2019 INFINITI QX60 Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byCalvin KimVehicle Test Engineer

　　Calvin Kim is an automotive journalist at zzdcar.

　　

What's new

No major changes but has some revised trim level namesPart of the first QX60 generation introduced in 2014

　　The 2019 Infiniti QX60 has a few standout qualities that are ideal for hauling people over long distances. A large and roomy cabin, a quiet and smooth ride, and leather-appointed stadium-style seating mean your family will be as comfortable as possible. The fold-down second- and third-row seats also give you the flexibility you need for mixing passengers and cargo.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 INFINITI QX60 PURE 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 9/18 (3.5L 6cyl CVT) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$204/mo  for QX60 PURE

　　QX60 PURE

　　PURE 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 9/18 (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $44,000 MSRPPURE 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $44,350 MSRPPURE 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 9/18 (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $45,800 MSRPPURE 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $46,350 MSRPLUXE 4dr SUV w/Prod. End 9/18 (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $45,800 MSRPLUXE 4dr SUV (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $46,150 MSRPLUXE 4dr SUV AWD w/Prod. End 9/18 (3.5L 6cyl CVT) - $47,600 MSRPLUXE 4dr SUV AWD (3.5L 6cyl CVT) (Most Popular) - $48,150 MSRP

　　vs

　　$229/mo

　　Avg. Large SUV

　　Most luxury SUVs give you a choice of engines, but in the QX60 there's only one available: a 3.5-liter V6 (295 horsepower, 270 pound-feet of torque) that's connected to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). While we usually dislike CVT automatics in luxury vehicles due to their elastic-like power delivery when accelerating quickly, the one in the QX60 works pretty well. Altogether, this powertrain is quiet and smooth, lending itself well to its luxury people-mover mission.

　　The QX60 does have a few downsides. The main one is that it doesn't handle as well or impart as much emotional satisfaction as some rival SUVs such as the Acura MDX, BMW X5 and Volvo XC90. But if you're OK with that, the Infiniti QX60 should work out well.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

7.1 / 10

　　The Infiniti QX60 features a comfortable and roomy interior combined with a smooth V6 engine. It has plenty of upscale features, too. But its soft ride and mushy handling diminish the "sport" part of SUV.

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions, although trim levels share many aspects. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Infiniti QX60 (3.5L V6 | CVT automatic | AWD).

　　

Scorecard

Overall	7.1 / 10
Driving	6.5
Comfort	8.5
Interior	7.5
Utility	7.5
Technology	6.5

　　

Driving

6.5

　　Infiniti is usually synonymous with performance, but the QX60 is more focused on hauling occupants in comfort and quiet. Its soft suspension and numb steering curb its sporting aspirations, but acceleration is satisfactory.

　　

Acceleration

8.0

　　The V6 engine is smooth and has noticeable punch, especially from midrange up. It's also reasonably quiet at highway speeds. The CVT automatic is smooth and simulates gear changes at full throttle, which avoids those unpleasantly long stints at high rpm. A sprint to 60 mph takes 7.3 seconds.

　　

Braking

8.0

　　There's a linear brake feel when driving around town, and the response is never abrupt. It felt a bit spongy during panic stops at the test track, but stopping distances were a bit better than average for the class.

　　

Steering

6.0

　　The steering feels artificial in the way it builds effort off-center. There really isn't any great feel for when the wheels are straight ahead. In performing a quick three-point turn, the assist can feel heavy and slow to respond.

　　

Handling

6.0

　　Lots and lots of body roll — this suspension is soft and sloppy. The QX60 understeers readily even around slow turns and actually handles better with all traction control systems on. Not exactly a "sport"-utility vehicle.

　　

Drivability

7.5

　　Though we'd usually prefer a traditional automatic transmission over a CVT automatic, the QX60 is an easy-to-drive crossover. This is aided by its linear gas pedal and brakes and steering that's light for the most part. Eco mode changes the throttle pedal feel to help maximize fuel efficiency.

　　

Off-road

5.0

　　Yes, you can get the QX60 with all-wheel drive. But that doesn't make it off-road-worthy. The system (and the vehicle) is better suited to provide traction on the road.

