The 2027 Infiniti QX65 SUV turns heads, but the new midsize luxury SUV’s appeal is largely skin deep, due to the lack of a hybrid version and a couple of features that underperformed during my weeklong test.
And the new Infiniti launches in a fiercely competitive part of the market. I tested a maxed-out QX 65 Autograph with diamond-stitched leather upholstery and an impressive Klipsch audio system. It stickered at $69,910, a price comparable to its competitors’ top models.
Why buy a 2027 Infiniti QX56?
The QX65 is a beautiful SUV. Its two-tone paint and dramatically sloping roof, rear window and hatch are unique and appealing.
The interior also is head-turning, with more passenger and cargo space than many competitors.
What could be better?
The output of the engine, which Infiniti (Nissan) calls
the VC Turbo, looks good on paper, but other small-displacement turbos deliver similar or better power and fuel economy in similar vehicles, but do it on less expensive regular gasoline.
The VC Turbo has caused recalls of previous Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, though there’s no record of issues in the QX65, which went on sale this summer. Hybrid drivetrains are increasingly common. The QX65 doesn’t offer one.
Despite repeated attempts, I never got the Infiniti's new Individual Audio feature to work.
Driving impressions
I found the QX65 to be roomy, comfortable and quiet.
The passenger compartment is trimmed in attractive materials that included deep red, diamond-pattern leather upholstery with contrast stitching in my test vehicle. Black, open pore ash wood complemented the leather, which covered seats, doors and lower dashboard.
A 12.3-inch touch screen controls most functions. There are physical dials for volume, temperature, driving mode. The steering wheel has physical controls for volume, tuning, adaptive cruise and other features.
The passenger compartment is very accommodating, with plenty head, shoulder and leg room. Cargo space is also generous.
The VC Turbo’s rated output figures are good, but engine noise and vibration are quite noticeable and acceleration was unimpressive.
The QX65 is not intended for serious off-roading, but neither are most of its competitors.
The interior is quiet on the highway. My test car’s 10-speaker Klipsch audio system delivered excellent sound.
The new feature Infiniti calls Individual Audio promises to create distinct audio zones within the vehicle, allowing the driver to carry on a hands-free phone call the passengers can’t hear while they enjoy music, for instance.
Instead, the system muted music for the whole cabin. Passengers clearly heard incoming calls from speakers mounted in my seat’s head rest.
About the competition
The QX65's competitors include the Acura RDX, Cadillac Lyriq and XT5, Ford, Mustang Mach-E, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Santa Fe, Jeep Cherokee, Kia Sportage, Lexus RX, Lincoln Nautilus, Mazda CX70, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Volkswagen Atlas and Volvo XC60.
Key Infiniti QX65 metrics
The five-passenger QX65 measures 198.9 inches long, nearly identical to Infiniti’s family-hauling QX60 SUV, which has a third row of seats and six or seven people, depending on whether its second row has a three-person bench or two captain’s chairs.
The two-row QX65’s sleek profile comes courtesy of a radically sloping roof, rear window and glass in place of the kid-carrying QX-60s level roof and upright hatch.
Both vehicles have a 114.2-inch wheelbase. Their height and width are also identical, 69.7 and 86 inches, respectively.
Power comes from a 2.0L turbocharged engine with a complicated system that modifies its compression ratio for optimum power or fuel efficiency, as needed.
The engine produces 268 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque. It requires premium fuel and got 20 mpg in city driving, 26 mpg on the highway and 22 combined in EPA fuel economy tests.
The VC Turbo engine is linked to a smooth nine-speed automatic transmission.
The engine requires premium gasoline.
The QX65 has all-wheel drive, with six drive modes:
- Standard
- Sport
- Eco
- Tow
- Snow
- Off-road
Because its exterior dimensions are virtually identical to the three-row QX60, the QX65 is longer and has more passenger and luggage space than many competing two-row SUVs.
Chasing other luxury brands
Nissan and Infiniti have always been able to deliver unique, appealing designs, as the QX65 demonstrates.
Nissan launched Infiniti as its luxury brand in 1989, at an historic North American International Auto Show in Detroit that also hosted the debut of Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand.
Until the moment people saw the first Infiniti QX45 and Lexus LS 400 sedans, conventional wisdom insisted upstart Japanese automakers could never challenge the status and prices of established luxury brands, like BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, Lincoln and Mercedes-Benz.
That certainty died when the spotlights hit new sedans. Loaded with features, priced thousands below the competition and swathed in an aura of Japanese reliability, they scared the devil out of the OGs.
That was arguably Infiniti’s high point. As Lexus became synonymous with luxury and quality, Infiniti stumbled through resets of everything from vehicle names to its HQ’s location. The latest plan hinges on bold designs and a promised high-performance sub-brand.
It’ll take several years before Infiniti’s engineering and technology catch up with design, if they ever do. Till then, the brand has to rely on its looks.
2027 Infiniti QX65 trim levels and prices
- Luxe: $53,990
- Sport: $55,690
- Autograph: $62,590
All prices exclude $1,545 destination charge
Source: Infiniti
2027 Infiniti QX65 Autograph key features
- All-wheel drive
- Two-tone paint
- Available 20-speaker Klipsch audio
- 20- and 21-inch wheels
- Active noise cancellation and sound enhancement
- 10.8-inch head up display
- Quilted, semi-aniline leather seats
- Heated, ventilated and massaging front seats
QX65 standard safety features
- Front central mounted air bag
- Forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection
- Forward collision warning
- Rear automatic braking
- Blind spot alert and assistance
- Rear cross traffic alert
- Lane departure alert and assist
- Intersection assist
- Surround view monitor
- Driver attention alert
- Hills start assist
- Trailer sway control
2027 Infiniti QX65 at a glance
Midsize luxury SUV
All-wheel drive
Seats 5
On sale now
Base price: $53,990. All prices exclude $1,545 destination charge
Model tested: 2026 Jeep Recon Moab
Price as tested: $69,910
Engine: Turbocharged variable compression 2.0L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Output: 268 hp @ 5,600 rpm; 286 pound-feet of torque @ 4,400 rpm
EPA estimated fuel economy: 20 mpg city/26 highway/22 combined. Premium fuel required. Estimated annual fuel cost: $3,500
Wheelbase: 114.2inches
Length: 198.9 inches
Width: 86 inches (including mirrors)
Height: 69.7 inches
Ground clearance: 5.9 inches
Passenger space: 108.4 cubic feet
Cargo space: 35.8 cubic feet behind second row; 67.7 behind front row.
Curb weight: 6,112 pounds
Towing capacity: 4,714 pounds
Assembled in Smyrna, Tennessee
Contact Mark Phelan: mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: This Japanese luxury SUV looks great, but 2 features disappointed me
