The exterior of the EX35 turned out to be both sporty and elegant. It is this combination that makes passersby and drivers of neighboring cars turn their heads. Smooth contours, a dynamic silhouette, headlights extending onto the fenders, a chrome grille, and a long hood — all this reveals the character of the crossover. Short overhangs at the front and rear, a cabin shifted back, and a sloping roofline add swiftness to the image. The rear with two chrome exhaust tips, neat LED lights, and a spoiler on the tailgate looks friendly. With quite compact dimensions (4635 mm in length, 1800 mm in width, 1600 mm in height) and a sporty design, the crossover has a certain mysterious charm. There is no brutality or aggression of the big Infiniti FX here, but one glance is enough to understand: in front of you is not an ordinary car, but a character ready to take off at any moment. This is the beauty of the design — many details come together into an image that, without obvious accents, is subconsciously associated with power, sport, and speed. Inside, the Infiniti is exactly as expected from a luxury brand. High-quality materials, a play of light and dark tones create an atmosphere of comfort and luxury. Leather seats securely hold the body thanks to developed lateral support. The seat cushion could be a bit longer, but against the background of overall comfort, this nuance is almost unnoticeable. The driver's seat with electric adjustment in eight directions and automatic adjustment when starting the engine allows you to easily settle behind the wheel. The thick leather steering wheel fits comfortably in your hands and adjusts in two planes. The optitronic instrument cluster pleases with pleasant lighting and excellent readability. At the top of the central console, as usual, there is a multifunctional color screen that displays data from the onboard computer, audio system, climate control, and other settings. Another interesting feature of the new Infiniti crossover is four video cameras: front, rear, and in the side mirrors. Once you get used to the system and get the hang of it, you can park without looking around at all. For convenience, the image from the sides can be displayed on the screen in two variants: during parallel parking near a curb, the right lower corner is shown, and when parking between cars, a top view is available. True, in our climatic conditions, this option will be useless for at least a few months a year: due to dirt on the roads, the cameras quickly become covered with a coating, and the driver has to rely only on their own eyesight. Rear passengers in the Infiniti EX35 will not be too spacious. Even a comfortable sofa with an armrest does not compensate for the obvious lack of legroom. By feel, there is noticeably less of it than in the related G35 sedan. The trunk volume is a modest 309 liters, although for cars of this class, this indicator is usually not a priority. However, if you fold the rear row using the electric drive, the usable space can be significantly increased. Under the hood is a gasoline V6 with a displacement of 3.5 liters — the same as on the G-series sedan, but with some design changes, due to which the power decreased from 315 to 306 hp. Torque is transmitted mainly to the rear axle, and when it slips, part of the force goes to the front wheels through a friction clutch. The engine is paired with a 5-speed automatic. The EX35 accelerates a bit less spiritedly than the sedan: the difference in power takes its toll, and the crossover is heavier by as much as 100 kg. On a suburban highway with an abundance of turns, the Infiniti EX35 behaves almost like a passenger car, only slightly inferior to the sedan. Due to the higher and heavier body, the limit of grip occurs a little earlier.
This engine was absolutely rightly included by Americans in the list of the ten best power units in the world. The acceleration dynamics are impressive, and the engine instantly reacts to the gas pedal in any rev range, allowing you to challenge even more powerful SUVs. The automatic with Sport mode and manual gear shifting works flawlessly and quickly, without any pauses. Downshifting is instantaneous. On a winding suburban highway, the Infiniti EX35 behaves almost like a passenger car, slightly inferior to the sedan. Due to the higher and heavier body, a slide into a skid occurs earlier. But this is only within the test. In real life, such experiments can end with flying off the road, so it is better not to get carried away with them and enjoy driving. The dense, sporty steering wheel and well-tuned suspension give a complete sense of control over the car. Handling of the Infiniti EX35 is one of the best in its class, and these are not just words.
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| The interior trim is top-notch: expensive leather everywhere, pleasant plastic, and impeccable assembly. |
The intelligent all-wheel-drive system monitors the road situation and connects or disconnects the front wheels as needed. Importantly, this happens not only when the rear wheels slip: for example, when starting, the Infiniti EX35 always uses all-wheel drive, regardless of the surface under the wheels and how hard the gas pedal is pressed. As soon as the car picks up speed and there is no slipping, the front axle disconnects, and the crossover becomes rear-wheel drive.
Excellent sound insulation, superb Bose audio with eleven speakers, and the noble sound of the six-cylinder engine will make you remember this meeting with the Infiniti EX35 for a long time. Despite not the most spacious cabin and a considerable price, this car managed to win over with its special charm, impeccable quality, and ideal handling.
Ruslan Galimov