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The Infiniti EX isn't merely a new car. It's one of a range of cars, previously unheard of in the UK, but very well known on the other side of the pond as Nissan's equivalent of Lexus -  a high quality premium make that offers something different to the usual German makes. It was one of the cars Infiniti launched with when it entered the UK with in September 2009 and is the smaller counterpart to the more striking Infiniti FX.

It was initially available only as the EX37 and used a detuned version of the 3.7-litre V6 engine that can also be found in the Nissan 370Z. With 320bhp it's very rapid and sounds great too, but economy is a shortcoming as it only returns 25.0mpg. What the EX desperately needed was a diesel engine. Luckily it didn't have to wait long and in July 2010 Infiniti introduced its first ever diesel - a 3.0-litre V6 that went into the EX30d.

This means the EX now makes much more sense and its no surprise that Infiniti expects the majority of EX buyers to go for the diesel model. It's refined but punchy and actually feels quicker than the EX37 in everyday driving thank to its enormous torque reserves of 550Nm. But the best bit is average fuel consumption of 33.2mpg, making it far more affordable in terms if running costs.

In terms of categorising the EX, that's not particularly straightforward. It's more of a 'crossover' than a 4x4 and although it does have all-wheel drive a standard, this is no off-roader. It's smaller than the BMW X6 and isn't as tall as an Audi Q5. What it does offer is a very high level of standard equipment and great handling too, so for those used to the premium quality of the top German brands, the Infiniti EX won't disappoint.