The Truth About Cars Skewers the EX35
01-03-2008, 03:02 PM
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08 RDX Tech Silver/Ebony
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The Truth About Cars Skewers the EX35
The Truth About Cars: Infiniti EX35 Review
By Robert Farago
December 31, 2007
When you make the market’s most un-SUV-like SUV– a large, fast, expensive, thirsty, luggage and mud-aversive vehicle– what do you do for an encore? If you’re Infiniti, you make a virtually identical smaller version that’s slightly less fuel efficient. And how do you convince consumers to buy this $40k FX35 mini-me? You cram it with enough electronics to keep an AWACS crew busy for hours. Strangely, that’s not the best reason to buy an EX35. Hell, it’s not even a good reason. But I’m getting ahead of myself here…
More to read and comments galore at the full review...
By Robert Farago
December 31, 2007
When you make the market’s most un-SUV-like SUV– a large, fast, expensive, thirsty, luggage and mud-aversive vehicle– what do you do for an encore? If you’re Infiniti, you make a virtually identical smaller version that’s slightly less fuel efficient. And how do you convince consumers to buy this $40k FX35 mini-me? You cram it with enough electronics to keep an AWACS crew busy for hours. Strangely, that’s not the best reason to buy an EX35. Hell, it’s not even a good reason. But I’m getting ahead of myself here…
Review Summary: Infiniti EX35 Review
PERFORMANCE: *****
Fast enough to humiliate plenty of sedans, a few sports cars and all but the most bonkers SUVs.
RIDE: **
Stiff and crashy over bad roads, floaty over crests.
HANDLING: ****
Stupid amounts of grip, nicely weighted steering; safe, predictable limits. Final star withheld for the 18's tendency to get a bit gnarly during mid-corner bumps.
EXTERIOR: ***
Just like the FX, only less attractive.
INTERIOR: **
Audi-like, but not an Audi. Stars also withheld for cramped rear quarters.
FIT AND FINISH: ****
Screwed together with care, but you gotta pay big bucks for appropriate leather and wood accents. And the leather seats feel cheap.
TOYS: *****
Best Buy.
DESIRABILITY: **
Unless the styling makes it a fashion icon, or you're a two-car family with a practical car who feels the need for a scorchingly fast SUV, I can't see the point.
MILEAGE:
16/23
PRICE AS TESTED:
$40,235
OVERALL: **
An answer to a question no one asked, and Infiniti already answered.
PERFORMANCE: *****
Fast enough to humiliate plenty of sedans, a few sports cars and all but the most bonkers SUVs.
RIDE: **
Stiff and crashy over bad roads, floaty over crests.
HANDLING: ****
Stupid amounts of grip, nicely weighted steering; safe, predictable limits. Final star withheld for the 18's tendency to get a bit gnarly during mid-corner bumps.
EXTERIOR: ***
Just like the FX, only less attractive.
INTERIOR: **
Audi-like, but not an Audi. Stars also withheld for cramped rear quarters.
FIT AND FINISH: ****
Screwed together with care, but you gotta pay big bucks for appropriate leather and wood accents. And the leather seats feel cheap.
TOYS: *****
Best Buy.
DESIRABILITY: **
Unless the styling makes it a fashion icon, or you're a two-car family with a practical car who feels the need for a scorchingly fast SUV, I can't see the point.
MILEAGE:
16/23
PRICE AS TESTED:
$40,235
OVERALL: **
An answer to a question no one asked, and Infiniti already answered.
that too
01-03-2008, 06:01 PM
#7
I feel the need...
Originally Posted by iTimmy
Vehicle aside, what a terrible review
Spot on.
Yes but– you can’t drive an EX35 off road. Or tow anything. Or carry four adults in comfort. Or their luggage. Yes, the Infiniti EX35 is the fastest, best handling of all the luxury cute utes. But who cares? How many people have been hankering for a really expensive jacked-up two-plus-two sports coupe with a billion megabits of electro-mechanical mishaps just waiting to happen, produced by an automaker whose street cred hovers in that near luxury no-man’s land once occupied by Buick, currently home to Acura?
