Infiniti is not a newcomer brand anymore and has had to start growing up from the days of the G-coupes and rebadged Nissans.
In 2017 alone, Infiniti sold more than 150,000 cars in just the U.S. and continue to grow and establish itself as a true luxury brand.
If you read my review of the Q60 Red Sport, then you know I truly was impressed with Infiniti’s take on the classic sports car form factor. This time I had the pleasure of driving the all new and redesigned QX50, Infiniti’s entry level SUV, aimed at the ever-growing segment responsible for the slowing Sedan sales.
My QX50 came in the Essential trim with optional All Wheel Drive as well as a few other goodies. The Essential trim comes with all the options as standard including Infiniti’s safety system which helps stay in your lane on the highway as well as emergency braking. While I wasn’t in a position where the car needed to brake for me, I could tell it was working behind the scenes a couple of times in traffic.
The quilted leather seats cooled me as soon as I got into my QX50, every time I turned it on, which was very welcome considering the soaring tropical temps lately. Also, at no point did I feel like I had to budget for interior space. With 31.4 cubic feet of space of storage with the seats up, and more than double with them down, the QX50 is plenty large enough for a growing family or someone just looking to get more car for the money.
Another new thing for the 2019 QX50 is the very technologically advanced turbo charged 2-litre four-cylinder engine generating 268 horsepower. This is first time an engine has been able to change its internal compression in a production car. From what I understand, this means the engine runs much smoother and more efficiently than traditional engines.
What I do know is that I got phenomenal gas mileage without giving up good acceleration. Rated at 24 mpg city and 31 mpg highway, it is class leading. I was able to feather foot it and got even better in the city but your mileage may vary. And while it can just sip from the tank when you want it to be efficient, it also can change the engine and make it a sporty experience launching you from 0 to 60 in just over six seconds.
Although we are not talking sports car levels of exhilaration, this felt engaging for an SUV on a new platform. While companies like Porsche make SUVs that do feel like supercars, they cost over double what the new Infiniti tops out at. The new Infiniti QX50 fits in with the German offerings from Mercedes, BMW, and Audi, without breaking the bank. One example of this is the seats.
While many manufacturers make leather seats an option, they come standard on the QX50 at all trim levels.
The Infiniti QX50 starts at $36,550 for the Pure trim and goes up to $45,150 for the Essential AWD trim I drove.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
