2022 INFINITI QX60

MARK TAKAHASHI: When it comes to luxury brands, Infiniti probably isn't at the top of your list. In the past decade, they've been pretty slow to roll out new models. We're getting a breath of fresh air with this all new 2022 Infiniti QX60 though. And if the related Nissan Pathfinder is any indication, things are looking up for Infiniti. This shares a lot of the same underpinnings as the Pathfinder, which impressed me with its significant improvements. And you can check that video out on this channel. Before we get into this video, do us a favor and hit the Like and Subscribe buttons below, and head over to edmunds.com/sellmycar to get a cash offer on your vehicle. The QX60 is a three-row luxury SUV that competes against the Edmunds top-ranked Audi Q7, Acura MDX, and Lincoln Aviator. Prices range from around 48,000 for the base front-drive Pure trim and rise to 64 grand for this-- the top Autograph all-wheel drive trim. That's comparable to the Acura MDX and quite a bit less expensive than the Audi or Lincoln. [MUSIC PLAYING] Up front, the QX60 retains its easily recognizable grill and headlights. But the overall styling has been simplified. There are fewer organic curves and humps than before. And I think these changes clean up the design quite nicely. Previous Infinitis had a lot of those bumps and bulges that reminded me of Admiral Ackbar's ship from Empire Strikes Back. [BEEP] ADMIRAL ACKBAR: It's a trap. [BEEP] MARK TAKAHASHI: But they've smoothed out a lot of those humps and bumps and, actually, it transitions really nicely into a smoother body. Now, around the back of the car, I like what they've done with the tail lights and joined them with this single bar that goes from edge to edge. It gives a pretty distinctive look, especially at night. What I'm not a fan of, though, are these chrome surrounds down here that suggest that they're exhaust pipes. And they're definitely not because, well, it's all plastic. I'm never really a fan of fake vents and fake ports like this. And I feel like it would look a little bit better if they didn't have them. But that's a pretty small nitpick for an overall design that I find pretty appealing. [MUSIC PLAYING] Behind the third row of seats is 14 and 1/2 cubic feet of cargo space. That's comparable to the Audi Q7 but a little bit smaller than the MDX or Aviator. The tables turn when you start folding seats, as you get 41.6 cubic feet behind the second row and a maximum of 75.4 cubic feet behind the front seats. That's right in line with the Aviator's generous cargo capacity and handily beats the Acura and Audi. More points are awarded for the underfloor storage bin, here, that also has these sturdy, plastic dividers to keep things from getting tossed around. [MUSIC PLAYING] There's a lot to like inside the new QX60. The overall design, I find pleasing. I like the horizontal motif that suggests a little more space. Materials quality is pretty good throughout. It's certainly on par with some of the other Japanese luxury vehicles. I like this diamond-quilted dash topper here. But at the same time, it sometimes seems just a little bit too much. Maybe they didn't have to go so far with the stitching. Sitting right on top of that dash pad is the infotainment screen, which is a touch screen. But you also have this handy dial right down here, where your hand naturally rests. I've always been a fan of dial controllers for infotainment because you can use it with minimal distraction. And you just turn the dial from hotspot to hotspot rather than touch screen, which requires you to take your eyes off the road to hit some of the buttons. Underneath that is the climate control panel, which is this big, curved, piano black thing. And well, you already know I'm going to complain about the piano black. But at least this one isn't too prone to glare. And it's pretty easy to use because they included some dials. But also, these capacitive touch buttons-- it takes a pretty deliberate push to ensure that you're hitting it and to also ensure you're not going to inadvertently hit something else. So you give it a really good push. And you get a little bit of a haptic feedback to confirm it's been pushed. As much as I like the way this matte, chrome-silver surround looks when we're in the shade, it causes a lot of glare in certain lighting conditions-- blinding actually. I had to drive along with my hand here to block some of the glare because it was so intense. There's also the same material here on the spokes of the steering wheel, which also can just reflect the sun and burn your retinas. It's a real problem. And I'm x surprised they let it go for that. The seats themselves are really nice and comfortable. They're the Zero Gravity seats that Nissan has been using for a few years. And personally, I like them. They fit my body type just fine. I'm 5' and of average in weight. And it just works for me. It has enough support on the sides-- seat cushion as well. And in the higher trim levels, you have a massage function that gives you this lower back kneading type of massage. It's pretty nice. It'd be nice to also get that in the seat cushion to move those pressure points around on a long road trip. But as it is, it's nice to have that massage function anyway. As far as storage goes, you have plenty of space for all your stuff. You have two large cup holders here, a rubberized tray, here, that has a wireless phone charger, two USB ports, one USB-C, and one USB-A, and nice, big door pockets that can easily take some larger water bottles. Under here, you have a decent-sized bin. It's not huge but, yet, another USB-A port inside. On the technology front, the QX60, it's merely about average. There aren't any features that make you say, wow, this is the future. Now, they just used the tried-and-true technology that they've had for quite a while. And it's great because we already know it works. Now, the ProPILOT Assist, it combines the adaptive cruise control to keep a solid gap between you and the car in front-- combines it with the lane-keep assist. So it takes a little bit of the effort out of driving. Overall, it works really well. Of course, since this is an SUV, it's important to check out the back seats as