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Any economist can explain hyper-segmentation of mature sectors of capitalist economies. It is and has been happening before your eyes in the automotive world for decades; products proliferate to fill every imaginable gap, real or perceived. Such thinking has led to any number of successes and failures; consider Ford’s iconic 1932 V-8, Chevrolet’s original 1953 Corvette, Chrysler’s 1984 minivan, Pontiac’s Aztek crossover, and Mercedes-Benz’s still uncategorized R-class. Some make you go “Ah-ha!” while others elicit a bemused “Huh?”

Infiniti views its new EX35 as something of a segment-buster, a vehicle that fills a need between mid-size sedans and mid-size sport-utility vehicles (including both crossovers and traditional SUVs). What we think Infiniti has discovered is the compact crossover. Not exactly an earth-shattering revelation, eh? Lest we waste valuable pixels cudgeling Infiniti’s positioning for the EX35, let’s look at what it actually is.

If you’re at all familiar with Infiniti’s G twins, the G35 sedan and G37 coupe, then you know much of what’s important about the EX35. These vehicles all share the company’s FM architecture (along with Infiniti’s FX35/45 and Nissan’s 350Z). Astute readers will note that these cars aren’t slugs. The commendably stiff FM platform’s front/mid-engine placement (hence the name) accommodates rear- or all-wheel-drive setups, and the EX offers them both.

The EX35 rides on a wheelbase that is two inches shorter than the G cars. As you’d expect from a crossover, the EX roofline is taller, reaching up to about sixty-two inches compared to fifty-seven inches for the G sedan. That’s barely five feet for you math whizzes, and four inches shorter than a potential competitor, the BMW X3. All of this discussion about longer/shorter/taller is to convey what the accompanying photos cannot—the EX35 is smaller than it looks on these electronic pages.

Just as it’s popular to apply a coupe’s roofline to sedans, Infiniti has done it with this small crossover. The resulting shape is a compact, solid unit with lines flowing naturally from any angle. Infiniti is arguably the most adept of the Asian manufacturers in executing pleasing body forms.

Inside, the flowing lines continue. It’s tough to find a hard 90-degree corner anywhere. The console and center stack are seamlessly integrated, and the arching binnacle houses easy-to-read gauges that reverse out of black. As one would expect on an Infiniti, an integrated navigation system is available, as well as a back-up camera system. Infiniti has expanded the capabilities of this video system by adding cameras to the exterior mirror housings, and up front (under the Infiniti grille badge). With some microprocessing magic, the nav’s LCD shows a virtual 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the EX35 during low-speed maneuvering. It’s called the “Around View Monitor.” While one can see the need for such a system on a full-size SUV or truck, why it’s needed on such a compact vehicle is a mystery to your humble author (a man who thinks one ought to use those reflective surfaces hanging off the doors to position the vehicle at slow speeds). Look for the technology to spread to larger Infiniti models in the near future.

Behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel, the driving position is comfortable. The front compartment feels roomy, especially when rendered in lighter interior colors. There’s plenty of glass area, and the hood slopes away nicely, providing an open sensation. However, those missing two inches of wheelbase pinch passengers riding in back. A quick dimension comparison shows that the EX35’s rear legroom is a scant 28.5 inches, while the G35 sedan provides 34.7 inches. Even the G37 coupe offers an inch more room. Furthermore, it’s reasonable to assume that potential buyers may cross-shop the X3, and the BMW tops this group with 35.8 inches. The net of all this is that the EX35’s rear seats are livable, but snug.

Making the most of the space that’s there, the rear seatbacks offer a power fold and lift function that opens up a wide pass-through to the hatch area. This should prove to be a welcome feature.

So how does the EX35 handle? If you thought “coupe-like,” you get a virtual gold star. The EX shares much of the goodness we’ve recognized on the G models. While the ride from the aluminum-intensive four-wheel independent suspension isn’t calibrated for track days like the more aggressive G37 coupe, the EX rides firmly with well-controlled body motions, and yet “harsh” is not a word in this vehicle’s vocabulary. The 3.5-liter V-6 runs hard to its 6800-rpm power peak, staying smooth all the while. The five-speed automatic (with sport and manual modes) shifts as well as an automatic can be expected to.

Continuing its trend of being big into safety-oriented technologies, Infiniti is using the EX to introduce its Lane Departure Prevention system. This is not to be confused with the automaker’s Lane Departure Warning technology, which audibly warns drivers when they drift out of their lane. The former actually applies a slight amount of brake force to nudge the EX back toward the center of the lane. If one drifts to the right, the left brakes activate, and vice versa. Any intentional steering input cancels the system’s activation, as does a turn signal. Both systems may be deactivated via a dash-mounted switch. May God protect us from drivers who need such electronic aids.

So who might want this capable compact crossover? We think there are prospects from every demographic who appreciate good chassis dynamics, and the high-quality Infiniti delivers. One thing is for sure, we’ll all know by watching who visits Infiniti dealers come December, when the EX35 goes on sale.

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Magazine Issue: Winding Road Issue 27