　　

Comfort

8.5

　　If you're looking for a quiet and comfortable people mover, you may have just found your ride. The QX60 is exceptionally quiet, the ride is comfy and the climate controls work phenomenally well. Our only complaint is that the seats could use softer foam.

　　

Seat comfort

7.5

　　The front seats are firm but still quite comfortable. The second row isn't super-plush either, but it offers stadium seating. The third row has good head- and footroom, but adults will find their knees level with their chest.

　　

Ride comfort

7.5

　　The suspension soaks up most bumps well, even when carrying several passengers. But there's a tautness to the ride that was unexpected considering the way the QX60 rolls through corners.

　　

Noise & vibration

8.0

　　The QX60 does a good job of isolating road and wind noise. Even on rough pavement, it's easy to carry on a conversation without raising your voice. We did detect a faint rattle coming from the dash with the radio turned off, but it was intermittent.

　　

Climate control

10.0

　　The seat coolers are excellent, and the seat heaters get really toasty. There is plenty of cooling and heating capacity in the climate system, and there are redundant hard buttons and touchscreen controls for easy use.

　　

Interior

7.5

　　The QX60 has a luxurious and thoughtfully designed interior. It not only looks good, but it is also spacious and has easy-to-find controls. We also like the easy access to the third row.

　　

Ease of use

6.5

　　The infotainment control knob is high on the dash, requiring not only a reach but also a deliberate glance over to find it. The touchscreen interface is a nice alternative, but it doesn't alleviate this issue. The menus are pretty intuitive to navigate.

　　

Getting in/getting out

8.5

　　Front entry is just OK — the step-in height might be at the upper limit for shorter people. Passengers will find it's easy to hit their heads entering the second row. For its class, the QX60 has one of the most accessible third rows due to the unique sliding-and-tilting second row.

　　

Driving position

7.5

　　It's easy to find an ideal driving position in the QX60. The seat offers a good range of adjustment, though the power lumbar support does not offer positional adjustment.

　　

Roominess

8.0

　　Up front, you'll find plenty of headroom and very good elbow and shoulder room. The center armrest is nice and wide. The second row also has a good amount of kneeroom and slides back 5.5 inches, but it feels short on headroom. The third row has livable kneeroom and even reclines, a thoughtful touch.

　　

Visibility

7.0

　　The second-row headrests slightly obstruct the view directly rearward and over your shoulder, but the large windows provide decent visibility. The large windshield pillars obstruct the front view somewhat, but the 360-degree camera system greatly simplifies parking.

　　

Quality

8.0

　　Other than the hard plastic dash, the QX60's cabin trimmings are appealing, with fine leather and attractive wood. The usual Infiniti quality is present in abundance. Above-average workmanship at average pricing.

　　

Utility

7.5

　　As with nearly all three-row SUVs, available cargo space is heavily dependent on how many passengers you're carrying. There's a decent amount of storage for small items within the cabin, but other vehicles provide superior use of space.

　　

Small-item storage

7.0

　　The glovebox is generously sized and you'll find a decent-size center armrest bin, a sunglasses holder, and rubberized cubby ahead of the gear selector. The door storage pockets will fit a standard water bottle, but not much more. However, there are 14 cupholders in total!

　　

Cargo space

7.5

　　At 15.8 cubic feet, cargo room behind the upright third row is scarce, but it expands greatly with the seats folded. The button to bring the seats back up is a nice convenience.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

8.5

　　There are four lower LATCH anchors on the outboard seats of the second row and one set for the third row. Although you access the anchors between the seat cushions rather than under flip covers, there is plenty of room for seat installation and removal, with easy access to the third row.

　　

Towing

6.0

　　When properly equipped, the QX60 AWD can tow up to 5,000 pounds. That's the same as the Acura MDX and more than the Lexus RX 350.

　　

Technology

6.5

　　Infiniti is a company that usually likes to push the boundaries on technology, but its infotainment offering in the QX60 falls behind most of the competition. Driver aids, however, remain strong.

　　

Audio & navigation

7.0

　　Although the optional navigation system comes with 3D building graphics, the system looks a little dated. It works well, but the clarity of the graphics is a step behind its competition. The optional 13-speaker Bose audio system does not disappoint.