well. So let's go. Here in the second row, I have a ton of space. This front seat, here, is set for me. And I'm 5' 10", again, and wow-- a ton of space in front of my knees, a good amount of space under the seat for my feet, even though I don't really need them that much, and I'm elevated several inches above the front. So I get a nice view out the front window and out the sides as well. The sensation of space is enhanced with large windows and this huge panoramic sunroof. Like the Pathfinder, you have a removable center console for the second row. And you can do it without tools. You just pull a panel here, reach in and feel the lever, and there it is. It gives you that flexibility that you might want when, let's say, your kids want to use the center pass-through rather than fold to seat forward, especially if there's a child seat there. Now, it is a third row. So we've got to check that out as well. But let's see how easy it is to get into those rear seats. So first off, there's a button down here and also on the back of the seat. It's one touch-- and slides it forward. Then, you just crawl in, like this. And it's a pretty decent opening. You don't really have to shimmy or squeeze past to get back here. And once I'm seated back here, I have a decent amount of room but not a ton. My head is touching the headliner. But since third row seats are usually meant for smaller passengers, kids, and even occasionally use at that, this is a pretty decent amount of space. Now, if I slide the seat back, it's right up against my knees, which is a problem because it defaults to its rearmost position. But I know that there's a lot more room in front. So the middle passenger, if they're feeling generous, could slide it up quite a few inches to make you more comfortable back here. There's also a remote seat back release right here, which makes getting out pretty easy as well. [MUSIC PLAYING] Under the hood is a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. It's the same engine as its predecessor and the same engine that's in the Nissan Pathfinder but with a slight increase in power over the Pathfinder. A new 9-speed automatic transmission replaces the old continuously variable transmission. That certainly helps in regard to towing as the new QX can pull up to 6,000 pounds with the optional tow package. That's a 1,000 pound increase over the old model. Without the tow package, it maxes out at 3,500 pounds. Compared to the top rivals, the QX60 is on the low end for power output but about average for towing. The EPA estimates the front-wheel drive QX60 will return 23 miles per gallon. If you go with all-wheel drive, that drops it just slightly to 22 miles per gallon. Overall, these figures are about two or three MPG better than its closest rivals. But enough about these specs. Let's go for a drive. [MUSIC PLAYING] Right off the line, this QX60 has plenty of power. Yeah, that's pretty good. And that was, really, only half throttle. It really gets you up to highway speeds without any effort at all. You'll rarely ever have to floor the pedal. But when you do, it sounds pretty decent. It's a good raspy V6 when you're really into it. But otherwise, it's nice and quiet-- the way a luxury SUV should be. Gear changes from the automatic transmission are smooth and quick. And also, when you need to pass someone, it's quick to downshift and get you that power that you really need. It's a vast improvement from the continuously variable transmission from last generation. As I dip it into the sharp left turn here, the handling is good enough where it encourages you to drive with a little bit more aggression to get a little more fun out of your drive. And it does it quite well. Now one byproduct of the sportier handling is a stiffer ride quality. But even when compared to some of the other SUVs out there with a sports suspension, it's totally acceptable. You're feeling all the ruts and bumps and everything else. But it's never really intrusive, even on some of the rougher roads. One thing I do notice that I didn't really expect was road noise-- I hear quite a bit of it, especially on coarser asphalt-- because Infiniti is quick to point out that this new QX60 is much quieter. But when it comes to wind noise, I hear absolutely none of that. And part of that is due to better insulation in the windows as well as some other foam insulation they've squirted in everywhere else in the car. My outward view in the QX60 is pretty good as well. Now, this roof pillar is moderately-sized. It doesn't get in the way. The view out the back is pretty much what you'd expect from any luxury SUV. It's not great. It's narrow and short. But when you're backing into a spot, all of these surround view cameras really take any of the guesswork out. The breaks are nice and soft and easy to modulate. And you come to a perfect, smooth stop. There's really not a lot to say there. And that's a good thing. For handling, this handles quite well. It encourages you to drive with a little more aggression to get a little more fun out of the car. And man, it is, really, quite fun. Now, you're not going to go charging in like a smaller, sporty SUV. But it's really composed. It corners nice and flat. It doesn't feel at all out of sorts on a really tight, narrow, twisty road. When it comes to other SUVs in the class with sporty suspensions, this is right up there with them. [MUSIC PLAYING] Just like the Nissan Pathfinder that it's based on, this all new 2022 Infiniti QX60 is a huge improvement over its predecessor. It has the power and performance to give you a little fun on the road. But at the same time, it's also super easy and enjoyable to drive. Against other luxury SUVs in the class, well, it doesn't really match up against more refined choices like Mercedes or BMW. But when you compare it against the Acura MDX and Audi Q7, it's a much closer battle. Of course, we won't know where it'll end up in the Edmunds rankings until we get it back to the HQ for a full raft of testing and on-road evaluations. So keep checking back at edmunds.com for all the latest news, specs, and information on the QX60 and all of its competition. Thanks for watching. And don't forget to hit Like and Subscribe below. [MUSIC PLAYING]