The Infiniti FX surprised us. Like any self-respecting, SUV-hating group of automotive journalists, we were all set to hate both the Infiniti FX35 and the more powerful FX45. Then we drove them.

The first thing we discovered is that these are exciting driver's cars, smooth, powerful, very stable. They can be driven much harder than traditional sport-utilities, with big, powerful brakes and firm, fully independent suspensions. On the highway, they feel planted and much more confident than traditional SUVs.

None of this should come as a surprise, given the Infiniti FX is based on the Nissan 350Z sports car. (A common assumption is that the Infiniti FX shares its structure with the Nissan Murano. It does not. The FX shares its rear-wheel-drive design with the 350Z and Infiniti G35, while the Murano shares its front-wheel-drive design with the Nissan Maxima and Altima.)