If I had to make a prestige pyramid for the US it would look like this:

1. PORSCHE, BMW, MB
1.5 Lexus
2. Audi, Cadillac, Jag
3. Infiniti
4. Acura
5. Volvo, Lincoln
6. Saab

Infiniti has made some remarkable improvements over the past couple of years but still aren't up to the top dogs...just yet. I think that the next Q will be really important in helping them establish their brand. The only reason why Lexus is where it is is because the rich love and recognize the brand.

 

I wouldn't dwell too much as how prestigious our car brand is, for all I care I am drivin a Nissan Maxima.

 

1. Ferrari/maserati/maclaren
2. Porsche
3.bmw/mb/jag
4.lexus/audi/saab/volvo/infiniti/acura
5.lincoln/cadillac
37.kia/hyundia

 

Most chick's don't know your driving a nissan maxima.... you think a hottie is gonna see a lexus and say "damn, that guy drives a nice camry"

 

I wouldn't put Hyundai in the same category as Kia, and definetly not in last place. Their new Sonata and Azera are really nice cars. Not slow either.

 

This kind of stuff is getting tiresome.


As for the car; it is what it is. I, personally don't need to make myself feel better about the model year or brand of car that I drive.

In the end, so long as it makes you happy, then who cares?

 

I just had to slip in here that I wholeheartedly agree. I really like the way that Hyundai is heading. I think the Japanese better watch out. It'll only be a few years before they're right on par with them.

I have yet to see an Azera up close, but it looks promising. I saw a Sonata at SEMA that looked incredible...until I got inside. Then the interior just screamed cheap. But they've been progressively improving their...everything. It's only a matter of time.

That and I think I read rumors of RWD, V8 powered Hyundai sedans coming within a few years. Put at a price point almost equal or below that of a 300c, and I think they'll have a winner.

 

I still do not consider infiniti, lexus or acura prestige brands. When I think baller or rich dude, I always think of MB, BMW, Land Rover, Porsche, meserati (sp?), Bentley, or other HIGH End cars. Lexus is ok, but I think it's a luxury car for people on a budget. Interiors are the only thing they got going for them and most of their cars like Infiniti and acura, can be found in their lower brands. Have you guys sat in a Avalon? The interior is way better than a LS430. Acura has copy cat models throughout their lineup in the honda cars and so does infiniti with their nissan cars. When I think Infiniti i think higher end nissan, same with Acura to honda and lexus to toyota.

Prestige to me is a brand that has no sibbling brand. BMW, MB (even though some of the frames are shared on chrysler cars, would you compare MB to chrysler though?) Bentley, Ferrari, Porsche blah, blah, blah

I was seriously looking into a 2006 M45 but, I think I rather have a 550i and pay premium just to say I got a beemer. The M45 is nice but something about it still says almost there but not quite with the luxury department.

 

I have to agree, with you on the hyundai has really improved. There is a guy that parks next to me in my parking garage at work who traded in his 2000 camry for a Hyundai Azera (sp?) and it is really nice on the inside REALLY REALLY nice. I haven't sat in it but after talking to the guy he seems really happy and he had a XLE v6 camry. Hyundai will soon will soon reach honda status if they step their game up. I see alot of the new sonatos on the road now as much as I see new accords.

 

Aw come on, lighten up. It's just a thread to discuss where Infiniti is, and where they are heading, and how this can really help image. I too don't give a damn about it, but I think it's interesting conversation.

 

Definitly interesting conversation.

As for hyundia, it will never have the Japenese quality, it will always be "made in korea"

It doesn't matter that it is a nice, pimp, powerful, luxury car when it comes to quality. A ford 500 is WAY nicer of a car then a sentra, and I'd take the 500 over the sentra any day of the week, but when it comes to QUALITY the japanese sentra has it beat, american cars don't cost as much not because they save on importing but instead because they save on build cost.

 

I don't agree. People said the same thing about the Japanese when they first came on the scene. "Made in Japan" didn't always have the good connotation that it does now. New, innovative models, improved QC and reliability and low prices will definitely help their image. Sounds a lot like what the Japanese did.

 

And no, Hyundai and Kia are not on the same level. Kia is the entry level brand. Would I ever buy a Korean car, no? But, the quality of their cars has really improved and they are now threatening domestics.

 

lol @ this thread. when it comes down to it most people don't peruse car forums soaking up as much info as they can. most ppl don't know sibling brands and that's the way it's designed; for most to not know. so when it comes down to it prestige is what you make and most ppl equate prestige with price tag. with that said infiniti is considered prestigious. I don't care how similar it is to a maxima, when the average joe/jill sees a maxima and an i30 the perception of the two are different. when you say to someone you drive an infiniti i30/i35 as opposed to nissan maxima the perception is different. mainly because these bad boys had $30k price tags and most infiniti models are even higher, irregardless of the fact that you can pretty much buy the two models for about the same price used.

