In crash tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Infiniti EX35 gets the highest mark, Good, in all tests, and is thus listed as a Top Safety Pick. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has not yet crash-tested the EX, it did rate its rollover resistance at 4 out of 5 stars (common for most crossovers today).

As is required of all 2012 models, the Infiniti EX35 has standard antilock brakes, an electronic stability system and traction control.

The EX features frontal airbags, seat-mounted side-impact airbags for the driver and front passenger, and roof-mounted curtain airbags for the front and rear seats.

The EX has two sets of lower anchors in the backseat as part of the Latch system for securing child-safety seats. The anchors are for the two outboard seating positions and are accessible via vertical slits in the seat bight. For kids in booster seats, the rear seat belt buckles are on stable bases, which typically makes it easier for kids with limited dexterity to buckle up on their own. However, since these buckles are flush with the bottom seat cushion, booster seats can have a tendency to wiggle and worm themselves on top of the buckle, requiring parental intervention.

My test car came equipped with an Around View Monitor as part of a $2,900 Premium Package. This is a fantastic feature for anyone who needs to park in tight spaces, but it's especially useful for families, giving you a 360-degree view around the car to make sure no kiddos or pets or tricycles are in your way before you even think about putting the car into reverse.

The small triangular windows alongside the cargo space cut down a bit on rear visibility in the EX, so I would have appreciated blind spot monitors to help out while trying to change lanes on the highway. This feature is available on the Journey trim as a part of an optional Technology Package.