2024 Infiniti QX60

Three years ago, a luxury-brand crossover like the Infiniti QX60 wasn’t all that remarkable because there were lots of others a lot like it – especially under the hood.

Fast-forward three years and the QX60 stands out because it’s one of just two remaining luxury-brand crossovers in its class that still comes standard with a V6 engine and without a turbocharger (or a “mild hybrid”) system. The only other one being Acura’s MDX. The rest – including the Audi Q7 and the Lexus RX350 (which no longer offers a third row) no longer even offer them as optional engines.

And that’s why the QX60 is suddenly much more remarkable – and desirable – than it was just three years ago.

What It Is

The QX60 is a mid-sized, luxury brand crossover based on the Nissan Pathfinder. It comes standard with three rows of seats – and a V6 engine.

Prices start at $49,650 for the base Pure trim with front-wheel-drive; adding the optional AWD system increases the MSRP to $51,650. Both come standard with a panorama sunroof, heated leather seats, three-zone climate control, a nine speaker audio system and a 12.3 inch touchscreen.

The next-up Lux trim adds 20 inch wheels, an LCD main gauge cluster, roof rails and navigation. This trim lists for $55,700 with FWD and $57,700 with AWD.

Next up is the Sensory trim, which adds massaging driver and front passenger seats, a 17 speaker Bose premium audio system, power-folding third row seats and a household-type 120V power outlet, among other upgrades. It lists for $59,050 with FWD and $61,050 with AWD.

The top-of-the-line Autograph trim swaps out the second row split bench for a pair of captain’s chairs, adds adaptive headlights, a digital rearview mirror and comes standard with a tow package (rear hitch plus wiring, transmission oil cooler and trailer sway assist) if ordered with AWD.

It lists for $63,200 with FWD and $66,100 with AWD.

The Q’s main rival – because it’s the only rival that also still comes standard with just a V6 – and for about $50k to start – is the Acura MDX, which lists for $50,900 for the FWD version and $53,100 with AWD.

There’s also the Lincoln Aviator – which has a V6 plus a turbo – and a base price of $53,340.

But it does come standard with 400 horsepower – which is about 100 more than you can get in the Pathfinder.

Whoops! The Q.

What’s New for 2024

The ’24 QX60 carries over into 2024 unchanged.

What’s Good

Standard V6 – as opposed to the turbo fours in the Audi Q7 and Lexus RX350.

All trims are available with – but don’t require that you buy – AWD.

Can pull up to 6,000 lbs.

What’s Not So Good

Less cargo space and second-row legroom than in the Acura MDX.

Only tows 3,500 lbs. – unless you step up to the more pricey Sensory or Autograph trims, which are the only trims available with the tow package that increases the towing capacity to 6,000 lbs.

Standard eye-movement monitoring system pesters you if it thinks you’re showing signs of being “drowsy” or “distracted.”

Under The Hood

Unlike almost everything else that used to come with a V6 – at the least – the QX60 still does. All trims have the same 3.5 liter V6 that makes 295 horsepower, paired up with a standard nine speed automatic and standard front-wheel-drive.

Three years ago, this would have been as remarkable as getting cheese with your burger – no extra charge. Now it’s almost like getting the burger and the cheese – while everyone else gets something made with crickets and forget the cheese.

For instance, the Audi Q7 – nominally a rival – comes standard with a 2.0 liter four that makes just 216 horsepower, paired up with an elaborate (and cost-adding) mild-hybrid system that shuts off the little four as often as conditions permit, in order to “save gas.”

But you won’t save much.

Even with two fewer cylinders (and 34 fewer horses) the Q7 rates an unimpressive – given all its putative “efficiency” advantages – 19 city, 25 highway. The QX – without any of the Audi’s “efficiency” advantages – still manages to post higher gas mileage numbers, 21 city and 26 highway.

And you don’t have to spend $9,850 – the difference in MSRP between the $49,650 to start QX60 and the $59,500 to start Q7 – to not “save gas.”

Interestingly, the Infiniti’s sole-remaining V6-powered competition – the Acura MDX – also uses less gas (19 city, 26 highway) than the turbo-four-plus-mild-hybrid Audi and just a little less than the V6-powered Infiniti.

Which tells us that “saving gas” isn’t really what’s motivating the extinction of the V6 engine (and never mind whether buyers want to see the V6 rendered extinct). The only reason Audi – and Lexus – and so many others have replaced the V6s that used to come standard in so many of their models with turbo fours is because the government has made it clear that no matter how little gas their vehicles burn, if they “emit” too much gas (C02) then they will be accused of causing the “climate” to “change” – whatever that means.

Of course, we know what it means.

It means we’re not allowed to have nice things anymore, such as V6 engines.

Interestingly, the QX60’s V6 is rated as 11 horses stronger than the same V6 that’s standard in the Pathfinder, where it is credited with making 284 hp – an 11 hp difference in the Infiniti’s favor.

But the difference may be just on-paper.

