Fashionistas might like new Infiniti QX55, but will you?
Years ago, I visited a knitting mill in the mountains of Pennsylvania, one that manufactured long underwear for retailers. The undies were identical; the packages they went into were not. The label and the packaging determined the retail price. Appearance, not performance was the differentiator.
And so it goes with the 2022 Infiniti QX55, a new model that’s based on the QX50 platform, but wears more aggressive attire and comes with a price that starts at $46,500, $8,550 more than its mechanically identical sibling, the QX50.
Offered in Luxe, Essential and Sensory trim levels, the 2022 Infiniti QX55, thankfully eschews the awkward and ugly dogleg kink in the vehicle’s C-pillar, a look that was distinctive, but not handsome. For its newest SUV, Infiniti endowed the greenhouse with a look that calls to mind the Infiniti FX, a muscularly sporty SUV that was truly fun to drive, a quality noticeably lacking in the brand’s more modern models.
Despite the rounded shape of the roof, there’s plenty of room inside for people, and the second-row slides back and forth 6 inches to accommodate cargo or people. Cargo space isn’t as generous as the QX50, but being fashionable means giving up some practicality. The interior is beautifully finished, and can be trimmed in leatherette, leather, or premium semi-aniline leather.
Still, you have to wonder why Infiniti designed a new vehicle and then saddled it with a clunky, outdated infotainment system. Composed of two small screens and a bevy of buttons, the top screen is used for navigation and phone, while the bottom screen houses audio, climate and phone controls.
But there’s nothing outdated about the drivetrain.
Like the QX50, the QX55 comes with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder variable compression ratio engine driving the front wheels or all four. The engine generates 268 horsepower and 288 poundfeet of torque through a continuously variable transmission, about the same amount of juice as Nissan’s naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6, but with 27% better fuel economy, at 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, 25 mpg combined.
Ultimately, QX55 is a mix of new and old. The driveline is state-of-the art, although it seems better suited for mainstream vehicles, rather than a luxury cruiser. Yet it lacks the FX’s overtly sporty nature. And while it boasts a beautifully finished cabin, the infotainment system is noticeably out-of-date.
But such thoughts are sensible, something that’s foreign to fashionistas, who opt for design over practicality, and passion over pragmatism. For them Infiniti has your next luxury ride.