Infiniti EX35 small SUV

monkeybaronjr

Does anyone have any knowledge what the pricing for the EX35 will start at? In order to really gain my interest, it needs to be comparable to the RDX or Murano. You need to figure that with the FX35 starting at around $38k, the EX35 would start somewhat lower than that. Maybe low-mid 30's (hopefully) to start. Any thoughts??

carjim

The launch party for the G37 gave me an opportunity to quiz a saleswoman on the EX. She slipped me a small brochure, but it contained nothing new. Great pics, though.

As for pricing, I didn't get any. I can only speculate that some of the features mentioned above may be part of an option package that would catapult the cost to the low 40s. Without, in the mid 30s. Strictly a shot in the dark on my part.

qbrozen

well, the G35X on which it is based starts at $33,950 before destination. So I'm thinking $35,450 or $35,950.

carjim

$35K range would be wonderful.

You are probably right, because Automotive News says "The EX is the segment below the FX." The FX base price for 2008 will be $38,710. (The BMW X3 will be close: $38,775.)

The same source said street date for the EX is "late December." That could mean the launch parties at the dealerships will be late November or early December.

g2memphis

The Launch Party last Thursday night for the G37 Coupe turned into a "pre-launch" Q&A party for the EX. Several of us just stood around the G-Coupe and talked EX-stuff with the salesmen. We were told be Infiniti that pre-orders would 'probably' be submitted in October in order to meet a late December delivery date. They said we might find out the necessary order info as early as late September in order to be ready for October. I'm hoping at least some of that was true. In general, we "public" people seemed to know more about the EX specifications than the Infiniti salesmen were letting on ... I can only thank blogs like this one and the connectivity of the WWW for that!

ux149

Pity they had to scrap the LCD roof in the '08 model. Now, an ordinary retractable sun roof is the only option. I wonder how much that will affect resale value of loaded 2008 models if the 2009 models do offer the LCD roof.

Hopefully, they will not make it a mid-year option. Buick didn't offer a second row console in the first few months of shipping Enclaves. Now they come with the consoles and no add-on console is available for Enclaves that didn't get them factory installed.

michael2003

Also too bad they aren't going to make the wheels/tire combo on the concept available.

g2memphis

IMHO, I am not a fan of the LCD roof and would prefer the sunroof option, but I wouldn't mind seeing a 7-spoke or double-five spoke version of those concept wheels. For trivia's sake, what does the MCQ 368 stand for on the rear license plate in the great pics in message #51?

dglozman

on 4th picture in message #51 what is the "compact flash" slot (down right from climate control)?

nova

Has anyone noticed if there are rear A/C vents

Thanks

g2memphis

I swear that I have seen rear-facing A/C vents coming out of the console, but for the life of me I can't seem to find that picture again. On another topic, can Nissan/Infiniti do something with that gross roof antenna? The "G" doesn't need an outside 'stick', so why does the "FX" and now the "EX"? If that antenna is already on the rear section of the roof, where does the XM antenna go? The roof is beginning to look like it belongs in NASCAR.

carjim

The new Honda CR-V has that same black stick; it mars an otherwise nice looking crossover. So does Mazda. Both are far from being luxury brands,so that is fine for them. But the Infiniti brand? Come on.

What happens to the antennae in an automated car wash? I don't even want to think about it. I hand wash my vehicles, but that's not the point.

carjim

This Friday I helped a young single woman find a compact crossover of her dreams. In her case it was the new Honda CR-V. It had leather and XM, and a lot of features for 25K.