Nissan rates the 3.5 V6 in the Pathfinder as making the same power as the 3.5 V6 in the QX60, if you buy the Rock Creek trim. But it’s not so much the trim as it is the fuel. The Rock Creek iteration of the Pathfinder specifies the use of premium unleaded while all other Pathfinder trims are regular unleaded.

All QX60 trims, meanwhile, specify premium – which is probably why they all rate 295 (rather than 284) horsepower.

On The Road

The QX60 gets criticized on account of its being an upmarket Nissan Pathfinder – which it is. That’s never been a problem for the Cadillac Escalade – which is a very upmarket Chevy Tahoe. Or the Lincoln Navigator, which is a very nice Ford Expedition. These two latter are bigger (and both are SUVs rather than crossover) but the point here is that a vehicle’s relationships aren’t necessary grounds for a restraining order.

Especially when the relationship brings good genes to the pool.

What you have here is an extremely nice Pathfinder that has a different (less “SUV”) look than the Nissan-badged Pathfinder and the same standard V6 engine, which is a feature you can’t get anymore in rivals such as the Q7 and RX350 (the latter, by the way, is badged as a Toyota in other markets).

The turbo fours that now come standard in those models offer comparable power – but at what cost? How will they hold up after the warranty runs out? And how do they make you feel when you sign the paperwork – and come face-to-face with the fact that all you’re getting for your $50k (and then some, in the case of the Q) is a 2.0 liter four?

Which also sounds just like what you’re not getting, too.

On the downside, the Q’s V6 is paired with a compliance transmission. That is to say, a nine speed automatic with multiple overdrive gears that is programmed to upshift into them sooner rather than later, so as to cut engine RPMs in order to increase MPGs. This programming can be countermanded – by mashing the accelerator pedal – but having to do so runs counter to what ought to be the experience in a luxury-branded vehicle such as this. And would be, if it had a six speed transmission with just one overdrive – as used to typically be the case just a few years ago. But along came the pressure to comply – with federal fuel economy (and “greenhouse gas emissions”) edicts. The same ones responsible for the thinning of the V6 herd.

But which would you rather have? A V6 – one that doesn’t need a turbo – paired with a compliance transmission? Or no V6 – and a 2.0 liter four, instead?

For the record, the Q’s most threatening rival – the Acura MDX – is also saddled with a compliance transmission.

One with ten speeds (and three overdrives).

The compliance transmission is impossible to avoid. But at least – here – you still get the V6 that compliance pressure has all-but-forced off the market.

At The Curb

The QX60’s kinship to the Pathfinder is well-hidden – unless you look under the hood. Or under the very different exterior. As opposed to the obvious kinship between a Tahoe and an Escalade. Lincoln also does a good job of disguising the more directly competitive Aviator’s relationship to the Ford Explorer, which actually is an SUV – in that the latter is built on a rear-drive layout as opposed to the front-drive layout that underpins crossovers like the Pathfinder.

Three rows of seats and seven passenger capacity are standard, with the option to reduce that by one by swapping out the second row split bench for a pair of captain’s chairs.

In addition to the same V6 that comes standard in the Pathfinder, you can get luxury features that aren’t available in the Pathfinder, most notably the Sensory trim’s standard massaging front seats. If you’ve not yet experienced these, you ought to try them out. It’s the difference between flying coach for four hours and flying first for the same four hours, which won’t feel like you just did.

The sensory also comes standard with an excellent 17 speaker stereo.

All trims come standard with significantly more total cargo-carrying capacity than the Q7, which has just 59.6 cubic feet all told. The Infiniti has 75.4 cubic feet. However, it also has just 14.5 cubic feet of space when its third row is in place – the same (just about) as the Audi’s negligibly less 14.2 cubic feet behind its third row.

On this score, the Acura MDX blows the rest – including the QX – into the weeds, with 18.1 cubic feet of space behind its third row and 95 cubic feet with the third row out of the way. The Lincoln Aviator falls in the middle, with 18.3 cubic feet behind its third row and 77.7 cubic feet all told.

The Rest

The QX60 offers a stout 6,000 lb. maximum tow rating, which is competitive with current mid-sized pick-ups and significantly more than most crossovers, including the MDX – which tops out at 5,000 lbs. The 1,000 lb. difference – in the Q’s favor – provides enough margin to handle a 5,000 lb. load without maxing things out.

On the downside, the Lincoln Aviator comes standard with a 5,600 lb. max tow rating – while the Q is available with a 6,000 lb. max tow rating. If you spring for either of the two top trims (Sensory and Autograph) which greatly increases the price you’ll pay.

Otherwise, the QX60 is only rated to pull a maximum of 3,500 lbs. – the same (or less) than almost all of its rivals.

The Bottom Line

It is likely – due to the pressures imposed by the need to comply – that the V6 you can still get standard in this rig won’t be available for much longer. Once it isn’t, the QX will be a lot more like all the rest – and for that reason will be much less appealing than it is right now.

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