SPORTY CROSSOVER ALWAYS FUN TO DRIVE
Well-priced Infiniti QX50 delivers the goods no matter the weather
Much warmer temperatures than normal and a complete absence of snow over the holidays had me regretting stowing my little sports car away for the season. At this time of year, I had assembled a list of all-wheel-drive sport utes and crossovers to drive. But as popular as all manner of SUVs are with the Canadian populace, I was missing that more intimate motoring experience only something inherently sporty can provide.
Then I snagged the redesigned and sleekly shaped Infiniti QX50, which provided welcome respite. The QX50 belongs to that subgroup I like to call “especially sporty sport utes.” Infiniti uses the far duller, if slightly more accurate term “compact premium crossovers.”
While the big news for 2016 is its redesigned body and longer wheelbase (by 80 millimetres), which provides the rear-seat passengers with greater comfort (legroom is increased by 109 mm), it’s what motivates the QX50 that is the most interesting. The QX uses good, oldfashioned cubes in the form of a 3.7-L DOHC V-6 — no turbos or superchargers — to wring out a very satisfying 325 horsepower. With the exception of the muchpricier Macan S’s 340-horse V-6, the QX50 is leader of the pack in this department. And, speaking of price, the QX’s base MSRP of $37,900 is quite the deal when compared with its rivals.
That said, the Infiniti is more like a very agile football player than a sprinter. For one thing, the V-6 has to contend with the QX’s curb weight of 1,800 kilograms. Second, the V-6 is a revver; peak horsepower is reached at a rather lofty 7,000 rpm and it isn’t as if it’s singing an aria at the upper end, either. Although not as noisy as previous Nissans, there is a gruffer quality to the 3.7-L engine when it’s being worked hard.
Finally, since fuel economy and big horsepower are often at odds, the QX50’s parsimony at the pumps is not its greatest strength. I averaged 14.8 L/100 km in a fairly even mix of suburban and highway driving, and it requires premium unleaded gas.
The V-6 is matched with a very smooth-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission, with a manual-shift mode. With “downshift rev matching” — throttle blipping, in other words — and adaptive shift control, doing so ups the crossover’s sporting intent. Forget paddle shifters, though; everything is controlled through the centre consolemounted gear selector.
Engine performance is matched by superior handling. For the chassis geeks, there’s an independent double-wishbone suspension up front and an independent multi-link setup at the back, with twin-tube shock absorbers and stabilizer bar at both ends. With the possible exception of the Macan, the QX50 is the most dynamically pleasing crossover I’ve driven in some time. On-ramps are particularly fun; the Infiniti holding tight to the intended line with only a trace of body roll. Assisting with grip is Infiniti’s standard “intelligent” all-wheel drive system, which uses an active torque-distribution management system with an active centre clutch. There’s also standard vehicle dynamic control with traction control. Steering — speed-sensitive power-assist — is direct, though it has a heavy feel at lower speeds.
The QX50’s exterior gets tweaked with new LED daytime running lights and LED fog lights, a new side sill design, new rear fascia and LED side-mirror turn signals. With its longer wheelbase and 113-mm increase in overall length, most adults can sit in the rear seats without their knees being jammed into the front seatback. Overall, there’s an increase of 235 L in interior volume, and ground clearance has increased by 20 mm, giving drivers a higher vantage point for improved visibility. Cargo room is still rather skimpy (527 L with the rear seats up).
The cabin, though comfy and well contented, hasn’t aged quite as well as the exterior; the instrumentation and plethora of buttons are starting to look dated. Still, most everything is focused around the driver, well marked and easily accessible. The tester came loaded to the max with all three of the QX50’s available packages — Premium, Navigation and Technology — which adds all the modern conveniences one should expect, as well as upping the as-tested price by more than $10,000. The best of the three, in terms of safety, is the Technology package, which includes lane-departure warning, lanedeparture prevention, intelligent cruise control, distance control assist, intelligent brake assist with forward-collision warning and blind-spot warning. Unfortunately, to get this package, you must also order the other two.
Kudos to Nissan: Despite the QX50’s maturity, it still has plenty of zip and eye appeal, looking more like a taller sportwagon than crossover. And the 2016 changes make it a little more comfortable to live with. Just as important, the automaker has priced it well, providing a powerful reason to consider the QX50 instead of going with the newer, fresher competition. Best of all, it is genuinely fun to drive, no matter the season.