The Infiniti QX55 was launched four years after the second-generation QX50 – in 2021 as a 2022 model – as a competitor to models like the Audi Q5 Sportback, Mercedes GLC Coupe, and (to some extent) the Acura RDX. Essentially a QX50 with a raked roof, the QX55 serves a spiritual successor to the Infiniti FX \ Infiniti QX70. With the coupe-SUV segment being more crowded than ever, was releasing a new model based on one that was due for a facelift really a wise move? We spent a week with the QX55 to find out, and this is our story.

2022 Infiniti QX55 - Driven

Specifications
  • Make: Infiniti
  • Model: 2022 Infiniti QX55 - Driven
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: qx55
Pros
Cons

Infiniti QX55 Powertrain, Performance, and Capability

The Infiniti QX55, like the QX50 it’s based on, sits firmly in the compact segment, and is powered by a 2.0-liter engine that’s paired exclusively to a CVT or continuously variable transmission. AWD is standard across the trim level, and it offers an impressively smooth ride for its size, making for a fun, engaging driving experience without the need for oodles of power or tire-burning torque.

How Much Power Does the Infiniti QX55 Have?

The Infiniti QX55’s turbocharged, 2.0-liter, inline-four delivers 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. It might not sound like a lot with so many cars delivering more than 300 horsepower, but it’s right in line with the competition. The Acura RDX, for example, delivers 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque from its 2.0-liter inline-four while the Audi Q5 Sportback – which also has a 2.0-liter inline-four – produces 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque.

What Transmission Does the Infiniti QX55 Have?

The Infiniti QX55 is only available with a CVT transmission and, while it’s not the worst CVT on the market, it still takes time to get used to it. If you want a traditional gearbox, the Acura RDX come standard with a 10-speed automatic while the Audi Q5 Sportback comes standard with a seven-speed automated manual.

Does the Infiniti QX55 have AWD?

The Infiniti QX55 comes standard with all-wheel drive, which is also the case for the Audi Q5 Sportback. If you’re considering the Acura RDX, though, you’ll have to pay extra for the brand’s SH-AWD system at the base level.

How Much Can the Infiniti QX55 Tow?

The Infiniti QX55 has a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds when properly equipped – a figure that makes it stand above the competition, with the Acura RDX being capable of towing just 1,500 pounds and the Q5 Sportback capable of towing just 4,400 pounds.

Infiniti QX55 Fuel Economy

The Infiniti QX55 delivers 22 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined. This makes it more efficient than the Acura RDX at 21,27, and 23, respectively. The Audi Q5 Sportback marginally takes home the efficiency trophy, though, with 23 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 25 mpg combined


City 

Highway

Combined

Infiniti QX55

22

28

25

Acura RDX

21

27

23

Audi Q5 Sportback

23

28

25


How Fast is the Infiniti QX55?

The Infiniti QX55 can hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds on the way to a top speed of 155 mph. The Acura RDX makes the 60-mph sprint in the same time, but tops out much lower at 113 mph. The Q5 Sportback, on the other hand, is the fastest of the bunch, needing just 5.7 seconds to hit 60 mph and climbs to as high as 149 mph before it tops out.

Infiniti QX55 Interior Design

Since the Infiniti QX55 is based on the QX50, it should come as no surprise that the interior is downright identical, with exception of one major metric – rear headroom. Front headroom in the QX55 is only down by one-tenth of an inch: 40 inches vs. 39.9 inches. But rear passengers see a big drop, with headroom dipping from 38.4 inches down to 36.9 inches. But that’s the price you pay for that coupe-SUV look, right?

The good news is that there are plenty of premium features included as standard, but some interior parts do feel a bit substandard. The cabin is comfortable, and the front seats provide decent support, but the QX55’s cabin isn’t up to part with those from Mercedes or BMW. Then again, you shouldn’t expect that since it’s not quite as expensive either. The base tech is comprised of two screens, a high-sitting eight-inch display and a seven-inch display that sits a bit lower in the center stack.

How Much Cargo Room Does the Infiniti QX55 have?

While the QX55 sees a dip in rear headroom compared to the QX50, it sees a more significant drop in available cargo space. Where the QX50 has 37 cubic-feet of cargo room, the QX55 has just 26.9 cubic-feet. That is expandable up to 54.1 cubic-feet if you lay the rear seats down, though. As far as the competition is concerned, the Audi Q5 Sportback is actually inferior with 24.7-51.9 cubic-feet while the Acura RDX is a clear winner with 31.1-79.9 cubic-feet.

