2024 Infiniti QX50 Review: Comfortable Middle-Class Crossover

In a market where some premium-branded SUVs come with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive for an element of sportiness and added grip, the 2024 Infiniti QX50 sticks with a front-wheel drive setup combined with a modestly powerful turbo-four engine that makes 268 horsepower. This makes it quite tricky for the compact luxury crossover to compete with the likes of the athletic BMW X3 and Genesis GV70, even if it offers many features and good comfort for the money. With few meaningful updates when faced with such stiff competition, does the QX50 have what it takes to compete without a complete overhaul?

New for 2024

There are no significant changes to the new Infiniti QX50, aside from a new paint color for the top two trim levels, called Black Obsidian.

2024 Infiniti QX50 Price: Which One to Buy

The price of the 2024 Infiniti QX50 ranges from mostly affordable to a little on the pricey side, starting with the Pure at $41,000 MSRP. The Luxe will cost you $44,300, while the Sports sells for $49,200. Boasting most of the available tech is the Sensory at $53,500, while the Autograph closes things out at $58,050. Aside from the top-most trim, which gets it standard, all the rest can add all-wheel drive for $2,000. There's an additional $1,350 destination charge to add, too.

Considering what more expensive rivals offer, we don't think you'd be doing yourself any favors by spending more than $50,000 on the QX50. Thus, your best bet would be the Luxe trim, with optional AWD if your local weather requires it. With this, you get a solid climate control system and infotainment suite, along with all the essential safety systems and a handful of high-end features like a surround-view camera.

Interior and Features

The cabin is well-appointed with features and offers lots of space, but it does look a little behind the times in terms of style.

Infiniti knows how to build a premium interior space and the QX50 has a decent amount of space to work with. Sadly, the style of the cabin is a bit dated and lacks many of the design choices that more modern cars make use of. It doesn't look bad, though the dual touchscreens with physical buttons running along the sides are a lot more old-school than the giant displays we are seeing nowadays. Together with the central console, the whole setup is a bit too busy, and it can be tricky to keep track of what does what. On the plus side, it does come well-stocked right from the get-go.

Space

Despite being a compact luxury SUV, the QX50 comfortably seats five, though sticking three adults in the second row is probably ill-advised. There is a good amount of legroom back there, but the front seats are very generous. Every position is extremely comfortable, thanks to the brand's Zero Gravity seats. The front seats are power-adjustable as standard, so finding a good driving position and visibility is quite good to begin with. Getting inside is facilitated by wide-opening doors and short running boards offering a stepping point for smaller folks.

Cargo

It's not just people that an SUV needs to accommodate, with the best models offering up to three times as much cargo space as a sedan. In the case of the QX50, you get a little more than double at 31.4 cubic feet. This is still more than enough room for a week or more worth of groceries for the household. The rear seats fold down easily in a 60/40 split to create 65.1 cubes of space for bulkier items or an extended getaway with your paramour.

Around the cabin, there are several spots to store smaller items, like the standard glove compartment and the moderately sizeable central armrest cubby. Each door has a well-sized pocket, and there are two cupholders in the front, with another two in the rear fold-down armrest.

Materials and Colors

You'll have to look hard to find any hard plastic in high-traffic areas, with leatherette being a lot more commonplace. This material also lines the seats at the base level, though it only comes in Graphite. More interior colors become available as you move up to the Luxe, which adds Pebble Gray while also upgrading to leather upholstery. The Sport has semi-aniline leather instead, and it can be had in a racey Monaco Red hue. Across the range, aluminum trims most of the interior, with Natural Maple wood only replacing this once you reach the Autograph. It also adds an Ultrasuede headliner, as well as a white and blue color scheme option.

Features and Infotainment

One area where more budget-friendly premium vehicles excel is their list of standard features, as their parent brands are experts at cramming in value. This benefits the QX50 immensely, as it comes equipped with dual-zone climate control, intelligent key entry, push-button start, remote start, and two touchscreens. The upper screen reveals navigation information and some Apple CarPlay and Android Auto features, while the lower screen is used to control the climate settings and radio, which includes SiriusXM and Bluetooth streaming. It also has a wireless charging pad and a six-speaker sound system. Moving up the trims adds heated front seats, a panoramic power moonroof, tri-zone climate control, a head-up display, and either a 12- or 16-speaker Bose sound system.

