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2023 Infiniti QX50

Starting at $41,495

6/10 C/D RATING
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2023 infiniti qx50 suv parked in an alley
Infiniti
6/10 C/D RATING

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  • Highs Stylish inside and out, spacious cabin, smooth ride.
  • Lows Disappointing fuel economy, CVT amplifies engine noise, mundane handling.
  • Verdict The QX50 looks the part and provides a sense of luxury, but several shortcomings make it hard to love.
By Frankie Cruz and Eric Stafford

Overview

The 2023 Infiniti QX50 struggles against its luxury-grade classmates despite pleasant looks and stylish interior. Infiniti’s compact SUV is compromised by a lackluster complex, variable-compression turbocharged four-cylinder, which fails to deliver the promised advantages in fuel economy or performance. Competitors with conventional turbocharged fours such as the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3 xDrive30i accelerate quicker and are equally parsimonious with fuel. Dynamically, the QX50 skews toward comfort rather than sportiness, which should be a non-issue for most buyers. What they get instead of athleticism and driver engagement are a smooth ride and a quiet cabin. The QX50 delivers stylish looks and an upscale interior ambiance, but it lacks the substance needed to thrive against its top-ranked competitors.

Where This Vehicle Ranks

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1

Porsche Macan

STARTING AT: $58,950
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2

Genesis GV70

STARTING AT: $44,275
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3

BMW X3

STARTING AT: $47,195
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4

Volvo XC60

STARTING AT: $44,545
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5

BMW X4

STARTING AT: $55,195
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16

Infiniti QX50

STARTING AT: $41,495

What's New for 2023?

The 2023 QX50 carries over from the previous model year mostly unchanged, but a new Sport model replaces the Essential trim in the middle of the lineup. The Sport name may be a bit of a misnomer since it adds no performance-enhancing features, but it looks sharp with gloss-black exterior trim and dark-painted 20-inch wheels; the cabin gets semi-aniline leather upholstery and a 12-speaker Bose stereo. The rest of the lineup benefits from a few new standard features—heated exterior mirrors, remote start, a wireless smartphone charging pad, among others—and all models now come with three years of complimentary scheduled maintenance.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

Pure
$41,495
Luxe
$44,795
Sport
$49,695
Sensory
$53,995
Autograph
$58,545

    We think the new mid-level Sport is the best choice among the QX50's many trims as it comes with a decent amount of standard equipment, including a 360-degree camera system, heated and cooled front seats, in-dash navigation, interior ambient lighting, and more. Those who want all-wheel drive should expect to dole out another $2000.

    Engine, Transmission, and Performance

    Since its redesign for the 2019 model year, every QX50 has been powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that uses variable compression—called VC-Turbo. The engine makes 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque and pairs with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that directs power to either the front or all four wheels. The engine seamlessly swaps between high compression during steady cruising and low compression during hard acceleration. While it never exhilarates when the pedal hits the metal, only those seeking a seriously quick crossover will be disappointed. Unfortunately, the engine is loud under heavy throttle, and the CVT makes this worse, especially around town. The Infiniti prioritizes comfort and luxury, with a compliant ride that is composed on rough roads and smooth on the highway. While the steering wheel provides little communication with the road surface, it has accurate reactions and light effort. Unfortunately, the Infiniti's soft brake pedal operates inconsistently. This leads to more than one shoddy stop in rush-hour traffic where the QX50's nose dives forward under heavy braking. Still, it only needed a competitive 164 feet to stop from 70 mph in our emergency-braking test.

    2023 white infiniti qx50 suv in a parkView Photos
    Infiniti

    Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

    Despite a so-called revolutionary engine touted as maximizing both power and fuel economy, our test vehicle was less efficient than advertised during real-world testing. The front-wheel-drive QX50 is rated at 23 mpg city and 29 highway while the all-wheel-drive version has estimates of 22 mpg city and 28 highway. All these estimates align with the similarly equipped BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, but that's disappointing when you consider the VC-Turbo engine is intended to be more efficient than traditional alternatives. The last all-wheel-drive QX50 we tested on our 75-mph fuel-economy route—part of our extensive testing regimen—fell short of its highway estimate and returned 27 mpg in the real world. For more information about the QX50's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website.

    Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

    Inside, the QX50 can be fitted with quilted leather seats, wood interior trim, and a faux-suede headliner. However, these upscale appointments are available only on the most expensive model. Still, every QX50 has a comfortable and quiet cabin that includes a spacious second row with reclining seatbacks that proved to be a highlight of the 2019 QX50 that we had in our long-term test fleet. The QX50 has 31 cubic feet behind the back seat and up to 65 cubes with the 60/40 split-folding rear bench folded flat. We managed to fit nine carry-on suitcases with the seats up and 22 with them down. Both results were two more than the X3 held. While our top-of-the-line test vehicle had the motion-activated power liftgate, none of the lower trims has this useful feature.

    2023 infiniti qx50 suv interior dashView Photos
    Infiniti

      Infotainment and Connectivity

      The dual-touchscreen infotainment system will bother some more than others. We also were annoyed that the heated steering wheel and custom drive-mode settings are only accessible through this interface. While we appreciated the familiar volume knob, the rotary controller on the center console only operates the top screen. Every model has Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. Both 12- and 16-speaker Bose stereo systems are available as is mobile WI-Fi hotspot. Our test vehicle did have several power points, with three USB ports up front and multiple 12-volt outlets, including one in the cargo area.

        Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

        Every QX50 has a host of standard driver-assistance technology that includes lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist. For more information about the QX50’s crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

        • Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
        • Standard blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert
        • Standard adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology

        Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

        Although many luxury brands offer complimentary scheduled maintenance, Infiniti does not. It does provide competitive limited and powertrain warranties, along with four years of roadside assistance.

        • Limited warranty covers four years or 60,000 miles
        • Powertrain warranty covers six years or 70,000 miles
        • Complimentary maintenance is covered for 3 years, regardless of vehicle mileage.
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        Specifications

        Specifications

        2019 Infiniti QX50 Essential AWD

        VEHICLE TYPE
        front-engine, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon

        PRICE AS TESTED
        $59,085 (base price: $46,145)

        ENGINE TYPE
        turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
        Displacement
        120–122 in3, 1971–1997 cm3
        Power
        268 hp @ 5600 rpm
        Torque
        280 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

        TRANSMISSION
        continuously variable automatic

        CHASSIS
        Suspension (F/R): struts/multilink
        Brakes (F/R): 13.0-in vented disc/12.1-in vented disc
        Tires: Bridgestone Ecopia H/L 422 Plus RFT, P255/45RF-20 101V M+S

        DIMENSIONS
        Wheelbase: 110.2 in
        Length: 184.7 in
        Width: 74.9 in
        Height: 66.0 in
        Passenger volume: 102 ft3
        Cargo volume: 31 cu ft3
        Curb weight: 4164 lb

        C/D TEST RESULTS: 
        Rollout, 1 ft: 0.3 sec
        60 mph: 6.4 sec
        100 mph: 17.3 sec
        130 mph: 41.6 sec
        Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.3 sec
        Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.9 sec
        Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.7 sec
        ¼-mile: 15.0 sec @ 94 mph
        Top speed (governor limited): 137 mph
        Braking, 70–0 mph: 173 ft
        Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.84 g 

        C/D FUEL ECONOMY
        Observed: 22 mpg

        EPA FUEL ECONOMY
        Combined/city/highway: 26/24/30 mpg 

        More Features and Specs

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