We’re fond of the Infiniti M; it ties the just-tested 2012 Audi A6 at the top of our luxury sedan Ratings. Adding a hybrid drivetrain that improves both fuel economy and performance should make the M unbeatable - right? Well, it didn’t quite work out that way.

It goes without saying that you expect a $58,655 luxury sedan to be slick and refined. But the M35h falls short of that ideal. There are hybrid family sedans at half the price with much better drivetrain refinement. While the M37 we previously tested received excellent scores for routine handling and braking, the M35h fell somewhat short of those marks. Emergency handling is also more tail-happy, reducing confidence and speed in our avoidance maneuver test.

For more details, check out our M35h road test video. Visit the model page to read the road test and review the ratings.