The premium small crossover segment has quickly established itself as one of the fastest growing in the auto industry, with virtually every luxury automaker scrambling to field an entrant. While Infiniti certainly wasn’t the creator of the segment, it was by no means late to the party with its EX crossover. However, the EX has failed to gain any real traction in the market place, forcing Infiniti to take the EX back to the drawing board.
The EX hasn’t yet been on the market for a full year, but the small crossover is fielding enough customer complaints to warrant and update from Infiniti. The trouble seems to stem from where Infiniti placed the EX in the market: While the Japanese automaker originally targeted singles and couples as the main EX audience, more people have been shopping the EX as a family hauler. Since the EX was designed more for good looks than soccer practice duty, buyers with families have been turned off by the EX’s lack of rear seat legroom.
In fact, the competition has a fairly significant lead over the EX in rear seat legroom. The Acura RDX isn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination, but offers a full 9 inches more of rear seat legroom than the EX. The Lincoln MKX offers even more room, with a 10 inch advantage over the EX.
Buyers are obviously taking note of the EX’s cramped rear quarters with sales falling short of expectations by about half. According to Automotive News, Infiniti expected to sell 20,000 EXs per year, but has only tallied 10,289 sales this year.
But Infiniti hopes to turn around things for 2010. Infiniti will be updating the 2010 EX with more rear legroom, although it remains unclear if rear cargo room – which is already cramped – will be sacrificed for more people room. The 2010 model will also see a boost in standard equipment to boost sales, including Infiniti’s Around View Monitor.
10/13, 4:44 PM
posted by:
tzu13
…Yay?
10/13, 4:58 PM
posted by:
Jon
Rather than re-engineer a new vehicle, they should’ve gone with a G35x Sportwagon.
10/13, 5:41 PM
posted by:
golf4me
Jon, you stole my thought, though I’d also like to see a RWD G37 wagon. That would be pretty cool.
10/13, 6:06 PM
posted by:
FlyingB
I agree as well. A G37 (theoretically) could make for a nice wagon. I also think it would be interesting for Infiniti to add to the Cadillac CTS-SW in testing that market segment’s demand (in America) again.
10/13, 6:19 PM
posted by:
pzimet
Right, but what you’re all forgetting is that this is a business (unfortunately). Businesses exist so as to accumulate money. While every “car-guy” will talk endlessly about how he loves sport wagons as alternatives to sporty SUV’s, and I for one will agree w/ that for all of the obvious reasons, it just doesn’t matter to companies who are trying to be profitable here. Wagons have damn near no impact on the U.S. automotive market, that’s a sad fact, but a fact none the less. Americans are whores for image, and so a small wagon disguised as a crossover will almost always be a better business decision, and will be what comes out of it (most of the time..of course you can do both, a la 3-Series Wagon/X3).
Also consider that Infiniti is 95% about the American market, with it just getting launched in Europe this past year…so while Europe may have a demand for wagons, since America is where Infiniti has to do well in to survive as a company, it’s thirst for car-based SUV’s will reign supreme.
10/13, 6:19 PM
posted by:
autonut
Perhaps would be wise to drop in tranny from FX as well. EX has 5 speed and FX 7. Why shortchanging a customer of 2 gears?
10/13, 6:32 PM
posted by:
pzimet
Because when you drop more cash on the FX you want something extra for your money…that includes higher equipment levels, which itself would include the 7 spd.
10/13, 7:39 PM
posted by:
sj79
its odd looking and pointless.
10/13, 7:43 PM
posted by:
golf4me
pzimet…I drive a 325 wagon, stick, with sport package. You’d be surprised how many complements I get on it. I think more people are now interested in the class, because they are finally realizing that SUV/CUV’s are just not efficient, but you can get the same utility in a wagon. Besides, all SUV’s and such are really just wagons anyway.
10/13, 7:54 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
I had my first encounter with a EX at the recent OC auto show here in California.. and was appalled when I tried to squeeze into the back! I get that there is a packaging disadvantage to being a RWD-biased platform as opposed to the RDX and MKX being FWD-biased.. but even the BMW X3 and Infiniti’s only slightly larger FX has quite a bit more space back there. I figured it was a strategic move to force familiies to upgrade to the FX.. but if the EX gets more seating space, then doesn’t the FX have to as well?
10/13, 9:32 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
If you’re bitching about the back seat after you’ve purchased the vehicle then you only have yourself to blame. As the article states, it’s hardly like there aren’t any other choices in this segment.
10/14, 12:06 AM
posted by:
VWgrouP
Yeah, I agree the legroom is not so great. The other thing I dont really like, is the front headlights of the car. The rest of the car is beautiful. Even the G35 doesnt have to much leg room at the back, but I guess thats not a real issue.
Speaking about Infiniti!
I got my new M45 today! I was very interested in the EX, and the G35.
10/14, 10:29 AM
posted by:
ricky_b
I was in to a dealer a couple of months ago and the two complaints I had were 5 speed fuel economy and lack of back seat legroom. A friend of mine has know this salesman most of her life and I trust what he says. He told me two months ago that Nissan NA has said that EX sales were disappointing and that they acknowledged the same reasons I had listed as the major reasons why others were not buying; Nissan wants that marker in NA. He told me that they were in the process of redesigning for a better back seat and also said that EX would go 37 with 7 speed like the Gs. Sounds like this is confirming what he already told me.
10/14, 11:07 AM
posted by:
tripleonefive
I got in this when I was at the NY Auto show. I was shocked at how little room the car had itself and especially the backseat. A Yaris might have more room in the backseat
Im not a fan of this cars styling, room or fuel economy anyway . I would much rather buy a RDX
10/14, 2:48 PM
posted by:
coolguy8157
I was in the market for the EX a while ago when it was released but after looking at the rear seats and the cargo there is not that much utility compared to a G35….well…I got a G..but this is really a niche vehicle…not a family camper I would say
10/14, 6:55 PM
posted by:
VWgrouP
Well, alot (actually mostly all) of Infiniti’s models are based on Nissan’s (thats a no brainer). The EX, is built off of the Rouge. Now, I havent checked this, but Im sure the Rouge is selling pretty well, for odvious reasons..
Yet, I actually respect the EX alot. In my opinion, it is a really nice SUV, I mean..CUV. I just cant figure out why you would need and all round monitor..maybe front and back, but you dont need a camera to tell you what is right outside your drivers side window..thats what side mirrors are for.
10/14, 9:01 PM
posted by:
eff1Fifty
If adding more leg room means it makes it less ugly, then im all for it! (I LOVE Infiniti products… so dont think im hating)
10/14, 11:05 PM
posted by:
VWgrouP
They could just make it a little bit longer, change those headlights, and move the rear seats back a bit, then there will be enough leg room. Problem solved!
10/15, 12:44 AM
posted by:
mr_hunter
The EX is on the same platform as the G, FX, M and the Nissan Z. Not the Rogue. The Rogue is front wheel drive and I’m pretty sure it’s base on the Sentra platform.