@ poster about the m45...i think that car is sick personally, i only wish i had the cash, lol

 

Yea, but no chicks have ever commented on my car. They did when I drove an Audi though. Maybe I need some flashier rims.

 

chicks are golddiggers, what can i say

 

I second that same thing i tell people who ask its just another guy in a suit

 

Better alignment but numbering kinda mean

 

Infiniti > ALL.

 

I get really tired of hearing people make comments like, "Infiniti is just a Nissan with nice nicer interior." or "Lexus is nothing more than a pimped out Toyota". Just because one is owned by the other does not necessarily make it the same quality and value. I think the only reason most people make comments like that is because they want to feel better about owning their Toyota or Nissan.

 

^^^ but I say that all the time about my I30

itz a great car, I love it to death, but really all it is, is a hooked up maxima

 

LMAO!!! This thread is so funny that i had to share it with some of my family from overseas. Plain and simple, we ARE DRIVING A REBADGED NISSAN. It's a cefiro or Nissan Maxima in other countries. People who are not oblivious to the fact or if they are from other countries can cleary see that. Because Nissan North America decides to rebadge their higher end cars from other countries and bring them over to the US as Infiniti (same with toyota and honda) we americans are pretty much naive about a lot of things. That's why most of my out of country friends laugh at how we make big deals over euro accords, cefiros and other cars, when in other countries Nissan and toyota and honda are really not that popular, especially in Europe. That's why the elite do not drive rebadge cars and rather have MB or BMW or AUDI or whatever. They are not rebadged cars dressed up to compete with cars that need no rebadging. It's so funny when I go to other countries and see how Nissan and other models are not doing nowhere near as well as here in the states.

I really don't care because I am ACTUALLY trying to get my car as close to a Overseas Maxima ST-R anyway. I even wanted to get new license plates that read MAX STR.

Anyway, for people who haven't been outside of the states, of course they are going to believe that infiniti is the top dawg or rivals to benz and other prestigious brands but for the people who actually do know any better, can see where I am coming from (like my circle of friends and family and coworkers). my $.02 .....I still like my Overseas Maxima ST-R copycat regardless what people think

 

MY thoughts Exactly!!

 

Umm ANY Infiniti is a rebaged nissan from over seas... Always has been, always will be.

 

I guess I'm that stubborn one who doesn't see it that way. g35 owns 300z, fx45 owns murano, i35 and maxima (almost the same yea), m45 ? owns all!

 

Boy aint that the truth!

 

Yep. If you don't drive a BMW, Benz, or Audi you aren't worth the time of day. *****es.....

 

Last time I was in Europe, I saw a lot of MB's being used as taxis.

As far as Audi...nice cars, but VW = Audi, 4motion = Quattro, A3 = GTI, A4 = Jetta, Etc. And the Porsche cars are BA but their SUV is basically a Toureg on steroids.

Someone ranked Saab high on the prestige level? Maybe in the past, but now? Can you say Chevy Malibu Maxx, or Subaru Impreza?

Nothing touches the elite cars of the world (Bentley, Maserati, Ferrari). All the rest are just transportation of varying degrees.

I drive a rebadged Maxima with a really cool clock in the center of the dash.

 

I though this thread could shead a little light on this topic as well
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=461277

it is only an infiniti here

 

You and your friends are the smartest people around - we are humbled by your participation in this thread.

 

Who cares.....It's a car and it's my opinion.

 

LMAO that thread. ^^^^

 

[QUOTE=Sasquatch]As far as Audi...nice cars, but VW = Audi, 4motion = Quattro, A3 = GTI, A4 = Jetta, Etc. And the Porsche cars are BA but their SUV is basically a Toureg on steroids.QUOTE]

Infiniti = Nissan, Acura = Honda, Lexus = Toyota, Cadillac = GMC/GM

A3 shares it's platform with the GTI but the A4 doesn't share anything with the Jetta. It is a completely different platform. The Passat platform is a stretched version of the A4 platform. A6 and A8 have their own platforms. Even the TT is on a modified A4 platform. Q7 uses the same platform as the Touraeg and Cayenne. And Quattro is not just 4motion..way better and more complex.

 

trying to figure this forum out...where is best place to get info on I30's....ust bought one this past weekend

 

Sorry about the in this thread. Check the sticky threads of our forums and you will get all the information you need. Welcome to the forums.

 

Add a phrase to search here -> http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...ums.maxima.org

http://www.edmunds.com/used/2000/inf...i30/index.html

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...i30/index.html

Hope it helps

 

You live in Frisco, I live in Plano. Don't see as many I's in DFW as I do in San Antonio.

 

NTX in da hizzy! I don't see a lot, and the ones I do see certainly aren't modded.

 

Since the merger the plan has been to keep KIA mainstream and move Hyundai slowly upmarket. So I wouldnt be surprised if Hyundais end up competing with Infiniti or lexus. Although creating a new brand might work better. I dunno

 

When they are the EXACT SAME CHASSIS I think your argument falls flat.

Stop viewing things like a chick.