YOU'D have to be driving around with your eyes closed not to realise that SUVs have enjoyed a boom in popularity in recent years.

Their combination of rugged looks and practicality has proved a big hit and there is now a wide choice available to fit most pockets.

Step up into the rarified megabucks atmosphere of the luxury SUV, though, and the market becomes a much more niche affair.

In the UK that market has been dominated by Range Rover and high-end German models such as the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5 and X6.

Helping to fly the flag for Japan though, is the seriously sleek and sporty looking Infiniti FX.

Already a popular seller in the United States it hit UK roads in 2009 and is the brand's biggest seller in Europe and there's a lot to like about this speedster - not least its distinctive coupe-like looks.

One of the cornerstones of infiniti's design language is the mantra that ‘the perfect line is a curve' and the current FX embodies that.

It is curvy in all the right places but, at the same time, the huge alloys, prominent side vents, bulging wheel arches and chunky protective cladding all add a muscular feel.

And if it's performance you want, then the FX is not found wanting. There are 3.7-litre V6 and 5.0-litre V8 petrol-powered models with eye-watering pace but the 3.0-litre V6 diesel version I drove still has enough power to give you a real thrill when you put your foot down.

Generating 238ps and paired with a slick seven-speed automatic transmission it's capable of catapulting this heavy car from standstill to 62mph in just 8.3 seconds and on to a top speed of 132mph, with gear shifts barely discernible.

What is discernible, though, is the satisfying growl from the exhaust as you put the pedal to the metal.

The accurate steering offers plenty of engagement and feedback and handling is pretty sharp and nimble for a car the size of the FX and, with intelligent all-wheel drive on board, grip is assured.

The diesel is, predictably, the most economical option but with average fuel economy of just 31.4mpg and carbon emissions of 238g/km you'll need deep pockets to run and tax the FX, let alone buy it.

The cabin is suitably plush and, though not the most spacious in class, there's good head and legroom for four people to get comfortable. Anyone sitting in the middle in the back though will have to negotiate a sizeable transmission tunnel to find room for their feet.

The boot. too, is roomy without being the biggest in class but the floor is high and there's no extra space beneath it as the battery and kit for the premium Bose stereo are hidden here.

Speaking of which, there is a dazzling array of gizmos & gadgets to enhance comfort and safety such as a multimedia infotainment system with 30GB hard drive, satnav and voice recognition; intelligent cruise control; dual zone climate control, electric sunroof and heated and ventilated front seats.

Operating them all is somewhat daunting though.

As well as a touchscreen there are more buttons and switches than on the flight deck of a Jumbo jet.

And while the polite lady from the satnav very usefully tells you every time you approach a speed camera she does get annoying after a while - as do all the other bleeps and sirens warning you when you're getting too near another car, another car's getting too near you or you're straying out of your lane.

I'm sure they can be turned off but, with only a few days with the car, negotiating the various menus to find out how proved too long-winded for a man if my limited patience.

This is only a minor gripe though, and the FX undoubtedly offers the luxury and performance to match its prestige price tag - if you can live without a German badge on the bonnet.

One man who can is the fastest German on the roads. World Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel apparently drives one - and even helped design his own limited edition version.