2022 Infiniti QX60 Review: Top Notch Luxury in a Handsome Wrapper

The Infiniti QX60 is all new for 2022 in its second generation after it adopted the new Q naming convention for the luxury brand in 2014. The seven-passenger luxury SUV comes with a new nine-speed transmission, a more powerful V6 and optional all-wheel drive. But it will be the luxury cabin that sets the QX60 apart from its Lincoln and Acura competitors.

Standard features on the base Pure model include 18-inch alloy wheels, auto-dimming rearview mirror, rear automatic braking, six USB ports, some for each row, LED headlamps and taillamps, and tri-zone automatic climate control with headliner-mounted air vents.

The 2022 QX60 Pure has a base price of $49,200. All-wheel drive adds $2,000 as base models are front drive only. The range tops out with the QX60 Autograph AWD model tested here from $63,250.

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2022 Infiniti QX60 Autograph AWD

The most expensive Autograph trim adds a ton of content like leather-wrapped seats with diamond stitching, second-row captain's chairs with a lightweight removable second-row console, 10.8-inch digital driver gauge cluster, Smart Rear View Mirror, Adaptive Front Lighting system and color-contrast black roof and roof rails. It can tow up to 6,000 pounds with uprated cooling and an installed hitch receiver.

The exterior redesign tightens and stretches the sheetmetal over the body. It features subtle Japan-inspired designs like kimono folds in the headlamps and origami in the new grille. A character line separates the lower body from the two-tone black upper section. Infiniti calls the rear lights digital piano keys and wheels measure 20 inches on most grades. A new color called Moonbow Blue is offered and was the color of the launch vehicle.

The cabin of the 2022 Infiniti QX60 features contrasting stitching along with the diamond pattern. Black and chrome accents highlight the front passenger area, which featured Saddle Brown leather in the test vehicle.

Embossed seatbacks and ambient light set the mood while a standard panoramic sunroof running the length of the cabin lets in lots of natural light during the day. The second-row captain's chairs flip and fold so occupants can reach the third row. And all three of those rows recline, making even the third one adequate for smaller adults. They're also set up stadium style, with each row a little bit higher than the last for better visibility.

The "zero gravity" front seats are comfortable and adjustable but without extra under-knee support. There's not a lot of lateral support either for narrower adults. Still, Infiniti says the seats, designed at Yamakazi Laboratory at Keio University, "more closely follow the natural curvatures of the human spine and reduce pressure on the hips". In practice, they were very relaxed over the couple hundred miles driven.

A 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is centered on top of the dashboard with a little shelf to rest your finger while poking and jabbing. It makes it much easier to hit the correct area. The system worked well most of the time but the connection to Apple CarPlay and sometimes the satellite radio were a little finicky. At one point the car needed to be restarted to reinitialize the streaming music.

The system has three physical knobs for volume and climate, and a main control dial to move around menus if drivers don't want to use the touchscreen. There are redundant steering controls for menus and volume too, but they feel a little cheap in an otherwise fancy interior.

On the road, the 3.5-liter V6 and nine-speed combination is excellent and smooth. Takeoffs are quick enough and expressway entrances are a fine time to max out the throttle. Like it's Nissan Pathfinder cousin, the QX60 is surprisingly quiet delivering 295 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque. That's good for an EPA rating of 21 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 26 mpg on the highway.

It's not a small vehicle, so it lumbers around turns with medium weight steering. Potholes are absorbed well even with the 20-inch wheels. The sound of those potholes and road imperfections are also kept isolated from the interior.

Safety features include Rear Automatic Braking, Predictive Forward Collision Warning, and Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection. Adaptive Front Lighting and Auto-Leveling Headlights are optional.

Those safety features are perfectly integrated into the chassis with subtle vibrations in the steering wheel when the driver touches the lane marker. If the driver doesn't react, the system strongly points the steering wheel back into the lane. It's much better than the constant beeps of the older Infiniti QX80.

The Acura MDX, Cadillac XT6 and Lincoln Aviator are the Infiniti's main competitors. The MDX starts at $48,000 and delivers either 290 or 355 horsepower (hp) in the Type S model. The Lincoln Aviator costs $51,570 and comes with a twin turbocharged V6 making 400 hp. The hybrid model bumps that to 494 hp. The Cadillac XT6, also with three rows, starts at $48,045 and delivers just 235 hp.

The Lincoln is wildly overpowered here, but certainly an enjoyable drive; it also might be the most handsome. The boxy Cadillac XT6 has its own style while the MDX has thankfully ditched its old front end for a much better nose.

If a buyer is looking for a luxury or near-luxury three-row, those should be the four starters. Mercedes, BMW and Audi also have options, but for much higher prices. Of the four, the Infiniti and Lincoln are the best bet for their combination of power, comfort, technology and style.