The Infiniti EX35 is the latest Crossover SUV from Nissan. Crossovers have been one of the largest and most successful automotive market segments of the last few years. The Crossover revolution has been so complete that automakers have rushed to claim that their same old SUVs are really crossovers, and have been all along.
Looks Like an SUV - Drives Like a Car
Technically, a Crossover SUV is - well, to tell the truth, there is no technical definition for a Crossover. It’s a marketing term. But in general, a Crossover is an SUV-style body placed on an automobile chassis platform. A Crossover should drive more like a car than a truck, and that’s about it for the rules.
The Infiniti EX35 is built on the same platform as the G35 sedans. The FX35 shares the capable 3.5-liter V6 engine that has powered much of Nissan’s lineup over the past several years. The engine makes 297 horsepower and 253 pound-feet of torque, passed through a 5-speed automatic transmission to the rear wheels.
Luxury SUV at a Good Price
Nissan (the parent company of Infiniti) is about the last asian automaker to offer more than one rear wheel drive car. The company offers RWD on about half their product line. For spirited driving, there’s really nothing like hearing the tires squeal behind you.
The EX35 is a slightly smaller version of the FX35/FX50. And that’s the thing that I kept noticing the entire week I drove it. The EX35 is just a shade bigger than a standard import sedan, and it rides a bit higher, but park it next to any SUV and it looks more like a car.
The driving experience on the EX35 is very much a car feeling, rather than an SUV. Which is appealing because, let’s face it, the SUV driving experience is not exactly nimble, quick, and joyous. The EX35 drives like an Infiniti sedan or coupe, and that’s very high praise.
Compact, yet Roomy
The EX35 has plenty of power - you won’t worry about passing traffic on the Interstate or beating a delivery van to the lane merge after a stoplight. The EX35 corners nicely, too.
Fuel economy on the EX35 is OK, but just OK. At 17/24, it’s right in there with the rest of the 3.5 to 4.0-liter V6 engines and SUVs, but I can’t help wondering if this summer’s coming gas price hikes won’t pinch the SUV market just a little harder.
But what makes an Infiniti is the inside of the car. Infiniti is Nissan’s upscale brand, and the EX35 does not disappoint. If you’re looking for luxury, you don’t have to spend the extra money for the FX version. The EX comes standard with power-adjusting leather front seats, glass moonroof, power folding rear seats, universal garage door opener, remote key, trip computer, touchscreen control for climate and audio, satellite radio, tire pressure monitoring, all kinds of traction control and ABS, and airbags to cover everything. All the usual luxury items like A/C and lots of map lights and so on just go without saying these days.
Sporty Driving Experience
That’s all on a base price of $34,850. But of course, there are several option packages you can select as well.
The Premium Package costs $2,150, and for that you get a Bose premium stereo with iPod interface, automatic climate control, GPS navigation, heated front seats, Bluetooth telephone connection, seat position memory, lumbar support, and power tilt/telescoping steering wheel.
For $1250, you can have the Luxe Style package, including 18-inch wheels and Xenon HID headlights. And an additional $2,150 buys you the GPS Navigation package. This includes the navigation system that works through the same touchscreen as your audio controls, voice recognition controls for navigation and audio, real time traffic information, a hard drive music server, and a backup camera.
The backup camera is important. The EX35 has a comparatively small rear window, and getting a bumper’s-eye view of what’s behind you makes backing up a breeze under any conditions. It’s a feature that you’ll really enjoy, and worth the price of the Navigation package on its own.
If you bought all that stuff, the EX35 would cost you $41,215 - about the same as most sedans in the same class. If I was outfitting an EX35 for my own garage, I’d just buy all the option packs. When you go to trade in or resell a car like this, those options will really help make the deal.
The bottom line is that if you need SUV cargo capacity, but you want a sedan driving experience, and you’re willing to spend the money for real high-quality luxury, the EX35 is an attractive option.