Infiniti QX55 Passenger Space

Since the Infiniti QX55 is based on the QX50, and the big space loss doesn’t come until after the B-pillar, front cabin space is nearly identical. You’ll get 39.9 inches of headroom, 57.9 inches of shoulder room, 55.6 inches of hip room, and 39.6 inches of leg room. Rear passengers take a hit with 36.9-inchs of headroom, although the other dimensions are pretty similar with 57.1 inches of shoulder room, 53.8 inches of hip room, and 38.7 inches of leg room. Check out the table below to see how it compares to the Acura RDX and Audi Q5 Sportback.


Front Headroom

39.9

40

38

Front Shoulder Room

57.9

60

57.7

Front Hip Room

55.6

55

TBA

Front Leg Room

39.6

42

40.9

Rear Headroom

36.9

38

37.5

Rear Shoulder Room

57.1

57

56.5

Rear Hip Room

53.8

50

TBA

Rear Leg Room

38.7

38

38


How’s the Tech?

The QX55 is based on the aging QX50, and the cabin is the spitting image of it, so it should come as no surprise that the technology feels a bit dated too. We’re a big fan of the dual-screen layout, but beyond that, the infotainment system graphics feel a bit too last-decade and the resolution of the backup camera is downright embarrassing for a luxury vehicle. You do get wireless Apple CarPlay integration, though, you’ll need to use a wired connection if you’re an Android user. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering worked impressively well, and we experienced no issued with the other advanced driving aids. This entire story could have been different had Infiniti spent the time and resources necessary to deliver a modern product but, instead, the company just rehashed a model that was already due for an update just to jump into the growing segment. In short, if you’re a tech-head, you might want to wait for the QX55’s first update, at which point we expect Infiniti to do something about the outdated tech.

Infiniti QX55 Exterior Design

You’d be hard press to find anything that sets the Infiniti QX55 apart from the QX55 ahead of the B-pillar. It’s almost like Infiniti opened up its old CAD design file, selected the roof, and give it a steeper pitch in the rear. So, ahead of the B-pilar, there is no difference whatsoever, inside or outside. Beyond the P-pillar, though, things get a little difference. With the raked roof, the QX55 loses the cool jagged trim around the rear-quarter glass. The QX55 barely has any rear quarter glass, while the trim takes the appearance of, well, the Mercedes CLA, but smaller.

Because of the new design, the rear hatch now extends further into the roof area, which means the rear hatch glass is also steeply raked. Below the beltline, the QX55, is also quite similar to the QX50, so don’t expect different taillights, a different fascia, or even a different exhaust layout. That said, I do have to commend Infiniti for building a sportier version of an existing SUV instead of the ugly that is the BMW X4 or X6, for example. The QX55 actually looks like a sporty crossover or even a more capable large hatchback. The downside is that 75-percent of the QX55 is the same dated design introduced with the second-gen QX50 in 2017.

How Big is the Infiniti QX55?

The Infiniti QX55 occupies the compact crossover SUV segment, just like the QX50 it is based on. However, since it has a sportier roof and a coupe-ish design, it’s not really taking bread and butter from the QX50. The QX55 measures 186.3 inches long, 74.9 inches wide, and 63.8 inches tall. It also rides on a 110.2-inch wheelbase, so it does have a fairly dynamic handling to match its general design. As far as the competition goes, the QX55 sits right between the Acura RDX and Audi Q5 Sportback in terms of design, however all three are roughly the same size.


Length

186.3

187.4

184.6

Width (without mirrors)

74.9

74.8

74.5

Height

63.8

65.7

65.4

Wheelbase

110.2

108.3

111

Front Track

64.4

64.2

63.6

Rear Track

63.8

64.7

63.3

Curb Weight

4,015 LBS

3,777

4,178 LBS


Infiniti QX55 Pricing and Trim Levels

Like Infiniti’s entire lineup, the QX55 is available in three trim levels:

- Infiniti QX55 LUXE AWD

- Infiniti QX55 ESSENTIAL AWD

- Infiniti QX55 SENSORY AWD

Pricing for the entry-level LUXE trim level starts out at $46,500 with the Sensory model commanding at least $57,050. These figures make it more expensive than the Acura RDX with a price range of $39,300 to $53,300. With the Audi Q5 Sportback priced between $47,800 and $56,500, the QX55 is cheaper than the Audi Q5 Sportback in entry level form but ends up being more expensive if you go for either range-topper.

