Infiniti has been on a roll lately. From the brand’s luxury coupe, the Q60, to the three row large SUV the QX80, Infiniti has proven that it can make a fantastic blend of high quality interiors and looks that can break necks. Not only are they great to look at, but driving an Infiniti is just as nice, if not better, than its German rivals.
The most recent Infiniti to get a full redesign is the QX50, Infiniti’s two row compact SUV. The first thing you would notice different over the outgoing model is the exterior styling. The old model looked dated from the day it rolled off the factory floor, the new one looks fresh and shares the same swooping lines from Infiniti’s design language. The ride height also has been raised another two inches from the old model so not only can you go more places, but you can also see more out of the windows.
With this new exterior, the interior has advanced leaps and bounds ahead of what it used to be. Cheap plastics have turned into higher quality materials and interior vibrations are almost nonexistent. While rear visibility is slightly decreased from the outgoing model, there are an array of high quality cameras and sensors to more than make up for it. The infotainment system has been upgraded and the screens are able to show the camera in high quality. The seats are very comfortable due to a combination of the leather and the shape of them makes for a comfortable ride both around town and long distances.
The interior space of the redesigned QX50 has been increased. The outgoing model had just 18.6 cubic feet of storage in the back with the seats up. It has been greatly increased to 31.4 cubic feet which makes a world of difference. With the seats down it over double the available space with room to fit 65.1 cubic feet of whatever you need to move around.
The engine for the new QX50 is a turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder making 268 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque. While this won’t lend itself to sportscar-like acceleration, it is still more than enough for everyday driving. This engine is able to give the QX50 an impressive 24 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on the highway.
The fully redesigned QX50 starts at just $36,550 for the Pure trim level with front wheel drive. At the top is the Essential all wheel drive model and that starts at $45,150, which I think is the best value. I was given an Essential front wheel drive QX50 with a few options like the Sensory Package which gives you heated and cooled seats, wood accents in the interior, and a 16-speaker audio system that sounds fantastic. The final price for my QX50 was $55,285 after delivery fees and for what you get, you can do a whole lot worse for your money, especially when reliability comes into question.
I always have enjoyed watching the Japanese luxury brands do everything they can to compete with both German manufacturers as well as themselves. Competition is always good for us as consumers and the SUV market has never been more competitive than it is now.