　　

Smartphone integration

6.0

　　Pairing Bluetooth is a little clunky. It didn't automatically pair the phone and audio connections when we tested it with an Android phone, so you have to manually add the Bluetooth Audio connection.

　　

Driver aids

8.0

　　The automatic braking system is unique and works smoothly. It's like an adaptive cruise control system without the cruise function activated. Blind-spot monitoring, front and rear object detection, and lane departure warning are available, but in separate packages.

　　

Voice control

5.0

　　The native voice controls are antiquated and slow to respond. Pressing the button brings up a menu prompt, but it's more difficult to make inputs than with typical infotainment controls. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay would drastically improve things, but they aren't available.

　　

Which QX60 does zzdcar recommend?

　　Aside from deciding if you need all-wheel drive or not, the Infiniti QX60 Luxe offers premium luxury features and opens up the ability to add option packages to increase technology capability and luxury amenities. The Essential and ProAssist packages provide additional driver assist functionality, navigation and more luxury features.

　　

2019 INFINITI QX60 models

　　The 2019 Infiniti QX60 is available in two trims and with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. The Pure is the base model, and it comes with enough luxury equipment to make buyers stepping up to the QX60 happy. Buyers looking for more features will opt for the Luxe trim. Not only does it feature more equipment, but it is needed to add a variety of driver assist, luxury and entertainment options to tailor the QX60 to suit your sensibilities and budget.

　　The front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive variants are powered by a 3.5-liter V6 (295 horsepower, 270 pound-feet of torque) paired to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). We're fans of the CVT automatic, which makes the most of the V6's power.

　　Standard features on the Pure include 18-inch wheels, automatic xenon headlights, LED foglights, heated side mirrors, a sunroof, a power liftgate, keyless entry and ignition, simulated leather upholstery, tri-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable and heated front seats, a 60/40-split folding second row, a 50/50-split folding third row, an 8-inch central touchscreen display, and a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio, a CD player and a USB port. Three more USB ports are located in the back half of the cabin. Blind-spot monitoring and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking are also standard this year.

　　Luxe models add roof rails, rear bumper protector, driver memory settings, a heated steering wheel, a 13-speaker Bose audio system, and remote engine start.

　　When considering a QX60, the bulk of the decision-making comes down to option packages. All of them are only available on the Luxe trim. They include Essential, Theater, ProAssist, Sensory, ProActive, Limited, and a 20-inch wheel and tire package.

　　The Essential package includes navigation, satellite radio, leather seating, illuminated kick panels, a 360-degree parking camera, automatic wipers and rear parking sensors. You must have this package in order to get any of the other packages.

　　For watching in-car videos, the Theater package adds a rear-seat entertainment system with two 8-inch displays and a 110-volt household power outlet.

　　Additional advanced driver aids can be added with the ProAssist package. It includes adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, blind-spot intervention, front and rear parking sensors, backup collision mitigation, automatic high-beam assist, auto-dimming side mirrors and Eco Pedal, which allows the pedal to push back against the driver if it detects unnecessary fuel use.

　　To increase luxury amenities, the Sensory package includes 20-inch wheels, roof rack crossbars, hands-free liftgate operation, an additional moonroof over the second- and third-row seats, unique quilted seats for the front- and second-row seats, ventilated front seats and heated second-row seats, maple interior accents, a 15-speaker Bose surround-sound system, and an air purification and scent system for the climate control system.

　　ProActive adds the driver assist functions from the ProAssist package to the Sensory package.

　　A Limited package includes dark chrome trim on the grille, dark paint on the roof rails and crossbars, a unique rear fascia with gloss black paint, Limited-specific 20-inch wheels, stone-colored leather seating surfaces with a quilted stitching pattern, contrast stitching throughout, dark silver wood accents, and a black headliner.

　　Twenty-inch wheels and tires and an in-car Wi-Fi package are available in conjunction with the Essential package.

　　

2019 QX60 Highlights

Trim: PURELUXEPURE

　　

Base MSRP	$44,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$204/month
Seating	7 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	15.8 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	front wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 60,000 miles