The other day, when I drove carpool, one of Ava’s friends said, “Hey Amelia, remember that car you had. The one with the white leather?” Of course I did, “The Infiniti QX50?” “I guess,” she said. “That one is the best you’ve had so far.” Wow. I’ve test driven some pretty nice things and my daily driver (BMW X5m) ain’t too shabby either. But this girl was smitten.
I listened while she crushed on the blue, ultra-suede trim. The reclining back seats. The distinctive interior. She remembered every detail about that Infiniti and it warmed my heart. I’d been picking her up in press cars for two years and this was the first time she said much of anything about them. She was about to get her license, which made me wish she could’ve driven the Infiniti QX50. Because then she’d really be impressed.
Most articles you read about the QX50, however, are going to focus on its engine. And before you glaze over, just hear me out. I’ll be quick. The Infiniti QX50 is the world’s first variable compression engine or VCT. Blah, blah right? Well, think of it this way: when you boil an egg, do you light one stove burner or four? Six? Unless you’re Guy Fieri, you only light one. Why waste the gas, the electricity, the heat? Well that’s basically the idea behind variable compression. In a VCT engine, the compression ratio (the amount of air/fuel mixture that the pistons put into the cylinders) varies, depending on the performance needs of the car. In short, you’re not the idiot with all four burners going when you’re boiling an egg, duh! (for a more in-depth explanation, go here)
The result is a turbo-charged engine that delivers performance excitement and fuel efficiency. It’s pretty sweet. I really enjoyed driving this car and was fascinated by the incredible features, impressive performance and luxe appointment.
The Good
*the power is great. Very little lag and AWD, if you’re into that.
*the ProPILOT Assist is always welcome. Traffic blows and you’re too cool to sweat it
*I averaged a cool 28 mpg (exactly double what I get in my X5m)
*the interior is pimp, even the kids will feel spoiled rotten
The Bad
*its diesel-adjacent idle sound. Some may find it endearing. Others will get annoyed.
*the dual-screened cockpit is messy and inefficient. If someone is smart enough to use buy this car, they’re smart enough to use Waze.
*styling is distinctive but may be too flashy to the sophisticated buyer
The Infiniti qx50 Verdict
My husband pulled a douche move the other night, blocking me in the driveway, knowing that I had to leave early the next morning. After I left without waking a soul, he sent me a text ‘How’d you get out?’ I said, ‘Cuz I’m badass like that.’ Truth be told, it was the QX50. It’s incredibly agile, responsive and just the perfect size. The VCT and added flourishes just make it that much cooler. A great choice for the luxury buyer that doesn’t want to give into the usual suspect brands and too nervous to go electric.
The Infiniti QX50 starts at $36,650, as driven $59,585, including destination charges.