Infiniti QX55 Competition

The Coupe-SUV segment isn’t as large as the SUV segment itself, yet, but there quite a few vehicles the QX55 has to battle with to be even marginally successful on the market. While we could compare it to models like the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe, it doesn’t really feel quite up to par with them, so we’ve with the Audi Q5 Sportback and Acura RDX, two models that sit in the same general price range and have very similar power outputs.

Is the Infiniti QX55 better than the Acura RDX?

The third-gen Acura RDX was introduced for the 2019 model year, so it technically has a fresh styling language than the QX55. It features Acura’s typical grille and NSX-inspired headlights. While it’s not as coupe-ish as the QX55 and is usually compared with other SUVS, the RDX still has a raked roof and sporty overall design. The RDX features a roomy cabin and an impressively large cargo area, sharp sporty steering, and more optional tech than you’d expect. To get all the cool tech, though, you have to opt for various packages as Acura bungles its options together.

Under the hood sits a 2.0-liter inline-four that’s good for 272 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. The difference of four horsepower won’t make any notable difference in performance, which is why it makes the same 6.4-second sprint to 60 mph. AWD is also not a standard feature, so unless you go for the SH-AWD, you’ll be stuck with a FWD crossover. Fuel economy is a little lower, with the RD garnering 21 mpg in the city, 27 mpg on the highway, and 23 mpg combined. In fairness, though, the slightly lower fuel economy is a small price to pay for the larger cargo area. Pricing for the RDX starts at $39,300 and climbs to as high as $53,300.

Infiniti QX55 vs Acura RDX

Infiniti QX55

Acura RDX

Engine

2.0-liter, Turbo, Inline-Four

2.0-liter, Turbo, Inline-Four

Horsepower

268 HP @ 5,600 RPM

272 HP @ 6,500 RPM

Torque

280 LB-FT @ 4,800 RPM

280 LB-FT @ 1,600 RPM

Transmission

CVT

10AT

Driveline

AWD

FWD

Fuel

Premium

Premium

Steering

Electric

Electric

Suspension

Four-Wheel Independent

Four-Wheel Independent

Tires

P255/45R20

P235/55E19

Curb Weight

4,015 LBS

3,777 LBS

Towing Capacity

6,000 LBS

1,500 LBS


Read our full review on the Acura RDX

Is the Infiniti QX55 better than the Audi Q5 Sportback

While BMW was essentially the brand responsible for creating the coupe-SUV segment, Audi was quick to follow suit and now we have models like the Q5 Sportback that you see here. This coupe-SUV, however, much like the QX55, is more of a jacked-up hatchback than a bubbly coupe on stilts like its BMW equivalent. Audi took care to keep the roof sloped enough for a sportier appearance but not without sacrificing things like the rear quarter glass. The rear end, outside of the shape of the hatch is identical to that of the standard Q5, as is everything up front and below the beltline.

Under the hood sits a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, inline-four that delivers 261 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. Being seven horsepower and seven pound-feet shy of the QX55 would make the Q5 Sportback inferior, but it’s actually quite a bit faster, taking just 5.7 seconds to hit 60 mph compared to the QX55’s 6.4-second sprint. It tops out a little lower at 149 mph, but that’s not really too big of a deal. Pricing for the Q5 Sportback starts at $47,800 and climbs to as high as $56,500.

Infiniti QX55 vs Audi Q5 Sportback

Infiniti QX55

Audi Q5 Sportback

Engine

2.0-liter, Turbo, Inline-Four

2.0-Liter, Turbo, Inline-Four

Horsepower

268 HP @ 5,600 RPM

261 HP @ TBA

Torque

280 LB-FT @ 4,800 RPM

273 LB-FT @ TBA

Transmission

CVT

7AM

Driveline

AWD

AWD

Fuel

Premium

Premium

Steering

Electric

Electric

Suspension

Four-Wheel Independent

Four-Wheel Independent

Tires

P255/45R20

P235/55R19

Curb Weight

4,015 LBS

4,178 LBS

Towing Capacity

6,000 LBS

4,400 LBS


Read our full review on the Audi Q5 Sportback

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Infiniti QX55 is a decent vehicle, and it would make for a good, relaxing family vehicle. The constantly variable transmission paired with the dated design and technology, however, means it isn’t exactly suitable those that want the absolutely best of everything. If you really want to have an Infiniti QX55, but don’t want all the dated tech and design, it would be best to wait a year or two as the QX50 is due for a facelift and the QX55 should be updated shortly thereafter.