2022 Infiniti QX55

Despite what the coupe-like proportions may have you believe, the QX55 is not a sports car. In fact, we'd be hard-pressed to tell it apart from the QX50 on which it's based. There's nothing engaging about how the QX55 takes corners; it exhibits plenty of lean from the suspension and the steering is light without offering much feedback to the driver. We'll forgive the Infiniti for its lack of driving enthusiasm, because the core of this product is a comfortable ride. Infiniti's Body Motion Control uses hydraulic fluid in the suspension to reduce weight transfer and smooth out bumps in the road. Though we already mentioned the system fails at the former, it excels at the latter. This results in a car that we'd happily drive for hours on end.

If you plan to take the QX55 on long road trips, the quiet cabin and tranquil ride will make the experience pleasurable. Though it's not a thrilling experience, the QX55 performs well as a luxury cruiser.Starting from the Essential trim upwards, the SUV is available with Infiniti's excellent ProPILOT Assist, which will make highway driving even more pleasurable. ProPILOT combines adaptive cruise control with strong lane centering to make straight roads less of a chore.

If you liked the Infiniti QX50 but wanted sleeker styling, the 2022 Infiniti QX55 will appeal to you. However, beyond what we already liked (and disliked) about the QX50, the QX55 doesn't do much to move the needle forward for the Infiniti brand. It doesn't deliver any major improvements under the hood or to the driving experience, nor does it improve on the technology or safety features. As a whole, the QX55 feels like a "play it safe" product for an automaker that desperately needs to bring buyers back to the dealership with exciting new vehicles. If the QX55 arrived sporting an electric drivetrain, we'd feel quite differently about it.

Comparing the QX55 to its compact SUV coupe rivals, it comes away leading in a few categories, namely styling, practicality, horsepower, interior comfort, and starting price. However, options like the Audi Q5 Sportback, BMW X4, and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe all offer better performance (plus six-cylinder engine options), comparable fuel economy, and higher-quality cabins. Yes, the QX55 undercuts these three on price, but if you look at the top trims, the difference shrinks considerably. We wouldn't actively steer buyers away from the Infiniti QX55, but the overall package isn't compelling enough to lure us away from the German alternatives.

The QX55 is basically the popular younger brother to the buff older brother that is the QX50. Whereas the QX55 is newly designed with flashy coupe-like styling, the QX50's latest generation has been around since 2019. And, while its SUV-looks are nothing out of the ordinary, the QX55 is a fresher take that is much more modern. The downside of the sloping roofline is a smaller cargo hold, with the QX50 being the more practical of the two - by as much as ten cubic feet when the rear seats are folded down. There's also a bit more legroom in the back of the older Infiniti, but the interior is otherwise the same. Both models use the same infotainment setup, and even the features spread across the trim levels are almost identical.

Under the hood and at the pumps, the similarities continue, with the most frugal of the two crossovers being the FWD QX50 - but the difference is almost negligible. Speaking of which, the QX50 at least offers the choice of FWD or AWD, but both SUVs suffer the curse of the rather erratic CVT. The biggest difference is in price, where the QX50 starts at a palatable $37,950 for the base model with FWD, and $39,950 for AWD. In contrast, the QX55 starts at $46,500, with the top-spec model costing well over $57k after options and miscellaneous fees. You can get a top-end QX50 for the lower starting price. Here, the choice will really come down to whether you need the extra space, and what your budget allows. Personally, we're swayed by the good looks of the newer QX55.

Competing in the luxury segment means you're inevitably weighed up against stalwarts like the BMW X4, which, for 2022, has a starting price $6,000 dearer to the QX55. For that money, you get a large 12.3-inch touchscreen display and the Live Cockpit Professional as standard, three-zone climate control, front and rear parking sensors, and a 12-speaker sound system on even the base model. Although the power plant on the X4 is down on power in comparison, at 248 hp and 258 lb-ft to the Infiniti's 268 hp and 280 lb-ft, it comes with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a six-second 0-60 sprint time. We can give you a variety of platitudes about how much more engaging the Bimmer is to drive, the wonders of classic German engineering, quicker acceleration, or the sporty-yet-elegant interior we're used to on BMWs, but it's enough that the X4 has a decent transmission. The CVT on the Infiniti is simply that much of a letdown. There's no contest here - we'd stretch for the BMW X4.