CROSSBREED
2016 INFINITI QX50 COMBINES OOMPH WITH A DASH OF SPORTY HANDLING,
Overview: Upscale compact crossover gets stretched
Pros: Sleek styling, plenty of power, improved rear-seat room, well priced
Cons: Limited cargo capacity, thirsty, starting to feel its age Value for money: Good
What I would change: Add paddle shifters, though a sixspeed manual would be my preference
How I would spec it: As is, with Premium, Navigation and Technology packages
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, with memories of past polar vortices and subsequent slick roads and frigid temperatures, I had assembled a list of all-wheeldrive sport utes and cross- overs to drive. But as popular as all manner of SUVs are with the Canadian populace — and as interesting and varied as each model is to test — 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 from my melancholy. Although not an official marketing designation, the QX50 belongs to that subgroup I like to call “especially sporty sport utes.” Infiniti prefers “compact premium crossovers.”
This group is the purview of the imports — Audi Q5, BMX X3 and X4, Mercedes GLK ( now GLC), Range Rover Evoque and Porsche Macan on the European side, Acura RDX, Lexus NX and the Infiniti QX50 representing the Japanese automakers. (Lincoln’s new MKC — based on the Ford Escape — might be considered an interloper.)
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. Most “especially sporty sport utes” are powered by turbocharged, s mall- displacement ( usually two litres) four-cylinder engines. The QX, on the other hand, uses good, old-fashioned 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 much-pricier 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 aforementioned 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. Secondly, the V6 is a revver; peak horsepower is reached at a rather lofty 7,000 r. p. m. 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. Official Canadian fuel economy numbers are 13.7 L/100 km in the city and 9.7 L/100 km on the highway (11.9 L/100 km combined). 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 sevenspeed automatic transmission, with a manual- shift mode should you feel in the mood to play Speed Racer. 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 console- mounted gear selector.
Engine performance is matched by superior handling. For the chassis geeks, t here’s an i ndependent 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. Cutting to the chase, 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 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.
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.