The EX had better be on its toes when it comes to value for the price. I know the benefits of 290 hp,awd and G35 chassis and all the rest for the EX, but how many more thousands is it worth to someone who cross shops?

tomatosaenz

Yes. Here's a picture from the recent EX35 debut that shows them:

EX35 Rear A/C

I think rear A/C is a welcome addition for this class of vehicle and I am interested in buying this vehicle, but I think it should be priced more at $33-$33.5K to start and around $38K for a well-equipped Journey AWD. This Infiniti should have an immediate advantage over the rear A/C-lacking X3 in terms of cost; if the price is right, I think the EX35 would be a huge threat to Acura (whose RDX does not have rear A/C either).

monkeybaronjr

Is it just me or do the pictures from post 66 make the EX35 look like a station wagon? Anyone else see the resemblance? The trunk looks tiny and the way the roof slopes up just reminds me of an old Subaru Outback or something. Anyone see this thing close up in person?

I'm still very intrigued however...

carjim

Take a look at the BMW X6 and you will find another competitor to the EX. Research must show that a sizeable market exists for small awd crossovers.

The copy mentions a coupe roofline, too. There's a pic on Automotive News online. I am a subscriber, but I don't know if non sub folks can open it.

jaxs1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IT5qsmpw7s

carjim

Thanks for the link, jaxs1. (#69) I liked the walk around. If the cameras are an option, the marketers have put in a package with a half-dozen other things we may or may not want.

jaxs1

Probably will be bundled with some kind of $6000 "Technology Package" with navigation system, satellite radio, bluetooth, rear entertainment system etc.

I wonder how nice it will be when not maxed out with options that push the price to around $40K or higher?

Will it have much or any better fuel economy than a mid-sized SUV or even largish crossovers (Acadia/Enclave etc.) with that V6?

michael2003

OMG, thanks for the link. I have been so excited about purchasing this vehicle, and now I'm so disappointed that I just can't go through with it. I frequently have people that need to use the back seat and this vehicle just doesn't have sufficient room for anyone other than a child (or very short person)! Only 28.5" leg room! Even the G37 (2 door coupe) has over 34" of leg room. Dam, I'm so disappointed.

carjim

With the help of these specs (#72), I see that the Bimmer X6 is larger. While it has the coupe top, it does not compete in price either. The EX still equates to the X3.

The gasoline mileage of 24 and 23 (awd) highway and the weight of close to 4,000 lbs is not the direction Infiniti should be going.

jaxs1

OK, so the EX will not be a practical vehicle at all. It will for buyers who are buying purely for style reasons.
The back seat and cargo area of the FX are only marginal, so it is not fully surprising that this smaller vehicle will have a tiny back seat.
It still looks nice in photos.

michael2003

It does look great. From everything I had read to date, this SUV was supposed to be based on the G35, which I had assumed meant that the seating would be very similar. Oh well.

samiam_68

I was initially very interested in the EX, but after reading the specs - what a disappointment!

jaxs1

I just noticed that in the video link I posted that the reviewer never goes into the back seat or says anything about rear seat room.
Also, when he demos the folding rear seat, the seat cannot fold flat because the tops of the rear seats hit the backs of the front seats since they are so close together. Maybe removing the rear headrests would allow the seat fold flat, but then it would no longer be the simple "push a button" procedure as demoed.
It seems like it is not going to have much room in the back at all. Plus the sloping "coupe" roofline will restrict rear headroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IT5qsmpw7s

The best thing about this is the styling. The interior looks really plush, expensive and luxurious and the exterior is also good looking. Too bad it doesn't look like the rear seat will be be comfortable for adults. You can probably squeeze adults in back for short trips since I've seen adults cram themselves even into the back of the quite small Lexus IS350.

jrobe

One of those youtube video's on the EX35 shows the seats going down perfectly flat when the rear button is pushed. I suspect that the car on your link has the front seats back as far as they go. I am not expecting great rear seat legroom though.

michael2003

I was so hoping that Infiniti had a winner here. I had already called the dealer and asked them to call me whenever they received the ordering info, so that I could get in right away. Oh well, Infiniti has lost me on this vehicle.

jaxs1

You can still look at it in person. The rear legroom numbers are based on the rear seats being pushed all the way back. You can see if you really need the drivers seat pushed all the way to the end of the track. If you don't, then the rear seat will be usable as long as there is enough headroom.
It clearly won't be a very spacious back seat though.

