Crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) rival minivans as the favored family car, especially for road trips. On a recent drive to Kerrville in the Texas Hill Country by Latino Traffic Report, the Infiniti QX60 CUV offered a cozy ride that fairly floated along Interstate 10 West. The Infiniti QX60 capitalizes on luxury and comfort for a premium ride.
Refreshed in 2016, the QX60 bears a handsome sculpted exterior, distinguished by chevron or boomerang design cues on the grille and rear side windows. Its plush interior includes standard quilted leather seating with heated seats in the front, a welcome feature in the winter, even in Texas. When temperatures rise, cooled or ventilated front seats, included on the test model, as well as a heated steering wheel, maple wood accents, and the Around View Monitor that offers a bird’s eye view around the CUV for improved safety and parking ease, are also available.
Big changes in 2019 include making safety features like Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection and Predictive Forward Collision Warning standard on all grade levels.
With three rows of seating, the QX60 can seat up to seven. The split second and third rows also fold flat to create 75.8 cubic feet of cargo room. Adding convenience, the second row moves forward for easier access to the third row that returns upright automatically with the push of a button. A new innovation for 2018 included the standard Rear Door Alert that reminds an owner, with a series of distinctive honks, to check the back row before locking the vehicle.
One engine powers the QX60, a 3.5-liter V6 with 295 horsepower, 270 lb.–ft., of torque and matched to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission. The QX60 got a new engine in 2017, which increased performance more than ten percent, while retaining one of the best fuel economy figures in its class, an EPA estimated fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon (mpg) on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. On the test drive, the average fuel economy came to 18.3 mpg.
Infiniti simplifies the selection process by offering only two trim levels based on the QX60’s configuration, i.e. front-wheel or all-wheel drive (AWD). The test model came with the latter. For 2019, two new grade levels, Pure and Luxe, were also added, as well as additional packages.
AWD models also include the Drive Mode Selector that allows the driver to choose among Standard, Sport, Eco and Snow modes. While the Sport mode did add extra power for the hilly climb along the 65.5-mile drive to Kerrville from San Antonio, the power loss in Eco mode was quite dramatic.
Standard entertainment features include Bluetooth, an AM/FM/CD stereo with an eight-inch touchscreen interface, and tri-zone air conditioning. Family essentials include eight cup holders, six bottle holders, and four USB ports.
While selecting a trim level may be simplified, selecting options, can be costly. Pricing for the 2019 Infiniti QX60 starts at $47,045, while the as-tested price came to $60,670.
Sí: The QX60 is quite plush, especially with the quilted seating and distinctive wood accents and adding the Blind Spot Monitor to all 2019 grades was an excellent move.
No: The loss of power in the Eco setting was substantial, making it practically unusable.
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