2022 Infiniti QX55

Though BMW gets credit for inventing the SUV Coupe with the X6 in 2008, Infiniti technically started the styling craze with the FX back in 2003. Fast-forward to today, and the 2022 Infiniti QX55 looks to pick up where the FX (later called the QX70) left off. It's based on the more conventional QX50 SUV, using the same 2.0-liter Variable Compression turbocharged four-cylinder, which produces 268 horsepower. That's more than you'll get from rivals like the Audi Q5 Sportback, BMW X4, and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, but the QX55's continuously variable transmission puts a slight damper on performance.

If you're looking for a comfortable, reliable, spacious crossover with elegant styling, the QX55 might satisfy your needs. It's arguable the most attractive coupe-style SUV on the market, and since it's based on the spacious QX50, it outmatches its competitors in practicality. After spending a week driving the QX55 in its top Sensory trim level, we found plenty to like (and hate) about the latest Infiniti model.

It may be based on the QX50, but the QX55 offers a more handsome package, thanks to the coupe-styled sloping roofline. All trims ride on 20-inch wheels and have LED headlights, signature LED DRLs, and LED fog lamps. The top-end Sensory trim has unique cube design headlights and adaptive front lighting as standard. Every model comes equipped with a power-operated moonroof. From the mid-range Essential trim, buyers also get a reverse tilt-down function for the exterior mirrors.

The QX55 has slightly larger dimensions than the QX50, adding 1.4 inches in length for a total of186.3 inches to the 184.7 inches. It is 74.9 inches wide without mirrors, and 85.1 inches if you take those into account. Standing 63.8 inches tall, the QX55 is two inches shorter than its regular SUV sibling. Both share the same 110.2-inch wheelbase, though. The QX55 SUV has a minimum ground clearance of 8.6 inches and approach/departure/breakover angles of 17.4/23.6/19.1 degrees, respectively. These are pretty disappointing, but no one in their right mind would actually take a QX55 off-roading, anyway.

Curb weights vary depending on trim. The Infiniti weighs in at 4,015 pounds in base-model guise and tops out at 4,065 lbs for the Sensory. By contrast, the heftiest QX50 weighs almost 4,180 lbs.

The palette of available colors sticks to more demure shades of blue and gray on the base model, with no-cost options including Hermosa Blue, Liquid Platinum, Graphite Shadow, and Black Obsidian. For $695, you can have one of the three premium color options, including Slate Gray, Mineral Black, and Majestic White. One trim up, the Essential gets the $900 Dynamic Sunstone Red exclusive paint option, which is also available to the top-spec Sensory. The range-topper drops Black Obsidian as an option. Our tester's Slate Grey was inoffensive but more eye-catching than white or black.

The latest crossover from Infiniti has the familiar turbocharged inline-four under the hood that we know from the QX50. Specs are good on paper, with outputs of 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, creating expectations for peppy acceleration and smooth power delivery. Sadly, the power plant comes paired to a CVT, just as it does in the QX50, which feels out of place in a luxury car. But whereas the regular QX50 has access to a front-wheel drivetrain, QX55 models come with all-wheel drive only.

Infiniti hasn't published top speed or 0-60 figures available just yet, but considering the same underpinnings are used in the QX50 and curb weights are similar, it's safe to assume the QX55 will get to 60 mph in the mid-six-second range. Rivals from Germany can do it in six seconds or less. The manufacturer makes no claims regarding towing capacity, but the QX50 is able to haul at least 3,000 lbs.

There's only one powertrain for the QX55 and it's the same one found in its sibling, the QX50. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder has all the makings of a decent motor, and with outputs of 268 hp and 280 lb-ft, it actually should be a good one, especially considering it's up on power compared to the base BMW X4. However, it's mated to a lethargic CVT. Despite offering manual shift mode and downshift rev-matching, the transmission choice is a disappointing one. We'd have much preferred a standard auto 'box like the nine-speeder on the refreshed QX60, as the CVT makes the whole experience feel lackluster. It often seems indecisive and other times overly dramatic in its choices: acceleration inputs are met with a jolt forward after a moment of lag, which then peters off to feeling inadequate. This makes passing maneuvers rather frustrating although, once up to speed, the QX55 manages just fine with all of the power it has on tap.