Some car makers cheat their numbers by limiting front seat travel, but then a tall driver can't get fully comfortable.

qbrozen

I agree, but this is what makes me suspicious of those numbers. I don't believe the back seat should be any different than the G35. The numbers are not accurate or at least not comparable in some way. I'd bet you'll find just as usuable of a back seat in this vehicle.

I am VERY excited to see that RWD may come to fruition. The writeups kept bouncing around on this point.

Although a manual tranny would have been nice, I wasn't expecting it.

And for those who are complaining about mileage and weight, I'd like to know what was expected here? I mean, the G35 gets 19/26. So I'm not the least bit surprised by 17/24. And I certainly expected an additional couple hundred pounds over the G35 as well.

drfill

The G is a bigger car, I think.

Those rear seats really aren't close to folding flat in the video. For kids only. Unless you can grovel, I mean negotiate, with those in first class.

Bundys fly first class, or they don't fly.

DrFill

qbrozen

i didn't watch that part of the video, but I do feel the need to warn that folding seats hitting the back of the front seats is no way to judge rear seat room. We have the same problem in our Pacifica, yet that vehicle has the most rear seat legroom of any SUV or car I've ever sat it (including our previous Honda Pilot and even my father-in-law's Grand Marquis). It is a matter of the seatbacks of the rear seat being so tall and of course the position of the front seats since it is usually set to my 6'5" frame AND because the Pac has that feature where the seat backs up a bit when you remove the key for easier exit.

jrobe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDCpaMb_wrE

Another video showing the rear seat folding flat. Who knows what position the front seat is in.

jaxs1

When he had the front seat adjusted so he could fit behind the wheel, the seat won't fold flat. When he doesn't sit in the car, the seats were moved forward allowing the rear seat to fold flat.
They never show both at the same time.
They never show anyone get into the back seat.

jrobe

I don't really agree with your conspiracy theory in these 3rd party (Autospies) video reviews of the car.

I would be surprised if the backseat won't fold flat with any normal sized person sitting in the front seats. On the other hand, I doubt this compact crossover is made for transporting the local basketball team in the backseat .

carjim

I went with a friend to buy a Honda CR-V and learned the EX stacks up very well, considering there are whopping differences between the two. The Honda is a 2.4 liter/166 hp engine that gets 27 highway and 23 mixed driving for two fwd. These mileage figures are the 2008 fed benchmarks which are more realistic.
If the EX (3.5/290+ hp)is using the same benchmark to get 24 mpg hwy, I say, "That's acceptable."

samiam_68

The CR-V also has much more interior space and costs much less than the EX. Totally different vehicles.

qbrozen

that wasn't the point as I read it. It was that people really shouldn't complain about the mileage when it is barely less than a CRV (which, while putting the differences aside, is in the compact 5-seater sport-ute class along with the EX35), while returning roughly 175% the power AND weighing more. As a matter of fact, that's pretty darned good!

carjim

That was my point, gbrozen, you nailed it: the EX is much more vehicle and there are -quoting myself, "whopping differences" compared to the CR-V 4-banger and lighter weight.
I can certainly accept 23 awd/24 rwd on the EX. Like you say, "pretty darned good."

Is the EX mpg based on the 2008 standards, though?

qbrozen

Is the EX mpg based on the 2008 standards, though?

Good question, but I don't know why it wouldn't be. I mean, it IS an '08 vehicle, right?

I'm not terribly surprised by the mileage. I used to get 25 mpg average in my 350z with a heavy foot.

carjim

The State Fair of Texas has the EX on a platform where I could look but not touch.

Because the rear seats have been discussed at length, I had a sales rep come over to lower and raise the rear seats with the button in the tailgate area.

