The expression crossover vehicle covers lots of ground nowadays, and also the Infiniti FX35 shows how much that idiom has been shoved. Common crossovers are vehicles like the Toyota RAV4 or Honda Pilot-they're depending on vehicle platforms and lack the lowrange transfer cases and powerful ParisDakar durability of truckbased SUVs, however they wear truckish, blocky sheet-metal.

Yes, at 65.0 inches high, it will stand some seven inches taller when compared to a Ford Taurus station-wagon. And at 189.1 inches long, it's around eight inches shorter compared to the Taurus wagon. So that the FX does have appropriate SUV proportions.

It appears brawny too, however in the bulging, muscle manner of the Dodge Viper as opposed to the idiom of the Caterpillar tractor. Furthermore, its greenhouse is rakish, tidy, and glossy, and this special FX35 did not have fourwheel drive. Rather, it funneled every bit of its 280 hp to its back tires.

Like its larger brother, the FX45, that is the fastest nonturbocharged SUV we have ever analyzed, the FX35 is geared just for grappling with the pavement. Makes it simple to consider the FX chassis is connected to the system used by the Infiniti G35 and Nissan 350Z.

Built with Nissan's omnipresent 3.5liter V-6, which develops 280 horsepower within this iteration, the FX35's rate is astonishingly close to that of the FX45, which includes a far better 315hp V-8.

Using a manualoverride-equipped fivespeed automatic, the FX35 is a fleet and responsive instrument for your cut and thrust of city traffic.

Even though your line of vision is all about half a foot less elevated than in many midsize SUVs, the motorist still sits high enough to understand on the roofs of the majority of sedans through the bumper-to-bumper grind. And also the FX's tight chassis facilitates the accelerated lane changes and instantaneous acceleration needed to advance during the rushhour pack.

Although peak grip is down 0.07 grams, the sharp steering and also the athletic moves stay. So does the bigger FX's hard journey. You'll feel every pimple within the pavement, and yet the shallowest speed-bump is going to have you rocking and rolling. Infiniti calls the sports-car to the FX of SUVs, and also the suspension doesn't belie that claim.

Inside, the FX35 carries on the accommodations of its larger brother. The amount of standard gear is high, with double power front seats, a stereo with an indash sixCD changer, highintensity-discharge headlights, and a 6.3inch LCD display to show vehicle info. Our vehicle was designed with the Premium bundle, which added $2600 for the $34,745 base cost and contained leather upholstery, frontseat heaters, a poweradjustable steering-wheel, and an upgraded Bose stereo.

The cockpit glitters with aluminum accents and uses delicate materials wherever your elbows touch armrests and the door panels.

Although some SUVs are accurately criticized for their negative proportion of weight to carrying capacity, the FX35 is actually fairly efficient. Call it a wagon. Call it whatever. We call it fairly great

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 5-door wagon

PRICE AS TESTED: $37,645 (base price: $34,745)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, Nissan engine-control system with port fuel injection
Displacement: 213 cu in, 3498cc
Power (SAE net): 280 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 270 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic with lockup torque converter

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.2 in Length: 189.1 in
Curb weight: 4100 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.1 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 19.1 sec
Zero to 120 mph: 39.1 sec
Street start, 5-60 mph: 7.2 sec
Standing 1/4-mile: 15.5 sec @ 91 mph
Top speed (drag limited): 137 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 181 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.80 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city driving: 17 mpg
C/D-observed : 17 mpg