IT’S A BEST BUY BECAUSE:

The QX60 offers the usual “premium” polish and features with unusual control clarity and a serene driving experience.

BUT…

Many desired options come grouped in expensive option
packages.

WORTH NOTING:

The hybrid model has a supercharged engine.

WHAT IS IT?

The QX60 was introduced for 2013 as the JX, Infiniti’s first 7-passenger crossover SUV. (Infiniti’s line-wide model-name revamping for 2014 brought about the name change.) QX60 fills the gap in Infiniti’s product line between the midsize 5-seat QX70 crossover and the 7-seat premium-large QX80. The latter uses body-on-frame truck-type construction while the QX60 employs a car-type unibody design. QX60 borrows some elements of its basic design from the Nissan Altima, which is produced by Infiniti’s corporate parent.

WHAT’S NEW?

After receiving its new name and a gas/electric hybrid model last year, QX60 sees only minor revisions for 2015: new available colors and an update to its continuously variable automatic transmission that enables it to mimic the behavior of a traditional automatic.

FUEL ECONOMY

EPA estimated fuel economy for the QX60 is 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway for front-drive models and 19 city/25 highway for AWD. In Consumer Guide® testing, an AWD QX60 averaged 20.1 mpg with slightly more highway driving than city use. EPA figures for the hybrid model are 25 city/28 highway with front-wheel drive and 26/28 with AWD. Infiniti recommends premium-grade gasoline for the QX60 and regular for the QX60 Hybrid.

VALUE IN CLASS

Urbane cabin appointments with simple (for the class anyway) controls and a serene driving experience are QX60 highlights. Less impressive is the QX’s handling and ride quality when equipped with the optional 20-inch wheels. Base prices are competitive, and though Infiniti requires the purchase of costly option packages in order to get some desired features, considering all the content, it’s not unreasonable.

BASE PRICE RANGE (2014) $41,550 – $42,950
BODY STYLES 4-door wagon
AVAILABLE ENGINES 250-hp, 2.5-liter Supercharged 4-Cyl./Electric; 265-hp, 3.6-liter v6
DRIVE WHEELS Front or All-Wheel Drive
BUILT IN USA
EPA FUEL-ECONOMY RANGE 20-28 MPG

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