In fact, the Infiniti’s EX' EXtreme lack of utility consigns this so-called SUV to an EXtremely rarified niche: drivers who want a less practical G35 sedan with a better view; or customers looking for a smaller, cheaper FX35. Otherwise, well, what was the point?
In fact, the Infiniti’s EX' EXtreme lack of utility consigns this so-called SUV to an EXtremely rarified niche: drivers who want a less practical G35 sedan with a better view; or customers looking for a smaller, cheaper FX35. Otherwise, well, what was the point?
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01-03-2008, 06:29 PM
#8
Rooting for Acura
iTrader: (1)
"An answer to a question no one asked, and Infiniti already answered." 
I saw it at the car show and it is equally as ugly in person.
edit: "produced by an automaker whose street cred hovers in that near luxury no-man’s land once occupied by Buick, currently home to Acura?"
ouch.
I saw it at the car show and it is equally as ugly in person.
edit: "produced by an automaker whose street cred hovers in that near luxury no-man’s land once occupied by Buick, currently home to Acura?"
ouch.
01-03-2008, 06:42 PM
#10
The sizzle in the Steak
^^ 
the Rondo looks better 
the Rondo looks better
01-03-2008, 07:21 PM
#11
Senior Moderator
fugly. I'd pay up for the FX, which looks far better.
01-03-2008, 08:10 PM
#14
Disinformation Terminator
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Originally Posted by iTimmy
Vehicle aside, what a terrible review
How many people have been hankering for a really expensive jacked-up two-plus-two sports coupe with a billion megabits of electro-mechanical mishaps just waiting to happen,
Sloppy and irresponsible reporting, indirectly insinuating that this Infiniti will be unreliable. Discredits the writer.
01-03-2008, 08:37 PM
#17
Hey look, someone took a G35 and put deformed FX body panels on it!
01-03-2008, 09:26 PM
#18
Originally Posted by knight rider
edit: "produced by an automaker whose street cred hovers in that near luxury no-man’s land once occupied by Buick, currently home to Acura?"
ouch.
This was a bad review. I don't think the EX is as bad as he's making it to be. Granted, at 40K it's a lot pricier than I had expected it to be, but a loaded RDX isn't too far behind at 38K either.
01-03-2008, 10:13 PM
#20
The hair says it all
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My roommate has that exact one. Not a terrible looking car, a whole lot better than the one posted before and a more comparable to the EX. My parents have one with blue and black plastic all over it
01-03-2008, 11:01 PM
#21
Senior Moderator
RDX FTW sort of, and with the HONDATA relfash, it makes alot more power about 278 WTQ and 218 WHP
01-03-2008, 11:34 PM
#22
styling on you
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Originally Posted by csmeance
RDX FTW sort of, and with the HONDATA relfash, it makes alot more power about 278 WTQ and 218 WHP
No, but i really like the RDX too. I like the exterior more on the RDX, but the interior on the EX is just on another level compared with anything in this class IMO
01-04-2008, 09:21 AM
#23
What Would Don Draper Do?
Originally Posted by neuronbob
fugly. I'd pay up for the FX, which looks far better.
but the EX's interior does look beautiful.
Originally Posted by eccjak
in a way looks like the Subaru Tribeca
01-10-2008, 10:31 AM
#24
dɐɹɔ ǝɥʇ ʇɐɥʍ
Here's a different take, while I don't agree with it either(in particular because my last vehicle was a 07 G35) its a much more positive review. My comments quickly, they say its fun to toss around in the turns because its built on the G35 platform, my G35 was not fun to toss around the turns. They compared its performance to the X3, which is a good comparison vehicle, however if BMW puts the twin turbo I-6 in the X3 it will spank the EX35
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01-10-2008, 11:44 AM
#26
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by TheMirror
How many people have been hankering for a really expensive jacked-up two-plus-two sports coupe with a billion megabits of electro-mechanical mishaps just waiting to happen,
Sloppy and irresponsible reporting, indirectly insinuating that this Infiniti will be unreliable. Discredits the writer.
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