Accelerations from 0 to 100 kph are completed in 6.7 seconds. The EX35 might be a tad slower than the G35 sedan, but remember that it weighs about 100 kilos (220 pounds) more. Yet, the weight difference is negligible on the road and the EX is still easily one of the fastest in its class. As for fuel economy, my tester averaged 13.8 L/100 km, a figure that could certainly be improved.

This crossover also borrowed its all-wheel drive system from the G35x. Infiniti calls it "Intelligent AWD" because the system can transfer up to 50 percent of the available torque to the front wheels depending on driving conditions.

The front passenger compartment is fairly comfortable despite the prominent center console and tightly supportive seats.

Another similarity between the G35 and EX35 is the compact interior. The front passenger compartment is fairly comfortable despite the prominent center console and tightly supportive seats, but in the back, legroom is very limited. I couldn't even sit my children on their seat bolsters while I was behind the wheel. Of course, headroom is greater than in the sedan.

The cargo area allows you to load medium-size items and the easy access makes it even more convenient. On the other hand, you need a good swing to close the liftgate.

Gadget galore
The 2008 Infiniti EX35 innovates by offering such options as the Around View Monitor, a 4-camera technology that makes it possible to see the vehicle's surroundings through a 360-degree bird's-eye perspective on the central LCD screen. While the front and rear cameras are actually useful for parking maneuvers, the side ones (mounted under each mirror) use a convex lense and the resulting image is quite distorted. Still, as far as innovations go, Infiniti really must be applauded. This type of safety feature will no doubt spread across the industry in upcoming years.

The Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) works like a charm and is not too intrusive: it slows the vehicle down progressively and smoothly. There's also a Lane Departure Prevention and Warning system for distracted drivers, a touch-screen navigation system with voice recognition and XM NavTraffic (real-time traffic information) as well as an impressive Bose stereo featuring a 9.3GB Music Box hard drive with compact flash slot.

The optional Around View Monitor makes it possible to see the vehicle's surroundings through a 360-degree bird's-eye perspective on the central LCD screen.