Despite what the coupe-like proportions may have you believe, the QX55 is not a sports car. In fact, we'd be hard-pressed to tell it apart from the QX50 on which it's based. There's nothing engaging about how the QX55 takes corners; it exhibits plenty of lean from the suspension and the steering is light without offering much feedback to the driver. We'll forgive the Infiniti for its lack of driving enthusiasm, because the core of this product is a comfortable ride. Infiniti's Body Motion Control uses hydraulic fluid in the suspension to reduce weight transfer and smooth out bumps in the road. Though we already mentioned the system fails at the former, it excels at the latter. This results in a car that we'd happily drive for hours on end.

If you plan to take the QX55 on long road trips, the quiet cabin and tranquil ride will make the experience pleasurable. Though it's not a thrilling experience, the QX55 performs well as a luxury cruiser.Starting from the Essential trim upwards, the SUV is available with Infiniti's excellent ProPILOT Assist, which will make highway driving even more pleasurable. ProPILOT combines adaptive cruise control with strong lane centering to make straight roads less of a chore.

Due to the fact that it shares its oily bits with the QX50, the QX55 has similar fuel economy figures. Like the AWD QX50, the QX55 achieves EPA ratings of 22/28/25 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. The FWD QX50 manages to beat this, but only by one mile per gallon. Infiniti touts the VC-Turbo engine's ability to change compression ratios for better performance and fuel economy. But, while this engine produces more power than its 2.0-liter rivals, fuel economy is average at best. We'd much rather see Nissan's e-Power hybrid system under the hood. With a 16-gallon fuel tank, the QX55 should manage around 400 miles before needing to fill up.

The segment for coupe-styled crossovers is growing rapidly thanks to the interplay between practicality and styling. Despite the sloping roofline, the QX55 has sufficient space for five passengers and, considering it's modeled on the QX50, the benefits of a spacious, elegant design carry over. We love the look of the modern interior, with higher trims showcasing more than just the familiar Nissan bits and bobs. However, the QX55 oddly missed on the 50's ultra-premium Autograph trim level. Dual-zone climate control and power accessories are standard - upgraded to tri-zone on the top trim - and the active noise cancellation is effective at promoting a quiet, serene cabin. Power-adjustable seats are also standard with Nissan's Zero-Gravity technology, while the Sensory gets ambient lighting and semi-aniline seating. There are two touchscreens for infotainment services, and while they are not awful, some rivals offer a much more user-friendly setup with larger displays and digital gauge clusters.

Like the QX50, the Infiniti QX55 is strictly a two-row crossover with seating for five passengers. It sits a bit lower than the QX50 with its coupe-like roofline, creating a noticeable decrease in interior volume (127.1 cubic feet in the QX55 vs 133.3 in the QX50). This results in less headroom and legroom, both in the front seats and the second row. That being said, the QX55 retains the sliding and reclining rear seat, making it easy for back seat passengers to stay comfortable. Though the QX55 is less practical than its conventional counterpart, we commend Infiniti for minimizing the loss of usable space. We also have high praise for the Zero-Gravity seats, which offer great support on long trips.

As the entry-spec model, the Luxe comes with leatherette upholstery in Graphite or Stone - both options are paired with Dark Aluminum trim. The Essential ups the standard fare to leather in the same color schemes, while the top Sensory model boasts more premium semi-aniline leather. You still have Graphite and Stone as options, but there's a striking Monaco Red two-tone option available too, and the Dark Aluminum interior trim is switched out for Black Open Pore wood accents. We enjoyed the sporty red cabin of our tester, though we wish Infiniti offered the QX55 with the stunning diamond-quilted seats in the QX50 Autograph.

As is the norm in the segment, cargo space in coupe variants is slightly diminished over the regular crossover models, and the QX55 is no different. Where the QX50 has an impressive 31.4 cubic feet for cargo, the QX55 has just 26.9 cubes behind the second row. It's still more than enough for grocery shopping for the small family, and more than you get from the Audi, BMW, or Mercedes SUV coupes. Fold down the back row and you have 54.1 cubes to play with, which is around ten cubes less than the QX50. The trunk has cargo net tie-down anchors as standard for added convenience, as well as duplicate levers to fold the seats in the second row and cargo area.

Small items can be stored around the cabin in door pockets, a standard glovebox, and under the center armrest. There are dual front and rear cupholders and bottle holders, and seatback map pockets for all trims.

There's loads of value to be had from even the base model in the range, with features like intelligent key and push-button start, dual-zone climate control, and eight-way power-adjustable front seats being standard. From the mid-range Essential model, you get climate-controlled seats with memory function and a heated steering wheel. The top-spec Sensory trim gets tri-zone climate control, enhanced interior ambient lighting, and power lumbar settings for the front passenger.

