Page 92 - Motor Trend (February 2020)

MT GARAGE
VERDICT: 2019 Infiniti QX50
“We’ll miss the
incredibly comfortable
seats and the
handsome interior
design. But the
engine? Not so much.”
Collin Woodward
Base price $46,145 As tested $59,085
Service life: 13 mo/23,033 mi
Avg Econ/CO2 20.8 mpg/0.93 lb/mi
ccasionally, as a 12-month
O long-term test draws to a close,
it can be hard to come up with
new or interesting observations to put
in our updates. And although that can be
a problem from a writer’s perspective,
it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a
problem with the car. Sometimes a car
just has nothing to hide. The 2019 Infiniti
QX50 is not one of those cars.
As I mentioned in our QX50 Arrival
story, there were plenty of questions that
needed to be answered during our year
with the vehicle. From powertrain perfor-
mance to interior quality and even driver
assist technology reliability, there was a
lot to figure out with Infiniti’s handsome
new crossover. One year and 23,033 miles
later, we have (most of) our answers.
90 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2020
The QX50’s fancy new engine, for
SPECS Options Sensory pack ($7,500: Bose
audio, heated/vented front memory seats,
heated/powered tilt/telescoping wheel,
20-inch dark-painted wheels, semi-aniline
leather upholstery, motion-activated
liftgate, rear window sunshades, adaptive
front LED lighting, ultrasuede headliner
and accent trim); Autograph pack ($2,000:
White and blue upholstery); ProActive
pack ($2,000: Reverse cross-traffic alert
with collision intervention, parking sensors,
adaptive cruise control w/ full speed
range, ProPilot Assist with steering assist,
blind-spot intervention, lane departure
warning w/ lane prevention, auto high-
beams, head-up display, direct adaptive
steering, park assist); ProAssist pack ($550);
Illuminated kick plates ($465); Welcome
lighting ($425)
Problem Areas None Maintenance Cost
$192.43 (2- oil change, tire rotation,
inspection) Normal-Wear Cost $0
3-Year Residual Value* $39,100 (66%)
Recalls 1: Display control unit
*IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles
at the end of three years
example, has been a huge disappointment.
It promised more power when you needed
it and better gas mileage when you didn’t.
But it delivered a not-so-fuel-efficient
20.8 mpg. How the EPA arrived at its 26
mpg combined rating, I have no idea.
And although the QX50 did best its most
obvious rival, the Acura RDX, in our accel-
eration tests, you’d never know it from
behind the wheel. Road test editor Chris
Walton probably described the power-
train’s shortcomings best when he said,
“There are at least three things changing
all the time—gear ratio, turbo boost, and
engine compression—and they are each
fighting over who takes the mic. They only
all come together and agree what to do at
wide-open throttle. What a mess.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean Infiniti
should abandon variable-compression
technology. There’s a lot of potential
there. It just needs to spend a little more
time in development and create an
automatic transmission with actual gears.
While Infiniti is at it, if it could learn a
few handling and steering lessons from
the Alfa Romeo Stelvio or even the Acura
RDX, that would be great.
Impressions of the interior were much
more positive. I personally prefer not to
see suede in a car you’d never take to the
track, but in combination with the quilted
white leather seats, it at least helps the
QX50 stand out. In fact, in part due to
its impressive cabin, the Infiniti quickly
became the default loaner any time a
corporate executive needed a car.
We just wish the wood trim matched.
Apparently, this was an intentional
choice, but it looks like a mistake. In
fact, it was one of the first things editor-
in-chief Ed Loh pointed out after he
borrowed the QX50 for a week. The
lawyers may not let Infiniti change the
downmarket beeps the car makes, but
it can’t be that hard to make the trim
match, can it?
Comfort was also a huge plus. When
we took the QX50 on a 2,000-mile road
trip, it didn’t just get us and our stuff from
point A to point B. It made each day’s long
drive a breeze. Even my 90-plus-minute
daily commute was less stressful when I
was driving the QX50.
Considering how terribly outdated the
infotainment system is, that’s saying a lot.
A recall did fix the glitches we experi-
enced, but even then, the connectivity
issues, low-resolution displays, lack of
support for Apple CarPlay and Android
Auto, and slow response times continued
to be incredibly frustrating. Overly
sensitive parking sensors that went off
randomly in traffic only added to the