2012 Infiniti M Hybrid Nets 32 MPG

Infiniti made some pretty bold claims when it unveiled the 2012 MHybrid at the LosAngeles Auto Show last year. The breakdown was something like this: Lots of horsepower, lots of performance, not a lot of fuel consumed in the process.
Well, the numbers are in, and it turns out thatInfiniti wasn't blowing smoke about its green-performance sedan so to speak. Thehybrid version of Infiniti's de facto flagship sedan turned in very respectable 27 mpg on the EPA's city cycle, and 32 mpg on the highway.
Those numbers by themselves aren't really remarkable. After all, there are plenty of other hybrids and diesels that best the M Hybrid's mileage handily. However, none of them do it while delivering 360 net horsepower from its V-6 engine and electric motor.
The Infiniti hybrid system sandwiches an electric motor between the gas engine and the seven-speed transmission. Using two clutches it phases in the electric motor as needed. The space-saving design means it's easily adaptable to otherdrivetrains, and the position of the electric motor means you can move on pure electric power up to 62 mph. We haven't driven the M Hybrid yet, but Infinitipromises handling that's on-par with the rest of its M lineup. Of course, it's a good bet that those numbers will be pure fantasy if you really drive the M Hybridlike a sport sedan, but still, it's nice to know that you'll sip gas like a diesel on your way back from hooning around your favorite mountain roads.