You’ll be forgiven if Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, no longer springs to mind quite as readily as it did in its glory days. The company’s fleet has thinned considerably, and sedans have disappeared entirely from its current lineup.
But the new QX65, a premium midsize crossover, is a solid effort to help restore some of Infiniti’s former luster. More than simply a two-row version of the closely related, three-row QX60, the QX65 borrows some of the luxurious attitude of the full-size QX80 while nodding to Infiniti’s swoopy FX of the early 2000s. A coupe-like roofline and available two-tone paint give it a sportier profile, while the particularly splashy Sunfire Red paint incorporates genuine gold-coated glass flecks.
The QX65 arrives with a 268-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a nine-speed automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive. At altitude, that powertrain can feel like the sizable vehicle’s biggest shortfall. The similarly sized Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, for comparison, offers considerably more muscle. More power may be on the way, however, with reports that Infiniti plans to add a V-6 option for the QX65’s second model year.
In the meantime, the QX65 makes its case with comfort. Depending on trim, the cabin offers quilted leather seating, massaging front seats, dual 12.3-inch displays, 64-color ambient lighting, and an available 1,200-watt Klipsch Reference Premiere audio system. Dropping the QX60’s somewhat undersized third row also makes for a roomier experience, with a reclining second row and plenty of space for five. Despite that rounded roofline, there’s still about 36 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats and more than 67 cubic feet with them folded.
And Infiniti isn’t stopping there. The brand has confirmed that a new high-performance sports sedan is part of its five-year product strategy, while reports suggest it will serve as a successor to the discontinued Q50. Additional SUVs, including future body-on- frame models, are also expected as Infiniti works to rebuild its lineup.
The Stats
26 Highway MPG
198.5 Overall inches of length
$62,590 Autograph grade base price
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