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Infiniti EX35 2008 review.

The new Infiniti EX35 seemed too good to be true: a sporty five-seat crossover SUV to compete with the Acura RDX, BMW X3 and Land Rover LR2 — bargain priced and available with what seemed the coolest feature to come along in years: Around View Monitor.

The new Infiniti EX35 seemed too good to be true: a sporty five-seat crossover SUV to compete with the Acura RDX, BMW X3 and Land Rover LR2 — bargain priced and available with what seemed the coolest feature to come along in years: Around View Monitor. While testing the EX, I realized its small size and lack of towing capability make it compete as much if not more with wagons like the Audi A4 Avant, BMW 328 and Volvo V50 T5. It compares favorably with these models, but the price difference isn’t as jaw-dropping among these peers as it is versus the X3 and LR2.

And yes, the Around View Monitor option, which uses multiple cameras to let you see all the way around the EX35, turns out to be the coolest and most useful feature I’ve seen in years.

Exterior & Styling
The EX35 is indeed a tall sport wagon/crossover/SUV, and it’s clearly an Infiniti, with the brand’s signature grille, and headlights that creep up the tops of the fenders. Our test car had roof rails, which come standard on the Journey trim level. (Cross-bars are an option to complete the roof rack.) The base EX35, which isn’t eligible for any factory options, has a streamlined look because the side roof rails aren’t standard. The rear end recalls Infiniti’s larger FX model, for better and for worse. The look is sporty and stylish, but it makes for a relatively tight cargo area. Though the EX is similar in size to the compact Rogue SUV from parent company Nissan, the platforms are different. The Rogue offers front- or all-wheel drive where the EX comes with rear- or all-wheel drive.