2015 INFINITI QX60 Review

The 2015 Infiniti QX60 gets new CVT programming designed to simulate the shifting of a conventional automatic transmission.

With its roomy seating and comfortable ride, the 2015 Infiniti QX60 is a good choice for a family-oriented, seven-passenger luxury crossover SUV.

The 2015 Infiniti QX60 is a three-row luxury crossover that puts families first. Based on the versatile Nissan Pathfinder, the QX60 has plenty of room for adults or growing children in all three rows, and the second-row seats slide and recline to enhance passenger comfort. Moreover, we've found the ride to be exceedingly comfortable on a variety of surfaces, with little road noise making its way into the cabin. The interior also benefits from top-notch materials and user-friendly technology features, and the QX60's pricing is significantly lower than that of some rivals.

Over the course of a year-long test with the largely identical Infiniti JX35 (the name changed to QX60 for 2014), we became fans, but we also noted a few flaws. For one thing, performance and driving character aren't high on the QX's list of priorities. The standard V6 engine is a bit underpowered for a vehicle this large, and it teams with the continuously variable transmission (CVT) to produce noisy, uninspired acceleration. In a similar vein, the soft suspension yields indifferent handling, even by the modest standards of this segment. On the fuel economy front, meanwhile, both the standard QX60 and the available hybrid model get some impressive fuel economy ratings from the EPA, but we've had a hard time duplicating those numbers in real-world tests.

So, what has three rows and a more engaging character? One of our favorites is the 2015 Acura MDX. It has a powerful V6 engine, an excellent interior and a pretty sporty attitude considering its size. The 2015 BMW X5 is one of the most athletic options, but it is priced considerably higher than the QX60, and its available third-row seat is less accommodating. Other notable rivals include the 2015 Buick Enclave, which provides considerably more cargo space than the QX60, and the 2015 Audi Q7, which offers a more sophisticated driving experience overall. But if a comfy, family-friendly crossover is what you're after, the 2015 Infiniti QX60 should be a satisfying choice.

The QX60 is powered by a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 265 horsepower and 248 pound-feet of torque. A CVT is the only available transmission. Front-wheel drive is standard, while all-wheel drive is optional.

In Edmunds testing, the identically powered JX35 equipped with all-wheel drive accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.2 seconds. This is about a second slower than average for the class.

The EPA estimates fuel economy at 23 mpg combined (21 city/27 highway) for the front-drive version, while the all-wheel-drive version drops slightly to 22 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway). In Edmunds testing, we've found that the QX60 typically struggles to match these mileage numbers in real-world driving.

The QX60 Hybrid features a supercharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that joins forces with a 15kW electric motor fed by a lithium-ion battery pack. Combined output is rated at 250 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. Official EPA numbers stand at 26 mpg combined (26 city/28 highway) with front-wheel drive and 26 mpg combined (25 city/28 highway) with all-wheel drive.

Properly equipped, the regular QX60 can tow up to 5,000 pounds, whereas the hybrid tops out at 3,500 pounds.

Standard safety features for the 2014 Infiniti QX60 include antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, front seat-mounted side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and a rearview camera.

Optional safety equipment on the QX60 includes the Infiniti Connection telematics service with automatic collision notification, remote door unlocking, stolen vehicle location, and speed and geo-fencing notifications. Also optional are front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, a lane-departure warning and prevention system, a blind-spot warning system (with an automatic intervention feature when the Technology package is specified), a 360-degree view parking camera system and frontal and back-up collision mitigation systems with automatic braking.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the JX35 its top score of "Good" in all five of its rating areas: small-overlap and moderate-overlap frontal crashes, side-impact crashes and roof-strength and seat and head-restraint tests.

In Edmunds brake testing, a JX35 stopped from 60 mph in a shorter-than-average 117 feet.

The 2015 Infiniti QX60 is a pretty large vehicle, and its workaday V6 can feel a little sluggish during passing maneuvers. In time, you'll likely get used to it, but depending on your priorities, the QX might not meet your performance expectations for a luxury-branded vehicle.

You won't have any complaints about the QX60 once it's up to speed on the highway. With its cushy ride, this Infiniti shrugs off road imperfections -- it's a very comfy, quiet and luxurious vehicle in which to while away the miles. The trade-off, however, is that the QX60 is a grudging partner when you drive it through turns. It feels heavy, the steering is light and imprecise and the soft suspension tuning allows for a lot of body lean.

Flexible seating is one of the QX60's hallmarks. The second row slides 5.5 inches fore and aft, allowing passengers to reach and exit the third row with ease, even with a child seat installed in the second row. The third row offers enough headroom for 6-foot passengers, but clearance gets a little tight beyond that. Both the second- and third-row seatbacks also recline.

With a rich combination of leather, wood and metal accents, this is a classy Infiniti interior in every respect. Infiniti's electronics interface is one of the best available, as its combination of physical buttons, a touchscreen and a rotary knob greatly simplify common tasks. We also like the optional Bose sound systems and the 360-degree camera system, the latter of which provides a very useful top-down view of the vehicle in parking situations.

There may be plenty of room for passengers inside the QX60, but cargo capacity tops out at 76.5 cubic feet with the second and third-row seats folded. That's not bad, but some rivals will give you more space, such as the MDX and especially the Enclave. The QX60 also provides just 15.8 cubic feet of space behind the third-row seat. On the upside, the hybrid QX has the same amount of cargo volume as the regular V6 version.