $53,700 |
| Engine | 3.5-liter V6 with 50 kW electric motor and lithium-ion battery |
| Horsepower | 360 hp total (302 hp V6) |
| Torque | 258 lb-ft peak engine torque |
| Transmission | 7-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
| Quarter-Mile | 13.9 seconds (Guinness World Records) |
| Fuel Economy (original EPA label) | 27 city / 32 highway mpg |
| Fuel Economy (EPA, revised) | 27 city / 31 highway / 29 combined mpg |
| Fuel Type | Premium |
James Raia
A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004. In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida. An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.
