Friday, 11 October 2024

2024 Infiniti QX55 is a stylish, sporty luxury crossover coupe Featured

Posted On Monday, 02 September 2024 03:31 Written by
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The 2024 Infiniti QX55 battles other luxury crossover coupes and features an appealing design. The 2024 Infiniti QX55 battles other luxury crossover coupes and features an appealing design. Photo courtesy of Infiniti

In the realm of luxury vehicles, buyers can be very picky, so it’s good to have all your bases covered with a variety of models.

Take Infiniti for example. In addition to their compact SUV the QX50, Nissan’s luxury brand also introduced a new compact offering starting in the 2022 model year — calling it the QX55.

This vehicle adapts the QX50 into a more sporty coupe-style crossover design, improving its looks while maintaining a roomy interior (but sacrificing cargo space).

This coupe-style crossover segment has grown popular in recent years in the luxury segment, with offerings from Audi (Q5 Sportback), BMW (X4), Mercedes-Benz (GLC Coupe), Genesis (GV70) and others, and has emerged as its own niche category of luxury rides.

I recently spent some time behind the wheel of a 2024 Infiniti QX55, and I’m back with a full report on how it stacks up against the competition.

LOOKS

Starting up front, the 2024 Infiniti QX55 features an eye-catching front grille (sized appropriately and not overly huge), and unique stacked lighting features.

There is also chrome molding on the side of the vehicle and chrome mirror caps.

Most notable on the vehicle’s design is the beautiful sloping roof design, which is very aesthetically pleasing. 

The QX55 also features 20-inch dark-painted and machine finished aluminum alloy wheels, a power moonroof and roof rails. Overall, it’s one of the best-looking smaller coupe-style crossovers available.

The QX55 includes rain-sensing front windshield wipers, heated outside mirror, and a motion-activated liftgate.

Moving inside the QX55, you’ll be pleased by the intensely striking black and red seating design. There are also standout trim features, including black natural maple wood trim accents.

Beyond the sharp looks, the QX55 offers comfortable semi-aniline leather-appointed seating, and plenty of legroom for passengers in both rows. Head room does suffer a bit due to the sloping roof line.

Other interior features of the QX55 include:
— Ambient lighting
— Power tilt & telescopic steering column
— Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel
— Tri-zone automatic climate control
— Climate-controlled front seats
— Memory settings on seats, mirrors and steering wheel
— Heated rear seats

Cargo space is what suffers due to the redesign of the QX50 into the more stylish coupe-style QX55.

In the QX55, you get a total of 54.1 cubic feet of space with the rear seats down, and 26.9 cubic feet with rear seats up. By comparison, the numbers are 65.1 cubic feet and 31.4 cubic feet in the QX50. So those who prioritize cargo space over a sharper design may prefer the QX50 over the QX55. Interestingly, though, the QX55’s cargo numbers are still more impressive than most of its luxury crossover coupe rivals.

There are, however, some interesting small storage options, including a small cargo net by the front passenger’s feet.

HOW’S THE RIDE?

The 2024 QX55 features a single power plant option.

It runs on a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, Variable Compression Turbo (VC-Turbo) engine delivering 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque.

A CVT automatic transmission and all-wheel drive come standard on the QX55, which shares its engine with the QX50. Paddle shifters are included if you’d like to have more control.

The QX55 is not the quickest in the segment compared to its main rivals, but still gets moving without major delays. The 0-to-60 time is in the low 6-second range, and it handles itself well in corners and on twisty roads. It’s definitely a fun, classy ride for weekend cruising adventures, as well as everyday driving.

Drive modes on the QX55 include Sport, Standard, Eco and Personal. Sport is the most fun experience, and Standard can also be enjoyable.

One area of concern is that the QX55 could do a better job at absorbing the impacts of rougher roads, which you feel more than you probably should.

TECHNOLOGY, SAFETY

The QX55’s infotainment setup setup (known as the INFINITI lnTouch Dual HD Display System) has two screens — one for navigation and the other for music, phone calls, and other features.

In my experience, voice commands worked effectively for audio and navigation and phone calls. And physical controls were easy to master.

The best way to describe the tech setup in the QX55 is that while it’s quite functional and not overly complicated, the two-screen design should probably be re-evaluated for future model years. It’s not modern compared to the sharper tech offerings in luxury rivals, and its screens feature graphics that look a bit outdated.

One positive is that the 16-speaker sound system from Bose performed well, delivering crisp and enjoyable sounds at all volume levels.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability allow for phone mirroring (but only Apple CarPlay is a wireless connection), a wireless phone charging pad is included, and a Wi-Fi hotspot is offered.

Infiniti has equipped the QX55 with an ample amount of safety systems.

The vehicle features:
— Front and rear parking sensors
— Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection (which is nice, but the screen is too small and low-resolution)
— Intelligent Cruise Control
— Head-Up Display
— Traffic Sign Recognition
— Forward Collision Warning
— Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection
— Rear Automatic Braking
— Rear Cross Traffic Alert
— Blind Spot Warning and Intervention
— Lane Departure Warning and Prevention

These systems all work well, though I did notice that the Lane Departure Warning is a bit overly sensitive and provided alerts more often than was necessary.
Of note is the QX55’s ProPilot Assist system, which worked impressively to deliver limited self-driving capability.

MPG

The official numbers on my QX55 test vehicle were 22 city/28 highway/25 combined. On paper these are among the best numbers in the segment.

But my real-world experience was a bit less impressive, averaging only 21 mpg. So fuel mileage may be something buyers end up considering when choosing which coupe-style crossover is right for them.

PRICE

The 2024 Infiniti QX55 I tested was priced at $62,725; and its base price starts around $51K.

Compared to coupe-style crossovers from rivals including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the base model of the QX55 slots in toward the lower end of the price spectrum, though the top trim gets pricey.

Three trim levels are offered: Luxe, Essential and Sensory, and the Essential trim — which includes solid tech and safety additions as well as additional comfort features — will serve as a good middle ground for buyers who want some upgrades but don’t want to splurge for all the bells and whistles.

In terms of warranties, Infiniti includes a respectable four years/60,000 miles of overall warranty coverage, and powertrain coverage for six years/70,000 miles on the powertrain. 

BOTTOM LINE  

The 2024 Infiniti QX55 is a coupe-style luxury crossover that looks great, is fun to drive, and is affordable for its segment.

Buyers seeking a stylish alternative to traditional luxury SUVs may want to explore this style of vehicle and see if it’s a better fit for them.

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AutoTechReviews.com can be found on Twitter @AutoTechReview, or stay updated at the AutoTechReviews Facebook page. Follow AutoTechReviews on Instagram at @Autotechreviews. Matt Myftiu can be found on Twitter @MattMyftiu.



Additional Info

  • Vehicle: 2024 Infiniti QX55
  • Price as tested: $62,725 (starts at $51,500)
  • Best feature: Sporty design, comfort, sharp interior  
  • Rating: 3.5 out of five stars   
  • Who will want this vehicle?: Luxury crossover buyers seeking a sleek design and enjoyable ride
Matt M. Myftiu

Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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