2023 Infiniti QX50 Performance

The car-driving public has become used to small-capacity turbocharged engines in this class, and manufacturers like Acura and Audi both use turbocharged 2.0-liter engines in their respective offerings. The QX50 follows the trend with its 2.0-liter turbo powerplant but throws a slight curveball in the form of a variable-compression engine (Infiniti calls it the VC-Turbo), which seamlessly alternates between low and high compression ratios. Sending power to either the front wheels or all four, this powerplant produces 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, and the advanced tech supposedly improves efficiency. The QX50 never feels underpowered, but it is far from being a high-performance SUV, with its acceleration specs including a 0 to 60 mph sprint being completed in the mid-six-second range based on independent testing. In terms of towing capacity, the QX50 can haul up to 3,000 pounds in AWD Autograph guise with the optional tow package fitted.

Most people won't think twice about the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine under the hood of the QX50; almost every other vehicle in its class has one too, and they all produce more or less the same power outputs. But the engine under the hood of the QX50 is rather unique: it is the world's first production engine with a variable compression ratio. This means that this engine can change its compression ratio from 8:1 when high performance is demanded to up to 14:1 when economy is called for. Lower compression gives improved performance at the expense of efficiency, while higher compression improves fuel economy.

All of this equates to a maximum power output of 268 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque, which is adequate but far from class-leading in this segment. Power is sent to either the front or all four wheels via a CVT transmission. This engine delivers good low-down power, making the QX50 a pleasure to drive around town in start/stop traffic, but we found that it becomes unrefined under hard acceleration. The QX bundles its powertrain with a world-first active engine mount vibration damping system, which leads to quieter operation.

Despite all the great new engine technology the Infiniti QX50 brings to the table, the QX50's official economy numbers are barely better than those of its primary rivals. The EPA rates that the QX50 will manage a best of 23/29/26 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles in FWD guise. The AWD model sees a slight drop in efficiency at 22/28/25 mpg; we observed 22.3 in our AWD test car. By comparison, the AWD Audi Q5 gets the same 25 mpg combined as the AWD QX50, showing that the complicated VC-Turbo engine might not be worth the effort. Its relatively small 16-gallon fuel tank allows the QX50 to travel up to 416 miles in FWD guise.