22/05/2016
the BMW X3, the QX50's found out that
having a more capacious back seat doesn't have to kill all the driving joy.
The QX50 hasn't lost its handling
edge, and its ride quality is much
improved.
But This Infiniti QX50 is never short on power, thanks to its 3.7-liter V-6, which produces 325 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. That power is managed by a paddle-shifted 7-speed automatic transmission that even throttle-blips when you downshift. It's a good match, and the QX50 performs with an eagerness that you wouldn't normally find in this segment, shy of BMW's turbocharged inline-6.
The transmission has its part down pat; there's a sport mode for slightly quicker shifts. But it lacks paddle shift controls, and in normal drive mode, it's a maddening reach to the shift lever to change gears manually.
Our lingering complaint here with the powertrain — as with much of Infiniti's lineup from the past several years—is that there's way too much engine noise in the cabin for a luxury vehicle. You hear it reassuringly when you're accelerating, but you also hear it when you'd rather not. The big V-6 wants to
be pushed hard—peak power and torque arrive high in its rev band—and by that point the V-6 sounds bored and cranky.
Handling and body control aren't quite as great as those of the Q50 sedan on which the QX50 is based, but they're impressive for a crossover SUV. Steering weighting and feedback are far better than what you'll find in other such vehicles. The steering's actually quite heavy compared to the feel in some rivals—it's still hydraulic assist, not electric, so while it's hefty off-center, it doesn't
dither or lose its sight on straight ahead like those digital racks.
Four-wheel disc brakes stop the QX50 with sport- sedan decisiveness, and there's no excess dive or body motion despite being a bit higher off the ground this year (by 0.8 inches). We've found that versions with the optional all-wheel-drive system don't feel quite as inspired; they don't handle with quite the level of awesome precision as rear wheel-drive models, and they're a bit slower to boot.
Ride quality is good here—firm, but compliant—and
the independent suspension hits the ideal balance of smoothness and athleticism. If anything, it's gotten more calm, thanks to the wheelbase stretch (it helps damp out bumps better), slightly more forgiving spring rates and damping, and lighter- weight wheels that don't transmit so much harshness into the cabin.
AWD 4 -Door
Premium Unleaded V - 6, 3 .7 L
All Wheel Drive is $ 35,850
RWD 4 -Door
Premium Unleaded V - 6, 3 .7 L
Rear Wheel Drive is $ 34,450
