It is roomy all around and boasts three rows of seating. Box ticked.
A very handsome design.
It is quiet at highway speeds and even something of a sanctuary in a rambunctious downtown cluster. Tick.
There is an expensive feel to the cabin materials and an artistic sensibility built into both the interior and exterior designs. Tick and tick.
And it boasts a features-for-price bravado that also catches your eye as you scroll down the window sticker. TICK.
So, why am I not in love with the 2024 Infiniti QX60 Autograph AWD (all-wheel drive)?
At just under $71,000 plus fees, taxes (as well as $2,100 worth of options in my tester), I simply cannot imagine the need for anything else in a petrol-powered premium SUV (sport-utility vehicle). What is not to love?
Where the driver sits.
Ah, love is a funny thing, as we know. It has an ineffable quality that defies logic and explanation. As I turned in the keys to my tester, I felt that this Infiniti looks and feels like a date you might have had with someone very hard to fault, yet left you feeling appreciative but not emotionally engaged.
So, to my date with this Infiniti. It was of a sort that leaves one mumbling, “Give this a second chance. You are almost certainly missing something here.”
And then I pondered on the QX60 some more.
This rig rides will enough, but nothing really jumps out. It is not silky smooth at speed. It is not a marvel of cushioning when the pavement is messy. And it is not particularly dynamic when carving apexes. The ride quality is friendly, I would say.
Okay space in the very back and a removeable console between the second-row captain’s chairs.
Would I take the dynamics of a QX60 over an Audi Q7, though the Infiniti is decidedly less expensive, which is not a small matter? Give me the Audi, please. And I say that even though the Infiniti has a fine-shifting nine-speed autobox.
Perhaps I feel this because the 3.5-litre V-6 (295 horsepower) is a somewhat unspectacular offering: 0-100 km/hour in 7.5-8.0 seconds, and not particularly silky. Or it might that the steering feels just a little vague, a little unconnected to what the driver is doing and what the road and the vehicle might want to share.
Is the QX60 tuned to be as sporty as a comparably price Acura MDX? No. But the Infiniti almost certainly boasts a more compelling design in every respect. Indeed, the Infiniti is a more entertaining to look at than the Mercedes-Benz GLE and it enjoys an edge on Lincoln’s Aviator, too. (BTW, the Merc and the Lincoln have higher maximum tow ratings, which says looks are not everything.)
One of the best profiles in this class.
What about the Kia Telluride/Hyundai Palisade siblings? Again, the Infiniti has more eye-catching panache than either of those rather blocky three-row rigs. However, I prefer the infotainment interface approach of Hyundai Motor (parent of both Kia and Hyundai) over Infiniti (and Nissan Motor). Not by much, though the Hyundai way of doing things is just a tiny bit less finicky.
Ah, the control layout. The 12.3-inch touchscreen jumps to life with every touch, but the displays look more suitable for a Nissan Pathfinder than a premium Infiniti. The climate controls are a masterstroke of functionality and the venting is first-rate because of the variety and location of outlets. Apple CarPlay? Yes, wireless or USB. But if you’re a Google person, bring your cable.
What can I say about the seating? The front buckets are slightly shapeless, running about mid-pack for long-range comfort, as are those in the second row. We can all agree that heated AND ventilated seats, like those here, are wonderful – and these are simply excellent in terms of functionality. And the 17-speaker Bose sound system should please even the pickiest audiophile.
I would advise Infiniti to be a little more attention to cabin storage needs in our gadget-obsessed world. If you drag about the usual array of smartphones, tablets and laptops, you might struggle to keep them nicely and safety tucked away up front. That said, you can make use of the removable console between the two captain’s chairs in the second row, or the underfloor rear storage in the cargo area.
A last thought and something you might not have considered: test the QX60 against all the rivals mentioned, and then try the rather smart-looking 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid. It offers something the Infiniti does not: electrification AND three rows of seats.
A very different kind of date, so to speak.
