2021 Infiniti QX50

As mentioned earlier, the segment sees major competition from cars like the Volvo XC60, the Lincoln Corsair, as well as the Audi Q5 - all the crossovers carrying the best of what the manufacturer has to offer in terms of safety, performance, and styling in the segment. 

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 palette starts at $38,050 for the Pure trim and stretches all the way up to $56,950 for the Autograph trim, covering 3 more trims in between - all available with All-Wheel Drive as an option. All the trims come well-equipped with convenience features and have a decent list of driver aids available right from the base trim itself. A summary of the features on offer has been shown in the table below:

The QX50 is very well-equipped but if one wants to add more features, INFINITI offers Appearance Package on the Luxe as well as on the Autograph trim whereas the Essential trim gets a Convenience Package and the Sensory trim gets the Climate package. These packages add a lot of features, some of the highlighting ones are:

• 20-inch wheels
• Heated mirrors
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Ventilated front seats
• Rear sunshades
• White leather upholstery
• Blue accent stitching

Which trim should you buy?

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 feature-rich trim list does confuse the buyer as to which one to go for and if you ask us, we feel that the Luxe trim is a bargain for what it adds over the Pure trim. The added convenience of creature comforts and the option to make the exterior more aggressive via the Appearance package does make it a very lucrative buy. The drivetrain depends on the end user’s needs. 

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 equips a turbocharged 2.0L Inline-4 as standard across the range, with no other options available, that are good for producing 268 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. The power figures are rather decent for the segment and make the QX50 up to date with the rivals in this department. This engine is paired to a CVT that sends power to the front wheels as standard but can also be optioned out as an All-Wheel Drive for a premium of $1,800. 

The CVT gearbox is not the best out there and is rather clunky to operate. The engine is smooth but the erratic gearbox does ruin the experience by quite a bit. The power delivery is rather linear but the acceleration is not as aggressive as the rivals. The suspension is tuned well to soak up any undulations and make driving over broken roads easy. 

All the crossovers are in the same ballpark vis a vis their output figures and acceleration timings. Of these, the Audi Q5 is the fastest due to the standard All-Wheel Drive on offer that puts the power down very well despite the power deficit it has when compared to the INFINITI. Other than the Audi, every other SUV is pretty much equally quick and posts very close times to each other. 

How well does the 2021 INFINITI QX50 handle?

Around town, the Infiniti QX50 is one gem of a vehicle. The engine is smooth, and the gearbox does an okay job of emulating an automatic transmission. The driver sits up quite high so as to get a good view of the road ahead. For tight spaces, the QX50 is equipped with parking sensors, reversing camera, and all the relevant tech to ensure a smooth drive. The view out of the rear window might feel a little constricted due to the big pillars but is sufficient nonetheless. 

The steering is nice and light which aids a lot with overall maneuverability and the decent turning circle ensures that making U-turns is not a hassle. The suspension does a tremendous job of soaking all the irregularities on the tarmac irrespective of the speed the crossover’s carrying. 

On the highway, the QX50 performs decently well with its turbocharged mill and 268 horsepower but overtaking could feel very sluggish due to the CVT’s rather clunky mimicry of an automatic gearbox. The cabin is insulated well and does a tremendous job of keeping ambient noise at bay while the occupants enjoy the comfortable and posh seating of the crossover. 

2021 INFINITI QX50 Braking Performance

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 is a pretty nice car to drive and with an 0-60 MPH of nearly 6 seconds, it feels pretty quick too but as with quick cars, they need to brake hard as well in case of any mishaps. The QX50’s anchors are dropped by a pair of massive 13-inch ventilated rotors up front and 12.1-inch rotors at the rear and are combined with all the necessary safety features in the segment like 4-wheel ABS and EBD. The brakes do a tremendous job and can stop the QX 50 in just 166 ft when braked hard from 70 MPH. 

The Volvo’s brakes do a very good job in stopping the near 4,000 lb crossover in just 166 ft - similar to what the INFINITI’s do. The Lincoln’s rather small discs stop the crossover in the least distance, which is also aided by comparatively lower weight than the competition while the Audi stops the latest due to its high curb weight. 

The 2,0L turbocharged mill on the QX50 boasts of a Variable Compression technology that uses an electric motor and multi-link arms to vary the compression ratio from anywhere between 8:1 to 14:1. All of this technology aids the QX50 to attain an EPA rating of 23 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway, for a combined of 26 MPG from its 16-gallon fuel tank. 

