Infiniti's EX30d is an interesting proposition - a premium crossover with bundles of standard kit and a thirsty diesel engine. Can it take sales from Audi and BMW?
The EX is a similar size to BMW's X3 and Audi's Q5. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine has 235bhp and 550Nm of pulling power. It will reach 62mph from zero in 7.9 seconds, and has an achievable top speed of 137mph where legal. Our test car had a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Changes were smooth and swift in automatic mode.
It handles quite well. The four-wheel drive set-up means there's huge amounts of grip, while body-roll is kept to a minimum. The ride is also extremely comfortable and compliant, a boon on long journeys. On the inside, Infiniti has used high quality materials and the cabin has a 'premium' feel.
However, it isn't all good news. Rivals including the BMW X3 mated to a 3.0-litre engine and the Audi Q5 powered by a 3.0-litre engine are both quicker when covering the benchmark sprint.
The EX will average 33.2mpg on the combined cycle while CO2 emissions are 224g/km. This places the EX in VED band K, which equates to £550 for the first year and £245 each year thereafter. If you're considering using the EX as a company car then you'll be eligible for the highest 35% BIK taxation.
One final point worth noting is that while the EX30d is expensive when compared to rivals - our test car was in GT Premium spec and costs £43,854 on the road - you do get lots of standard kit (some rivals can be sparse with kit) and a very high quality finish on the inside. The only cost optional extras on our test car was the white paint (£679) and the 11-speaker BOSE stereo system (£628).
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Also consider:
Quiet and refined on the move, the X3 has a range of efficient diesel engines and a decent-sized boot. The looks have improved on the latest generation.
Audi's offering handles like a car, with a spacious and sophisticated cabin. The boot is also impressively big.
Comfortable and refined on the move, the XC60 has a modern cabin. It also has a high level of safety kit.