Just Right: The 2008 Infiniti EX35
By Greg Rubenstein
If Goldilocks needed a vehicle that was fun and sporty, dramatically stylish, practical and comfortable, she would need look no further than Infiniti’s new EX35, which really is “just right.”
Based on Infiniti’s very capable G35 sedan, this Baby Bear-sized compact luxury SUV is more like a sports sedan with better ground clearance and an upright driving position than a scaled-down version of the Mama Bear and Papa Bear lineage it resembles: the mid-size FX35 and FX45 SUVs. It also delivers sedanlike fuel economy, EPA-rated for 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway; we observed a solid 22 mpg in a week’s worth of mixed driving while testing a fully optioned two-wheel-drive example.
Powering the EX35 is a 297-horsepower version of the same 3.5-liter V6 engine found in the G35 sedan and FX35, matched with a very responsive 5-speed automatic transmission driving either all four wheels or just the rear. This athletic SUV has superb driving dynamics, with a ride that is agile, highly responsive, and very smooth.
Acceleration is brisk, while braking is crisp and fade-free, assisted by standard antilock brakes with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist—technologies designed to improve stability and decrease braking distances under all driving conditions.
Speed-sensitive power steering makes quick parking lot maneuvers a breeze, and its leather-trimmed steering wheel has a solid feel and remains nicely weighted as you guide the EX through winding roads. Also standard are electronic stability and traction-control systems, dual-stage front air bags, driver and front passenger side-impact supplemental air bags, plus roof-mounted curtain side-impact and rollover supplemental air bags for front- and rear-seat outboard occupants.
Getting comfortable is an easy task with the EX’s eight-way power driver’s seat with two-way lumbar support, while the front passenger gets a four-way power seat. Switches are assembled with high-quality Infiniti pieces, with an elegant, driver-centric cabin layout featuring high-contrast gauges and a central seven-inch color display for a trip computer, or optional hard disk-based navigation system and 9.3 GB MP3 and iPod-compatible music storage system.
Other optional systems include Bluetooth hand-free phone, push-button ignition, satellite radio, intelligent cruise control, Bose premium audio system, and a rear-view or “around-view” monitor system. The latter system, part of a package that also includes active lane-departure prevention technology, uses tiny cameras mounted on the front, sides, and rear to project an all-around view of potential hazards on every side of the vehicle. It takes a little while to get used to the split-camera view in the center-dash screen, but once it becomes familiar, it’s quite useful—no more running into curbs while parking, or more importantly, no more backing over junior’s bicycle.
The EX is priced starting at $34,850 for the two-wheel (rear) drive model or $36,250 in full-time all-wheel-drive configuration. Figure in another four thousand to six thousand to add popular options such as Xenon auto-leveling headlights, premium audio, navigation, and 18-inch wheels.
The only notable downside to this downsized yet luxurious SUV is the slim seating room for rear passengers and skimpy cargo area behind the back seats. Fold down those rear seats, and there’s more than enough room for a trip to the home improvement store, though.
As long as your people- or stuff-hauling needs are modest (and they should be if you’re looking at a compact ’ute), the EX35 is as close to perfect as can be found on the market today. Goldilocks would be quite happy making her getaway from behind the wheel of this Baby.