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.
apparently believes that sport car enthusiasts with cargo and towing needs will give the Durango SRT a look-see. As an added incentive, all new customers will get to push the sporty SUV to its limits with a free full-day session at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.
economy of 13/19 miles per gallon (mpg). On the test drive it averaged 12.9 mpg. Still, the buyer for this vehicle probably won’t be surprised by this news.
The standard seven-inch thin-film-transistor screen in the instrument cluster has been redesigned and can be customized, the 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen returns with navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD radio, downloadable apps, and a five-year trial of SiriusXM Travel Link and Traffic with a one-year trial subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio. Rounding out this list is the standard BeatsAudio premium sound system featuring nine speakers, subwoofer and 506-watt amplifier.
Transmission that normally offers the best city/highway fuel economy of 31/40 miles per gallon (mpg). Because the Sport Touring trim is specially tuned, the EPA estimated fuel economy for the test model dropped slightly to 30 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. It earned an average of 34.4 mpg on the test drive. Paddle shifters, standard on the Sport Touring model, enhanced its performance.
Creature comforts on the test model included heated front and outboard rear seats, a moonroof, rain-sensing wipers, a leather trimmed interior, Apple Carplay/Android Audio, and navigation.
Every Traverse also comes equipped with new safety technology like Teen Driver, introduced on the Malibu in 2016, and the Rear Seat Reminder that pings after the vehicle is turned off to remind the driver to check the back seat for children or other precious cargo. Teen Driver allows parents to program a vehicle to monitor their teen’s driving habits.
days of summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and to showcase technology like Teen Driver and the Rear Seat Reminder. According to AAA, during this time, the average number of deadly teen driver crashes climbs by 15 percent compared to the rest of the year. 
It had a seating capacity of seven (properly equipped the Traverse can seat up to eight) plus the second- and third-row seats folded to expose 98.2 cubic feet of cargo room. In previous tests, Chevy seats were heavy, spring loaded, and slammed down when deployed, but that has been addressed on the new Traverse.
infotainment system with navigation and an eight-inch touch screen (a seven-inch screen is standard), leather seating, heated second row seats and heated and ventilated front seats, a hands-free power liftgate, Bose stereo with XM satellite radio, and tri-zone air conditioning.
While the trunk can fit 16 cubic feet of cargo, the rear seats are not split for added cargo carrying ability.
The available hybrid powertrain also makes the Avalon unique in its segment.
Powered by a choice of two 1.4-liter turbocharged engines, the test model came with the more powerful of the two that can produce 153 horsepower and 177 lb.–ft. of torque and included Direct Injection with a subtle start/stop mode to conserve gas. It had an EPA estimated fuel economy of 26 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 31 mpg on the highway. I averaged 25.2 mpg during the weeklong test drive.
While pricing for the 2018 Encore starts at $23,915, stepping up to the Premium trim adds lots of dollars as well as stuff. The as-tested price that included the Experience Buick Package ($2,390) with navigation, a power moonroof, an eight-inch touch screen, and Apple Carplay and Android Auto capability, came to $36,820.
Described by VW as its “hot hatch,” the GTI debuted in 1983 and since then has transformed the hatchback from a utilitarian car and into a sporty compact. Redesigned for the 2015 model year, the seventh generation of the Golf GTI included three available trim levels—S, SE, and Autobahn. They remain for 2018 but with a few improvements.
forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian monitoring, and keyless access with a push button start.
Like other brands, VW has taken to using a warranty to tilt car buyers in their favor. The Golf GTI is covered by a transferable, six-year or 72,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
While transporting the cargo, many other assets from the CX-9 emerged, like a standard rearview camera, Bluetooth, and the Mazda Connect infotainment system, with a seven-inch or the available the eight-inch touch screen that came with the test model. Compared to other infotainment systems, however, this one was not so user friendly. While the number of presets, from AM to XM, is limitless, it took four—five steps to program each one.