In terms of safety features and driver assists, entry-level trims have cruise control and high beam assist, as well as brake assist, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning. Forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and rear automatic braking complete the standard consignment on the Luxe. A surround-view monitor is added to the Essential trim, but more is available on the extras list. The fully-loaded Sensory model gets all the good stuff, including a head-up display, intelligent cruise control, ProPILOT assist, blind-spot intervention, lane departure prevention, and traffic sign recognition.

Infiniti didn't change much from the QX50 when designing the QX55's infotainment system. Every trim includes Infiniti's InTouch setup with an eight-inch upper and a seven-inch lower touchscreen. Our complaints about this configuration are well documented and boil down to crunchy graphics and a confusing interface with too many physical buttons and on-screen menus. As an improvement, Infiniti now offers wireless Apple CarPlay as standard, which takes over the top screen while freeing the lower screen to display audio information without having to exit back to the stock user interface. Android Auto is standard, too, but requires a USB cord.

All QX55 models include Wi-Fi hotspot capability and four USB ports (one USB-C and three USB-A). Built-in navigation and a Bose Performance Series premium audio system with 16 speakers are installed on Essential and Sensory trim levels. We found the Bose system to sound fine, but not the best we've heard at this price

As an all-new model, there isn't any track history to go on in terms of reliability, but at the time of writing, no recalls were logged for the QX55. While J.D. Power hasn't released a review on the Infiniti QX55 either, it did have some average scores for the QX50 on which it is based. With a 77 out of 100 score for quality and reliability, we have high hopes the QX55 will have ironed out any kinks for a better rating.

New Infiniti QX55 models are covered by a basic four-year/60,000-mile warranty and powertrain cover for six years or 70,000 miles.

The NHSTA review of the Infiniti QX55 isn't comprehensive, having only tested the crossover in frontal crash scenarios. Nevertheless, a full five stars were awarded by the authority for the test. The NHTSA felt the original QX50 was a safe vehicle, however, and gave it five stars overall after putting it through its paces. And, while the IIHS has not conducted a review of the QX55 either, it found the QX50 on which it is based to be relatively safe, with two scores of Good in its limited testing of the older SUV.

The standard airbag consignment on the QX55 comprises dual front, front side, side curtain, and knee airbags for both occupants up front. Other than the standard ABS and EBD systems, you also get cruise control, high beam assist, brake assist, blind-spot warning, and forward collision warning as standard. From the base model, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert with auto braking are also included, but a surround-view monitor is only added once you step up to the Essential model.

The only other driver assists available at mid-range need to be optioned on, and include intelligent cruise control, steering assist, blind-spot intervention, lane departure prevention, traffic sign recognition, and distance control. These are all standard on the top trim level. Infiniti's ProPILOT Assist tech is optional on the Essential and standard on the Sensory, combining adaptive cruise and steering assist in a helpful bundle. It does beep every time it loses the road lines though, which gets annoying in a hurry.

If you liked the Infiniti QX50 but wanted sleeker styling, the 2022 Infiniti QX55 will appeal to you. However, beyond what we already liked (and disliked) about the QX50, the QX55 doesn't do much to move the needle forward for the Infiniti brand. It doesn't deliver any major improvements under the hood or to the driving experience, nor does it improve on the technology or safety features. As a whole, the QX55 feels like a "play it safe" product for an automaker that desperately needs to bring buyers back to the dealership with exciting new vehicles. If the QX55 arrived sporting an electric drivetrain, we'd feel quite differently about it.

Comparing the QX55 to its compact SUV coupe rivals, it comes away leading in a few categories, namely styling, practicality, horsepower, interior comfort, and starting price. However, options like the Audi Q5 Sportback, BMW X4, and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe all offer better performance (plus six-cylinder engine options), comparable fuel economy, and higher-quality cabins. Yes, the QX55 undercuts these three on price, but if you look at the top trims, the difference shrinks considerably. We wouldn't actively steer buyers away from the Infiniti QX55, but the overall package isn't compelling enough to lure us away from the German alternatives.

The price of a 2022 Infiniti QX55 starts at $46,500 for the base Luxe, while the Essential will cost you $51,600. For the ultimate in the range, you'll want the Sensory model, which has an MSRP of $57,050. These prices exclude the $1,025 destination fee charged in the USA.

There are three trims available in the 2022 QX55 lineup: Luxe, Essential, and Sensory. All trims come with the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder power plant with outputs of 268 hp and 280 lb-ft and make use of a CVT and all-wheel drive.