As they lowered, the rear seats cleared the back of the front seats by a couple of inches. The front seats did not appear to be set closer to the dash to accommodate this.

They may have been, but I can only go on appearance.

I did learn that the cameras are part of the "technology package." Sewell expects to receive the first four in December.

jaxs1

It depends on what "closer to the dash" means. Closer than the dash than what? It will depend on how much room the front seat passengers need.
We have already seen from previous videos that if there is a tall driver that needs the seat pushed all the way back, the seat will not clear. If the driver wants to sit close to the dash, the seat will clear.

qbrozen

i don't know of an SUV where this isn't the case. At least not any midsize or smaller one. This applied to our Forester, Pilot, and Pacifica, my sister's CRV and blazers, my mom's Ascender and Trooper, and on and on. Not sure why its all of a sudden such a hot topic on a new vehicle.

g2memphis

I presently drive an Infiniti FX35. When the driver's seat is positioned for me (6'1"), the rear seat back hits the top of my driver's seat back. After I move my seat back forward and the rear seat back is in the down positon, I can return my seat back to where I need it to drive with no problem. When it is positioned for my wife (5'2"), the rear seat falls clear to the 'down' position. I think this is a "non-issue"!

qbrozen

exactly.
And same here on all our vehicles (I'm 6'5" and my wife is 5'5").

ux149

I am amazed at the worry about the back seats clearing the front seats. I'm 6'1 and I've ALWAYS had to move the driver's seat up a little for the second row to fall down - in my Cherokee, 4-Runner, 300C, S-Type and even in my Escalade. Heck, I had to remove the head rests in the Escalade. So, some people will find the rear seat remote switches more useful than other people. Get over it!

jaxs1

Well, if they really wanted to be slick, the would let you control the front seats from the rear remote switches so you could make room for the seat to fold down.

From the specs of rear seat room several posts ago, there is not enough rear seat room for adults in back.

qbrozen

From the specs of rear seat room several posts ago, there is not enough rear seat room for adults in back.

Well, until we get hard info otherwise, I still contend that is a mistake. My guess is it is the same as the sedan on which it is based.

jzr28

I feel that seeing is believing here on rear seat room. I have not seen where Infiniti has claimed this was a people mover. Why does it have to have spacious rear seat room. It has a 2 inch shorter wheelbase than the coupe or sedan and that had to come from some place. It "looks" to have enough for your "regular" height person say 6' or under. Plenty for kids or car seats. The demographic stated in the video said young couples or empty nesters so they would not need a lot of rear seat room but could use the seat down space for what ever. When you see it for real if it "fits" buy it and if not OH WELL. Just my $.02.

michael2003

Although the specs did say that the length of the vehicle was ~ 1 in shorter than the coupe, I didn't see anywhere that the wheelbase would be 2" less.

In the previous sedan, when a 6' person sat in the front seat and had the seat moved all the way forward so they could just fit with their knees touching the dash, I was unable to sit in the rear seat without having my knees off to each side of the seat. I'm 6'2". Now imagine having 6" less knee room in the rear. Can you see anyone having legs actually able to sit there now? Seems like the only way this will work is if someone short (small child) sits behind someone of medium - mediumtall in front.

Now Infiniti may not have touted this vehicle as a 'people mover' but I understand that it was stated that it was intended to be basically a hatchback version of the sedan. This certainly led me to have the expectation that interior seating room should be ~ identical to the sedan and that the only real difference should be in that the rear has more utility instead of a trunk. Imagine the surprise.

jrobe

"When you see it for real if it "fits" buy it and if not OH WELL. Just my $.02"

My thoughts exactly. If someone needs a lot of rear seat space, there are lots of midsize crossover vehicles to pick from including luxury vehicles. I like the idea of a small-compact luxury crossover for empty-nesters, etc. I have a feeling though that the price tag on the EX35 will not be proportional to it's smaller size but time will tell.