Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
The EX35 will be much faster. Its truly a SPORTutility. It is a niche market, to be sure, and Infiniti doesn't plan on selling many, from what I've read. But, as far as I can see, there are no true competitors for it. 300hp, RWD, 25mpg, $32k with a hair of utility thrown in? I just see winner written all over this thing.
With loaded up CRVs now in the $27k range, I could see people easily stepping up to the premium segment for just a bit more jingle.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
You are kidding right. You are not going to find this car at anywhere near $32k. If you want an EX35 that will be available for purchase anytime soon, expect to buy quite a few options (whether you want them or not) and expect to pay much closer to $40k+ (ie. 50% more jingle).
Nope.
If you want an EX35 that will be available for purchase anytime soon
well, I don't. It is certainly not my fault or Infiniti's if someone is in such a rush that they just HAVE to buy whatever is available. The starting price is what the starting price is.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Ride / Drive / Handling - OMG! This is one of the best drving vehicles I have ever experienced. BMW like handling with Lexus like ride. It hugged the winding road we were on yet took bumps without the jarring slams of the X3. SMOOTH!! Sporty! I was genuinely impressed. It rides better than my TL and feels as, if not more secure in the corners. The steering feel is excellent and the variable assist is great. It never felt artificial. I felt safe while driving. Very solid overall.
Interior Design - Gorgeous. Completely upscale. The best Infiniti interior to date. As upscale as any Lexus. Materials feel high quality. Fit and finish are EXCELLENT! It is very quiet inside too. They must have used extensive sound deadening materials. Much quieter than the G35 and definitely quieter than my TL. Road noise is not intrusive, yet the engine sounds come through and sound great!
Power - The Beach Boys' song Fun Fun Fun comes to mind. The six is SWEET! Powerful from any speed. Exhilerating thrust just like the G35. Very linear in its delivery. Infiniti has fixed the on / off feel of the accelerator. In the '07 G35 I remember having to concentrate on smooth take-offs without spinning the wheels. Not a problem in the EX. Very easy to take off slow or like a dragster if one chooses!
Front Comfort - The seats are extremely comfortable. Plenty of leg room. Not as much shoulder room as my TL, but definitely enough. The front cabin has an intimate feel, yet it doesn't feel too small and definitely did not induce clausterphobia. The leather seating is top notch. Soft and supple, yet supportive in all the right places. It's not sports car sportive and they don't hug you in place like the sport seats in the G35, but they are more comfortable and overall do a great job.
Rear Comfort - Despite the limited amount of room the seat was comfortable. Honestly... I didn't think it would be. I'm 6' tall and was concerned, but I set the driver's seat in a comfortable driving position and then climbed in the back. The leg room was a little tight, but the back of front seats have been designed with knee room in mind. It really was okay. The rear doors open wide to help with getting in and out. There are assist handles which helped also. The opening at the floor is tight, but I didn't have a hard time getting out.
Cargo Space - Definitely sufficient for the people this vehicle was designed for. The power folding feature for the split rear seats is WAY cool. There are buttons on either side of the rear of the cargo area that fold and retract the rear seats. There are two buttons in the center console up front that will retract the rear seats into their upright position. Not sure why you'd need to do that from the front, but it's kind of cool and it's standard on the Journey model. With the rear seats folded the cargo area is great for two people.
Exterior - The fit and finish are excellent. The paint colors I saw were gorgeous. (Black, Platinum, Silver, Blue Slate) I love the Blue Slate. I like it on the G, but it looks more luxurious on the EX.... richer for some reason. Maybe my eyes are going, but it's what I thought at the time. There weren't any uneven gaps in panels. Everything was solid. Doors closed with a high quality ker-thunk, similar to that of a Mercedes-Benz. I drove a new C350 yesterday and the solidness of the EX is similar.
Summary - I LOVE IT!!! It's the perfect size for me, does everything I could want it to do and more, and has everything I could want it to have and more. I don't know if I can justify the price though.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Has anyone else seen one at an actual dealership for sale?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
None in my area. Certainly none of the $32,000 ones
i'm just wondering if it hasn't been shipped to all areas yet.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Now, I know the sticker is pricey. However, if you work for a company that is part of the Infiniti VPP program, the EX model does qualify. The dealer was shocked (and probably disappointed) because he is now selling me the EX for $315 over invoice!!
We do not need a roomy back seat, but I did sit in them and they were adequate for our needs (5'9" and 5'5".)
The sticker was $40,000 and it had options and packages way beyond what I would find necessary. Anyway, I hope I hear more from those who have been fortunate to test drive one.
After seeing one in person, I see this car in the same league as the Lexus IS300 Sportcross. It's appealing to the small niche who like a smaller vehicle, don't care about a back seat or paying for it. Once the early adopters swoop in, Infiniti has to convince the mass market. But the very reason the early adopters like it are the reason it will be a hard sell to the mass market. America wants big and cheap. The dealers will be all to happy to negotiate and move cars here in a couple months.
Such as?
are you talking AWD?
what's the epa ratings on it, anyway?
