The 325-HP Infiniti EX37 Was A 370Z Wearing A Backpack

Usually, if you want a city-sized rear-wheel-drive performance car but also need to tote around a lot of stuff, your options are a performance car with a roof box, a BMW 3 Series wagon, and that’s about it. However, what if I told you there was a compact, rear-wheel-drive, hatch-equipped vehicle from Japan sold in America in the last decade and it just so happened to share its heart with a popular sports car? If that mix of traits sounds tempting, then the Infiniti EX37 is worth a look.

Think of it a bit like a Japanese first-generation BMW X1 — a small crossover built on sports sedan bones that sacrificed some practicality for driving pleasure. It’s not the best bet for those with growing children, but for empty-nesters or young couples who want a little extra practicality without driving something boring, it hit the nail on the head.

Welcome back to Beige Cars You’re Sleeping On, a weekly series in which we raise the profile of some quiet greats. We’re talking vehicles that are secretly awesome, but go unsung because of either a boring image or the lack of an image altogether.

It’s easy to forget, but back in the 2000s, Infiniti was on an absolute tear. After bloodying BMW’s nose with the G35 sports sedan and coupe, aiming for the 5 Series with the M sedan, popularizing the performance crossover with the FX, and going large with the QX SUV, the brand set its eyes on the compact luxury crossover segment. Sales were booming for the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz was about to launch the GLK, Acura had the RDX, and Land Rover had the LR2. Clearly, it wasn’t going to sit this one out.

However, instead of repurposing a front-wheel-drive platform like Acura or building something squared-off and slightly gawky, Infiniti drew inspiration from its successful FX crossover, a curvaceous, muscular vehicle that didn’t offer one whiff of imaginary off-roadability. In fact, it would ride on the same platform as the FX and Nissan Z, but with the whole vehicle being cut down in size. Substantially cut down in size.

What resulted was the 2008 Infiniti EX35 with the VQ35HR 3.5-liter V6 from the 350Z. Right out of the gate, it had some pretty advanced available features. We’re talking about a then-novel 360-degree parking camera system, a 9.3 GB in-dash jukebox to rip your CDs to, a power-folding second-row seat, and lane departure prevention. It also packed 297 horsepower harnessed by a five-speed automatic transmission, and while that combination was only good for zero-to-60 mph in 6.2 seconds during Car And Driver instrumented testing, an early first drive from the magazine showed strong signs of handling prowess.

From behind the wheel, the difference between the EX35 and G35 is slim, because if you think of the EX35 as a G with the rear suspension from an FX, you’re pretty much dead on.

The taller EX feels a little tippier, dipping only slightly more in aggressive cornering, but drives very much like its G sibling, with a solid, stable, athletic feel. Steering is well weighted and accurate, although we felt that the lighter wheel in rear-drive models was a bit too airy. The brakes are confident and react snappily, although somewhat too quickly for heavier feet. All-wheel-drive models default to devoted understeer in aggressive conditions; rear-drive EXs remain more neutral.

Yep, it leaned more towards being a sports sedan than a crossover, and the platform was practically begging for an upgraded powertrain. Well, for 2011, Infiniti replaced the five-speed automatic transmission with a seven-speed unit, and for 2013, the wish for more power was granted when Infiniti dropped in the 3.7-liter VQ37VHR V6 shared with the Nissan 370Z sports coupe and rechristened the car the EX37. Peak torque only climbed by 14 lb.-ft., but horsepower climbed by 28 and redline climbed from 6,800 rpm to 7,500 rpm. It would be the same powertrain the EX37 would keep as it adopted a new name, QX50, for 2014. In Motor Trend testing, this powertrain was enough to drop the zero-to-60 mph time down to 5.5 seconds, and should you wish to go faster than that, the wildly popular VQ engine aftermarket community would be happy to oblige.

Aside from the confusion that came with frequent re-branding, the Infiniti EX37 had one big problem — Infiniti shrunk it a little too much over its bigger FX sibling. In fact, the EX37 had less rear legroom than a Ford Mustang from the same era. The 2013 Mustang sported 29.8 inches of rear legroom, the EX37 just 28.5 inches. A wheelbase stretch for 2015, with the EX37 then being called the QX50, helped, but every one that left the factory with an EX37 badge had microscopic rear legroom.

Still, if you’re looking for, conceptually, a sports coupe with a backpack, the EX37 could be just the ticket, especially if you’re looking to get greasy. Since the ECUs on these things have been unlocked for years, you can do some wild stuff, like swapping in the six-speed manual gearbox from a Nissan 370Z, adding a supercharger or a turbocharger or two, bolting in a limited-slip rear differential, and just generally making it hoon way better.

So, if your lifestyle comes with a bunch of stuff and you still want a reasonably quick, reasonably agile, reasonably engaging used car, give this oft-forgotten Infiniti a look. Who knows? It might just be exactly what you want with a nameplate you forgot existed.

(Photo credits: Infiniti)

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