Tested: 2023 Infiniti QX60 Is Playing Catch-Up

Back when Infiniti first appeared on the scene, it did so with advertising that showed images of rocks and trees rather than cars, as the brand ruminated on the meaning of luxury. That moody, esoteric approach proved not so great at moving the metal. But Infiniti might do well to reflect on the concept of luxury once again if it wants to elevate its products, like the recently remade QX60, beyond those of rapidly gentrifying mainstream brands.

For its 2022 redesign, the Infiniti QX60 ditched the amorphous, blob-like form language inherited from the JX in favor of a tauter, more modern appearance. “It looks like a baby Range Rover,” said a friend looking at the rear-quarter view, and you could almost see the QX blushing with pride. The contrast-color roof is a not-so-subtle nod to Range Rover and is exclusive to the top-spec Autograph version. Which, now that we mention it, sounds suspiciously similar to Range Rover’s fancy Autobiography trim.

Under the skin, the Infiniti’s sole engine is unchanged. The 3.5-liter V-6 again delivers 295 horsepower on its diet of premium fuel—versus 284 horses in the Nissan Pathfinder, which drinks regular. (The off-road-focused Pathfinder Rock Creek also produces 295 horses on premium.) Despite unchanged output, this engine is reinvigorated now that it’s no longer shackled to a continuously variable transmission but is instead paired with a nine-speed automatic. The ZF-sourced gearbox snaps off crisp downshifts (more eagerly in Sport mode) and eliminates the droning and slurred response of the previous QX60. As before, front-wheel drive is standard, though our test example had all-wheel drive. This combo hustled the QX60 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, a significant improvement over the previous-gen’s 7.1 seconds; it also dispatched the quarter-mile in 14.9 seconds. Those times nose past the Acura MDX (6.4 seconds to 60, a 15.1-second quarter-mile) and also the Pathfinder (which hits 60 mph in 6.6 seconds and pushes through the quarter-mile in 15.2).

That said, this engine’s torque peak of 270 pound-feet doesn’t arrive until 4800 rpm, and the 3.5-liter reveals its gritty nature in the tach’s upper reaches. The QX60 is quieter than the Pathfinder, though, and cruises at 67 decibels at 70 mph, despite an annoying wind whistle around the side mirrors.

We might have expected a decline in fuel economy with the departure of the continuously variable transmission, but ditching the CVT has resulted in no real penalty. EPA estimates for the new QX60 are 21/26 mpg with front-wheel drive and 20/25 mpg with AWD, both 1 mpg better in the city and 1 mpg lower on the highway than before. In our 75-mph real-world fuel-economy test, the QX60 returned 24 mpg, which bests the MDX and the Cadillac XT6 (both 22 mpg) but was 4 mpg below the Pathfinder’s result.

The QX60 lacks adaptive dampers or air springs, hardware that’s common among premium-brand SUVs in this segment. Instead, its chassis largely mirrors that of the Pathfinder (except that Infiniti doesn’t bother with an off-road setup, a la the Pathfinder Rock Creek). The upper trims feature 20-inch rolling stock, while the base version gets 18-inch wheels. Those larger wheels can translate some impact harshness, which a more sophisticated suspension might be better able to filter out, and we also noted a fair bit of head toss. Don’t look for a sporty variant, as offered by Acura, BMW, and Cadillac—that’s not part of the program either. The QX60 is less athletic than the MDX, the X5, or the XT6, but it still acquitted itself well on the skidpad, where we measured 0.85 g of lateral grip with Hankook Dynapro HP2 all-season rubber. Stopping from 70 mph required a reasonable 171 feet.

ProPilot Assist, with stop-and-go capability, is included in all but the base model. Its lane-centering feature seems less polished than some competitors, though, with the QX60 sometimes hugging the lane markers on one side or the other, like an unsure newbie driver. Good thing, then, that the steering is decently weighted and responsive.

The interior—the dash, the door panels, the center console—is nicely finished, and the top-spec Autograph brings quilted stitching on the seats and dash pad. But the space lacks the artistry of the original Q45—or today’s Genesis SUVs—which would help push the QX clearly into a higher tier than the also-nice Pathfinder.

Predictably, the redo brings more and larger screens. Upper trims have a digital instrumentation display, and the previous 8.0-inch touchscreen gives way to a 12.3-inch unit. Apple CarPlay is wireless, although Android Auto requires a cord. Wireless charging is standard. The rotary controller is retained but moves from the dash to the console. Knobs with knurled edges control interior temperature and audio volume, although there’s no tuning knob here as there is in the Pathfinder. Climate controls are haptic-touch and need a determined push.

USB ports are sprinkled generously throughout the cabin, and a panoramic sunroof is standard. Passengers in the second and third rows sit slightly higher than those in front. Only the Autograph has second-row captain’s chairs; lesser versions get a three-person bench, which is less than ideal for separating warring siblings. The third row is really tight unless second-row passengers exhibit mercy and slide their seats forward. Access to the third row is easy, though, with a push button that tilts and slides the second-row seats out of the way.

The new QX60 effectively covers the bases as a three-row family hauler. However, even fully kitted out—with a digital rearview mirror, a head-up display, and a 360-degree-view monitor—there’s not much here that can’t be found in a top-trim Kia Telluride or Hyundai Palisade. Either of those would be $10K less than our test car’s $68,390 sticker. Then there’s the closely related Pathfinder, which tops out around where the QX60 starts, just over $50,000, and is nearly as luxurious. The QX60’s core competencies are much improved, but Infiniti needs to reach further to cement this model’s premium-brand bona fides. Maybe it will help to gaze at some rocks and trees.

Source: Reviews - aranddriver.com