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
BUT, having said all that, I can certainly understand folks having a problem spending this kind of money on this vehicle IF they are looking for an SUV. This is a sporty hatch, basically. It will run circles around the yota and acura. To me, that is its goal. Not to be a people/things hauler. So if that's what floats yer boat, I think you probably would be better off with one of the others, even if it did cost a mile or 2 more per gallon.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I found your review spot on; the Ride / Drive / Handling (Ditto on the OMG!), Interior design is very nice and almost a softer spin on Lexus. Plenty of Power, I mean this thing moves!!! I'd still rate the G35X a 1/2 notch ahead. The G35X just feels better grounded (most likely the height difference between the two) but they are nearly identical in drive.
Breaking away from your format the car is a home run from the "B" pillar forward, the front seat room and cockpit feel suited us. The back seat absolutely kills this car from being a hit. I'm 5'11" and performed the usual test of setting the front seat to my driving position then sitting in the rear behind the driver. Once your in the vehicle there is room for someone my size or larger, the challenge is actually getting out of the car. You'll scuff the back seat and door each and every time you exit.
I think most consumer feedback pertaining to the back seat will eventually lead to some changes made by Infiniti (salesman agreed and stated he would not be surprised if a change was made within 12 months, more on that below). The rear seats are actually long, so they could shorten these for extra leg room. The rear seat is mounted to a platform that protrudes further forward cutting into leg room. I'm guessing the gas tank is below it, so this may not be an easy change for the next model year. If the back seat had a for/aft adjustment this rear seat room would be almost a non-issue, although I'm guessing they'll revise the seat before considering anything like this.
Our local dealership has about six or seven of these on their lot now. Our salesperson had two orders cancelled today due to the back seat or lack their of, another salesperson had one more cancellation. He revealed his great January may not be so great since he's nervous about five other pending deals where customers may pull back their deposits.
Now here's the kicker, their inventory is basically the same as described in other posts $42-$44.5. He stated if we wanted one he'd take $500 off the price. My jaw dropped, not due to the discount, but since it's basically day two this car has been out.
We spent over an hour at the dealership between the test drive and speaking with our sales rep. He disclosed that everyone at the dealership is extremely upset with this product. He's convinced that the production model differs from the pictures Infiniti distributed to them and the unit that toured the auto shows. He basically told us to wait 30-60 days as the dealership thinks an aggressive lease is eminent.
In summary after my anecdotal banter pertaining to mine and my salesman's feelings of what Infiniti should change, my wife and I still both like this vehicle and she's convinced her car will either be the EX (pending subvented lease specials) but more likely the G35 since it actually has more utility...or usable trunk and rear space.
That is extremely optimistic. I have never had a car yet that got better mileage than the EPA estimate (16-23 for the EX). My guess is that 20-21 mpg will be typical.
You only have to spend a few thouand dollars more to get a Lexus RX400h hybrid (with current Rx discounts). With current and future gas prices, the RX400h may very well be a less expensive car to own (not to mention a car with considerably more interior space).
That's fine. You may very well only get 21. But to put that into perspective with my previous post ... if you get 21 with the EX, then I bet you'd get 18 in the MDX.
But everyone is different, of course. With the old EPA estimates, I too never exceeded them. But I do exceed the new, at least with my current ride ('06 Accord EXV6 6-spd that I get over 28 mpg with in mixed driving [new EPA is 27 highway]). And from many many posts I've seen around edmunds, alot of folks exceed EPA on a regular basis. And, like I said, if a magazine exceeded EPA, I think that says ALOT because they often get well below estimates thanks to their hard driving in the name of testing.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I think Infinity has missed the market that would have made this vehicle a real success by about 6" behind the front seat. I have no kids or regular rear seat passengers so I am still in the game for this one. I would bet in about 60 days you will be able to buy them for invoice or less. They really got the interior finish right though, very nice.
Plenty of space for 5 adults? If they are under 5'5" maybe; most likely the reviewer isn't a big buy. There isn't anything new in the rest of the report. The 2WD version is the driver's car.
Also on another forum it was reported that towing a trailer isn't recommend; that is why Infinity doesn't provide any towing data in the owner's manual. This could be a real bummer for some.
I drive a 2006 VW Passat 3.6L w/automatic. The EPA says I should get 26 Highway. I routinely get 32 @75 mph, and I have never gotten less than 30 no matter what the weather or road conditions.
I have driven the Bimmer; I haven't driven the EX, but "on paper" it appears not to have the value. I will drive the EX and it may blow me away and I'll think it is worth every cent. I'll try to get a test drive in about a week.
One of the chiefs at the dealership says the official launch will be in February.
Here is a major problem with the vehicle: The new IPod's (touch screens) will not work with the car's built in system (and neither will the IPhone hook to the phone system). Infiniti has no answer for this, but it could be a major problem for them if they dont figure out how to software update the system. I assume that all their vehicles will have the same issue, as they all have the same technology.
Anyone else find this issue on any of the new Infiniti's???
Sounds like you were lucky to get the dealer to negotiate. This is my third Infiniti but until I gave them the VPP authorization, I don't think they were going to come off the MSRP much. But with the VPP, I only paid $315 over invoice.
I have a new touch screen IPod, and it does not want to work - cant get any screen lists to come up and it wont play - just get a message that says no song available.
What are the requirements for VPP status (what does it mean?). I currently have a 2005 G35 leased from this same dealer.
On the negative side, that means its actually a bit larger than I might want. I was hoping for something a bit lower to the ground. I mean, I didn't even spot it at first because I was looking for something the height of a G35. The EX didn't seem to be all that much smaller than the FX to my eyes.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S