Infiniti EX37 review: the overlooked forerunner of the QX50
3.3/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The EX37 is a genuinely good-driving small luxury crossover that the market has forgotten mostly because Infiniti itself renamed it out of existence. Buy one on the strength of a clean service history for the VQ37 timing chain and AWD transfer case, and treat the small trunk and dated tech as the honest cost of a car this cheap with this much V6 under the bonnet.
Pros
- G37-derived VQ37VHR V6 gives genuinely strong performance for the class
- Naming confusion with the QX50 keeps used prices low for a capable car
- Compact size is easy to park and manoeuvre in older Manama buildings
- Shares enough mechanicals with G37/370Z for straightforward independent servicing
Cons
- Small boot and cramped rear seat compared to a proper crossover
- Timing chain guides on the VQ37 are a known wear item to inspect
- AWD transfer case wear is common on high-mileage examples
- Infotainment and cabin tech are genuinely dated even for the era
Infiniti's first attempt at a compact luxury crossover launched in 2008 as the EX35, and the facelifted EX37 that followed in 2011 dropped in the same VQ37VHR V6 used in the G37 and 370Z, 325 hp in a package roughly the size of a modern QX50. The result drives more like a tall sedan than a crossover, which was exactly the appeal at the time.
What the name change hides
Buyers searching Bahrain's used listings today often do not realise that EX37 and early QX50 refer to the same car under different names, since Infiniti renamed the entire range in 2014 without changing much underneath. That naming confusion depresses demand for a genuinely capable small luxury crossover, which is good news for anyone shopping with a fixed budget.
The compact dimensions that make it easy to park in Manama's older buildings come at the cost of a genuinely small boot and a rear seat better suited to children than adults. This was never meant to be a family hauler, and buyers expecting SUV practicality will be disappointed.
Mechanically it shares enough with the G37 and 370Z that independent workshops familiar with those cars handle it without surprises. The two items worth inspecting before buying are the VQ37's timing chain guides, a known VQ-family wear item on high-mileage cars, and the condition of the all-wheel-drive transfer case, which sees more wear on a car this age than most Bahraini buyers expect.