Infiniti’s QX60 midsize three-row crossover was getting long in the tooth, going nearly a decade without any significant updates. Back in September, we got a taste of what the refreshed crossover would look like with the QX60 Monograph concept. Now the production version is finally here, and it has a lot to offer.
The new QX60 has to go up against incredibly accomplished rivals like the BMW X5 and the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class. Without the brand cachet of these SUVs, it almost has to work even harder to succeed. Fortunately, Infiniti seems to have done its homework. The fresh exterior is a palpable improvement over the outgoing model. Everything about it looks tauter, more chiselled, and with a greater sense of purpose. Interestingly, the new QX60 has the same wheelbase as the crossover it replaces, though it’s overall two inches shorter and about an inch taller. Perhaps not surprisingly, the QX60’s interior doesn’t seem to have changed in size much. Only cargo space has been announced, and while it has 1.4 cubic feet more space with the third row folded, space is down by between 0.4 and 1.4 cubic feet behind the first row and the third row respectively.
On the interior, the QX60’s standard infotainment package is an improvement over those models’ twin-display setup, making use of a single 12.3-inch touchscreen mounted at the top of the centre stack. It runs Infiniti’s latest infotainment software, which is easy to navigate and quick to respond to in other corporate products. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto are standard, with seven USB ports (both USB-A and USB-C) scattered throughout all three rows. A new Autograph trim level takes things even further with open-pore wood, embossed seatbacks, and quilted semi-aniline leather upholstery for the first two rows of seats.
Powering this crossover SUV is the good old 3.5-litre V6 that makes 295 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. Another great news is that the CVT gearbox is finally gone and it has been replaced by a 9-speed automatic from ZF. Front-wheel drive will be standard and an updated all-wheel-drive system with a direct coupling that is meant to prevent wheel slip is optional.
DATE PUBLISHED: June 23, 2021
SOURCE: Autojosh.com
PHOTOCREDIT: Autojosh.com/koaeca.ru