HIGH ROAD

HIGH ROAD GAME Changer

Infiniti’s all-new Q 60 raises its game in the midsize luxury crossover market, and scores big

By Howard Walker

In the words of Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear: “To infinity and beyond!”

Okay, switch the “y” in “infinity” to an “i,” and Buzz could have been talking about Infiniti’s brand-new QX60 three-row sport-ute and how it’s set to take Nissan’s luxury brand beyond and into the future.

Truth is, for the past decade, Infiniti-with-an-i has been on somnambulant snooze control, offering slim pickings in the way of new products or innovation. Sedans, SUVs, and coupes that were cool when they came out, are now definitely cruising past their sell-by dates.

Take the previous-gen QX60. This bland Jello-O mold on wheels has been around since 2012. In car years, that’s older than Betty White. Yet, amazingly, it was Infiniti’s top seller last year.

But Infiniti’s image is all about to change with the arrival in showrooms of the stylish 2022 QX60.

Its sleek, sexy design will definitely have you at hello. There’s a touch of Range Rover Velar and Lincoln Aviator in the longish hood, sweptback windshield, swooping roofline, and high waist. The 20-inch rims and shimmery Moonbow Blue paint on our top-of-the-line $65,000 Autograph model tester will have you looking back as you walk away. And it’s overflowing with detailing: the slash of Zorro LEDs above the headlights, the curvy clamshell hood, the intricate pattern of the grille inserts, the bold rear. There’s plenty to feast your eyes on here.

Slide behind the wheel and you’ll see a cabin transformed. Even the $46,850 base model gets wall-to-wall leather, while our fancy Autograph is lavished with semi-aniline hides stitched and quilted to mimic the ripples created when dropping a pebble in a pond. I kid you not. Add to this the matte-finish wood, piano-black features, and satin metal accents, and there’s no doubt that this is a proper high-luxe ride.

For families, the QX still offers the flexibility and versatility of three-row seating. While that third row is just about big enough for adults on short trips, it’s perfect for kids. And Infiniti has nailed the entry-and-exit bit with middle-row captain’s chairs that flip forward at the touch of a button. With the second-row seats in place and the third row folded flat, you get a cavernous 41 cubic feet of load-carrying space. With everything folded, you can expect more than 75 cubic feet.

For me, the biggest change between the new QX60 and its predecessor is the way it drives. We’re talking night and day.

Yes, the Teflon-smooth 3.5-liter V6 carries over pretty much unchanged—thankfully Infiniti resisted the temptation to trade it for a hyperactive turbocharged four—and it continues to add a true luxury dimension to the Q. As before, the V6 brings a muscley 295 horsepower

POWER FILE

to the party. But the big upgrade here is the switch from a lackluster continuously variable transmission (CVT) to a more responsive 9-speed automatic with paddle shifters.

Now when you crush the gas pedal from standstill, the QX60 scampers off the line like a Learjet on takeoff. Even as the revs soar, the V6 is bank-vault silent, due in part to the new acoustic glass and 35 pounds of sound-deadening packed in. At freeway cruising speeds, the lack of wind and road noise is uncanny.

Slightly stiffer suspension and quicker, recalibrated electric-assist steering gives the QX a nimble, athletic feel through the twisties while the ride always remains smooth and calm.

All QX60s come with front-wheel drive standard, with all-wheel drive a two-grand option. (Infiniti charges $3,000 for the same feature on the top Autograph model.) It’s not intended for mud-up-to-the-axles off-roading, but it will give you confidence in wet and slippery conditions.

This section of the market is brimming with terrific offerings—everything from the Acura MDX

PRICE: FROM $47,875 ENGINE: 3.5-LITER V6 TRANSMISSION: 9-SPEED AUTOMATIC POWER: 295 HP TORQUE: 270 LB-FT 0-60: 6.6 SECONDS TOP SPEED: 120 MPH LENGTH/ WIDTH: 198/86 INCHES WEIGHT: 4,500 POUNDS (EST) WHY WE LOVE IT: BECAUSE IT SETS A NEW CLAS BENCHMARK IN LUXURY.

and the Volvo XC90, to Lincoln’s Nautilus, Lexus’ RX, and the new Genesis GV80. But this QX60 is a terrific contender that goes straight to the top of «the class. It’s going to create quite the “buzz.”