Performance

The turbo-four engine boosts its power with variable compression, but even this isn't enough to make the SUV fun to drive.

The only engine powering the Infiniti QX50 is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that develops 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. This comes mated to a continuously variable transmission that focuses on efficiency rather than performance, and you can opt for a front- or all-wheel drivetrain on all but the Autograph, which is AWD as standard. This setup is quite good at low-level acceleration, but this tapers off quickly, meaning it takes the Infini QX50 around 6.3 seconds to go from 0-60 mph, though it can hit a top speed of 141 mph.

By combining its variable-compression engine tech with a CVT, the QX50 supplies steady power, but it is far from being sporty. The chassis and suspension tuning support this hypothesis, as they focus more on comfort than anything else. Push the SUV too hard, and the transmission will drone in annoyance while the engine revs out. The unfeeling steering won't give you the confidence to push the powertrain this far. Properly equipped, the Infiniti SUV has a maximum towing capacity of 3,000 pounds.

Fuel Efficiency

While the engine tries to be powerful, the transmission tries to be efficient. This lack of focus means that the Infiniti QX50 gets no better mpg than any of its rivals, although it's AWD variants are marginally more efficient than a competing X3. With FWD, gas mileage is set at 23/29/26 mpg across the city/highway/combined cycles, while the AWD models manage 22/28/25 mpg. Both configurations come with a fuel capacity of 16 gallons, allowing the SUV to travel between 400 and 416 miles.

Safety

The QX50 passes all its crash tests relatively well, earning a five-star rating from the NHTSA. It's worth noting the IIHS hasn't conducted a comprehensive test.

The IIHS's review of the Infiniti QX50 isn't comprehensive, only covering the moderate overlap front and side crash. Both returned Good results, but the updated side test only managed to score an Acceptable. Despite this, the NHTSA rated the SUV five stars in every side crash test and four stars in front and rollover crashes.

There are loads of safety features, even on the base-level model. The Pure gets ABS, EBD, stability and traction control, and eight airbags, along with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and rear parking sensors. You also get ProPilot Assist, which is a semi-autonomous cruise control system. More tech is added from the Sport upwards, such as a surround-view camera, traffic sign recognition, and front parking sensors.

US NHTSA Crash Test Result

Reliability

While the 2024 model has no consumer reviews to draw from, the 82/100 reliability rating of the Infiniti QX50 should carry over from 2023. This is according to JD Power. There have been no recalls of the SUV since 2022, and even then, there was just a single minor issue.

The warranty for the 2024 Infiniti QX50 covers bumper-to-bumper issues for four years/60,000 miles and powertrain repairs for six years/70,000 miles. You also get four years of roadside assistance and three years of scheduled maintenance.

Warranty

Design

The 2024 QX50 is a handsome vehicle, though not as flashy as some of its competition. Both the front bumper and grille are a bit basic, though the latter is surrounded by thick chrome. The hood has some aggressive grooves that hint at more power than is available. LED headlights are standard, with automatic on/off functionality and J-shaped daytime running lights around the edges. From the Luxe upward, LED foglights are added, along with aluminum roof rails and a hands-free power liftgate. The standard 19-inch alloy wheels are replaced with 20-inch allows on the Sport. From the rear, the Infiniti manages to be surprisingly attractive, with clean lines, a rooftop spoiler, and dual integrated exhaust outlets. The LED taillights are large, but by no means groundbreaking in terms of style.

Verdict: Is The 2024 Infiniti QX50 A Good SUV?

When it comes to everyday all-rounders, the Infiniti QX50 is a solid option, with a roomy cabin, accommodating trunk, and an extensive list of standard features, especially in terms of safety. However, the competition has it beat in a number of key areas, including powertrain refinement, driving dynamics, and more up-to-date infotainment systems. Modern shoppers expect to see their money go a long way in the premium segment, and while the Infiniti might have been great value back in the day, it just can't hold up to more modern competitors. Until such time as the next-generation QX50 comes to market, there are simply better options out there.