Base models ride on 20-inch wheels and have full LED headlights, DRLs, and fog lamps. A power moonroof, power liftgate, and rear parking sensors are standard. Inside, you get leatherette upholstery with an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, including lumbar support. The Luxe has an auto-dimming rearview mirror, cruise control, blind-spot warning, predictive forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert, to name just a few. The standard audio system has six speakers, and the Infiniti InTouch dual-display is the hub of all things infotainment using an eight-inch upper screen and a seven-inch lower screen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto are standard.

Essential models add front parking sensors and rain-sensing wipers, as well as heated outside mirrors that tilt down when reverse gear is selected. Inside, you get leather upholstery and standard navigation, while the steering wheel is heated for those cold winter mornings. You also get more power adjustment up front, with a memory function for the driver's seat, steering wheel, and exterior mirrors. A surround-view monitor is added to flesh out the safety suite, and a 16-speaker Bose sound system is thrown in for good measure.

At the top of the range, a power motion-activated liftgate is added, and the Sensory gets tri-zone climate control, enhanced interior ambient lighting, semi-aniline leather upholstery, and climate-controlled seats. Front passengers are granted power lumbar settings, while the driver benefits from a head-up display, intelligent cruise control, and ProPILOT Assist. Blind-spot intervention, lane departure prevention, and traffic sign recognition are added to the features list.

Feature customization is only available to the mid-range Essential trim, which has two packages you can select. The first is the ProASSIST Package, which adds cube-design LED headlights, adaptive front lighting, distance control, intelligent cruise control, blind-spot intervention, and lane departure prevention for $800. The ProACTIVE Package costs $1,600 and adds a head-up display, traffic sign recognition, direct adaptive steering, and the ProPILOT Assist suite, which comprises steering assist and intelligent cruise control with stop and hold.

For the entry-spec and top-end trims, only a few standalone accessories are available, including splash guards, welcome lighting, and a variety of aesthetic tweaks.

If we were walking into an Infiniti dealership to buy a compact crossover, we'd walk out with a QX50 over a QX55. It offers similar styling and greater practicality all for $7,500 less. Even factoring in the QX55's standard AWD, the QX50 still represents a $5,500 price savings. In our opinion, that money would be better spent stepping up to the larger QX60, not the smaller QX55. But if you absolutely had to have a QX55, we'd settle on the mid-tier Essential trim for $51,600, since it unlocks access to both of the available packages. As described, a QX55 would run for $54,000, significantly less than our Sensory tester's $57,050 MSRP.

The QX55 is basically the popular younger brother to the buff older brother that is the QX50. Whereas the QX55 is newly designed with flashy coupe-like styling, the QX50's latest generation has been around since 2019. And, while its SUV-looks are nothing out of the ordinary, the QX55 is a fresher take that is much more modern. The downside of the sloping roofline is a smaller cargo hold, with the QX50 being the more practical of the two - by as much as ten cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down. There's also a bit more legroom in the back of the older Infiniti, but the interior is otherwise the same. Both models use the same infotainment setup, and even the features spread across the trim levels are almost identical.

Under the hood and at the pumps, the similarities continue, with the most frugal of the two crossovers being the FWD QX50 - but the difference is almost negligible. Speaking of which, the QX50 at least offers the choice of FWD or AWD, but both SUVs suffer the curse of the rather erratic CVT. The biggest difference is in price, where the QX50 starts at a palatable $37,950 for the base model with FWD, and $39,950 for AWD. In contrast, the QX55 starts at $46,500, with the top-spec model costing well over $57k after options and miscellaneous fees. You can get a top-end QX50 for the lower starting price. Here, the choice will really come down to whether you need the extra space, and what your budget allows. Personally, we're swayed by the good looks of the newer QX55.

Competing in the luxury segment means you're inevitably weighed up against stalwarts like the BMW X4, which, for 2022, has a starting price $6,000 dearer to the QX55. For that money, you get a large 12.3-inch touchscreen display and the Live Cockpit Professional as standard, three-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, and a 12-speaker sound system on even the base model. Although the power plant on the X4 is down on power in comparison, at 248 hp and 258 lb-ft to the Infiniti's 268 hp and 280 lb-ft, it comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a six-second 0-60 sprint time. We can give you a variety of platitudes about how much more engaging the Bimmer is to drive, the wonders of classic German engineering, quicker acceleration, or the sporty-yet-elegant interior we're used to on BMWs, but it's enough that the X4 has a decent transmission. The CVT on the Infiniti is simply that much of a letdown. There's no contest here - we'd stretch for the BMW X4.