The sporty and luxurious 2016 Infiniti QX60 drives its passengers around swaddled in pleasantness and backed by well controlled power. The more luxurious brother to the 2016 Nissan Pathfinder has a sportier exterior design, an upgraded premium quality interior and a few extra conveniences aligned only with Infiniti while starting at a very reasonable $47,400.
ENGINE & DRIVE
All models of the 2016 Infiniti QX60 are equipped with the same 3.5L six cylinder engine creating 265hp and paired with a continuously variable transmission and intelligent AWD. What does all this mean? Well, with 265hp there’s definitely no lack of power for overtaking or towing and combine this power with the smooth CVT and the result is a comfortable, quiet and relaxed ride. The exceptionally smooth driving experience created by the CVT is due to the stepless gear shifting, while fuel economy is aided slightly with its optimized power delivery.
The intelligent AWD system of the 2016 QX60 typically transmits full power to the front wheels, but it continuously monitors wheel spin, throttle position and vehicle speed so it can divert up to 50% of power to the rear wheels to enhance traction and control when conditions require it.
The downside to a large SUV with a 3.5L engine is an expectedly higher fuel consumption. The 2016 Infiniti QX60 posts rates at 12.2 L/100km in the city and 8.9 L/100km on the highway, while our 200km test drive yielded a combined fuel consumption of 13.7 L/100km. It should be noted however that the majority of our test was city driving.
The QX60 handles delightfully with grippy traction and cornering, responsive steering and yields an overall smooth and controlled ride. Selectable drive modes (eco, normal, sport or snow) allow the driver to choose the optimal performance combination that suits their driving need.
One may think that driving and parking a large SUV like the 2016 Infiniti QX60 would be difficult but features like the 360 backup camera, moving object detection systems, parking sensors and a tight turning radius make for easy manoeuvring.
EXTERIOR & INTERIOR
The sporty exterior of the 2016 QX60 has a beefy front end with unmistakable Infiniti styling. The sloped roofline, side accent lines and shark fin antenna give an impression of performance, while the chrome highlights, subtle curves and xenon headlights provide the element of luxury. The sleek rear end is enhanced by the sloping roofline, sporty tail lights and rear spoiler while still giving way to a large enough opening for transporting various cargo.
The inviting cabin of the 2016 Infiniti QX60 is especially luxurious in the white trim and invites passengers into its warm, bright and elegant surroundings. A beautiful maple wood trim can also be added to give a natural tone. While keeping passengers elated, the interior is also very versatile and can be folded, reclined or split to accommodate any arrangement of cargo and up to 7 passengers. Rear passengers are further taken care of with a panoramic sunroof to keep things bright and open and climate controlled vents for both second and third rows.
Some other nice features only seen on the luxury end are rain sensing wipers, heated and cooled front seats, a power open and close rear lift gate and power folding third row seats. Not only are there zones that can be individually controlled for climate, but the same applies for audio and video entertainment in the front and on the two rear seatback monitors
TECHNOLOGY
Infiniti Connection is an app for your phone that links the world to you and the QX60 by syncing personal security, convenience, a concierge service and remote services. Some of the things you can do through Infiniti Connection include:
- Lock/Unlock doors from your phone
- Program alerts for speed, location and more
- Sync your calendar to the vehicle display
- Send your destination from your phone to the vehicle’s navigation
- Send automatic collision notifications
- Scheduled maintenance alerts
- Much more
SAFETY
The 2016 Infiniti QX60 hosts a full array of safety technology and features such as:
- The Infiniti Advanced Air Bag System which inflates airbags at a rate corresponding to impact speed to prevent full force airbag deployment at low speed impacts.
- The backup collision intervention which warns drivers and goes further to apply brakes when cross traffic is detected while reversing
- A blindspot intervention system which warns the driver of a vehicle in their blindspot and goes one step further when ignored to correct the vehicle back into its own lane.
- Intelligent brake assist which continuously monitors the closing distance and speed of the object or vehicle in front, then warns and automatically applies braking to reduce speed and lower impact severity.
The majority of the non-standard safety features can be added through the Drivers Assistance Package starting at $2,200.
FINAL THOUGHTS
When equipped with all the safety features, the 2016 Infiniti QX60 earns the IIHS rating of Top Safety Pick +, which is the highest rating a vehicle can achieve. For overall versatility, a smooth and comfortable ride and top of the line safety features without compromising on luxury, be sure to take a 2016 QX60 out for a test.