All the crossovers have very similar engine configurations and hence are very closely matched in terms of fuel efficiency as well but out of these, the QX50 reeks out the maximum combined economy but is let down in terms of range by its fuel tank - which is the smallest in the segment. 

As mentioned earlier, INFINITI is the luxury division of Nissan and with that fact aside, the interior is every bit one expects from a car like this. The QX50 gives its rivals a run for their money with all the amenities on offer and also with the quality of craftsmanship inside the cabin, which is reflected as soon as one opens the door itself. 

The door panels are a visual delight with the dual-tone treatment done to them along with the silver trim that goes near the door handle. The armrests are super comfy to rest arms on and the cubby is a decent size. To uplift the quality, the carmaker uses faux leather in the lower trims and a leather-Alcantara combination in the higher trims along with contrast stitching sealing the envelope. The dashboard carries a similar story in terms of the overall craftsmanship and the materials used. 

The seats are upholstered in faux leather in the lower trims while the upper trims get actual leather, with the Autobiography trim getting an ‘upgrade’ on the leather. These seats are shaped in a way that holds the occupant in comfortably and the adjustability on offer adds another layer of comfort to the occupant. In terms of practicality, the front seats get power-adjustability as standard with driver’s seat lumbar adjustment while the higher trims add heating, ventilation, as well as memory for the driver’s seat. 

In the rear, the QX50 doesn’t disappoint and maintains the comfort levels of the front seats while also providing ample practicality for the rear passengers to enjoy. The seats are as comfortable and follow a similar pattern as the front seats, while the sitting posture is comfortable even for tall people. In terms of practicality, the rear-seat occupants get AC vents, a USB port, and a 12V socket as well.

The QX50 provides a lot of space for the occupants to stretch around and sit comfortably while not inducing fatigue during long drives kudos to the ultra-comfy interiors on offer. Along with interior comfort, it can also pack in the most luggage with both rows up to go for a long weekender with family. Some of the highlighting features of the cabin include:

• Power front seats with heating and ventilation
• Driver lumbar adjustment
• Driver’s seat memory function
• Tri-zone climate control
• Panoramic sunroof
• Leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable and heated steering wheel
• Rear sunshades

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The INFINITI QX50 boasts of a dual touchscreen setup - an 8-inch upper touchscreen and a 7-inch lower touchscreen. The upper screen is utilized for navigation as well as for the rear camera and sensors while the lower screen does all the infotainment job. Both the screens offer tremendous UI responsiveness and are very intuitive to use, that is, if one gets accustomed to using a dual-screen setup.

In terms of features, this system comes as standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay out of the box along with Bluetooth for streamless connection and smartphone integration. Music can be played from the multiple USB ports on offer as well as via AM/FM/SiriusXM on offer, and is blasted through a 6-speaker setup as standard which is further upgradable to a 16-speaker Bose premium audio system. That being said, some of the highlighting features of this system are:

• Dual touchscreen setup 
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility
• Bluetooth
• AM/FM/SiriusXM
• Voice controls 
• Navigation
• Rear camera
• USB ports
• 12V port
• 6-speaker system
• Optional 16-speaker Bose premium audio system

Right off the bat, the 2021 INFINITI QX50’s styling is worth digging into with the angular headlight design that neatly meets the signature INFINITI grille in the front. The LED headlamps, DRLs, and turn signals give out a very handsome appearance to the face. All of this, paired with the functional vent and LED fog lights (in the higher trims) make the front fascia look complete coupled with a clean look with nice lines. 

The big 19-inch wheels suit the crossover well along with the wheel arches that give a rather rugged look to a very luxurious offering. If someone likes a bigger wheel, INFINITI has an Appearance Package on the dock to help and also add a bit of sportiness to the overall design. Else, there is chrome which tends to balance out the overall design and not make it look bland. 

The rear of the crossover features LED taillights and a chrome strip between the lights to complement the overall design. The manufacturer has done an impeccable job in integrating the mandatory reflectors in such a way that it looks flush and doesn’t stick out. At last, the dual exhaust pipes check the final box of the design in a very pleasing way. 

The Lincoln Corsair is the most compact crossover here with the dimensions also eating up into the space available inside the cabin along with the decent cargo capacity. On the contrary, the QX50 sports the biggest proportions and surprisingly manages to keep the bulk within the check for easy driving around the city. Some of the highlighting features of this crossover are:

• LED headlights
• LED DRLs
• LED fog lights
• 19-inch wheels
• Optional 20-inch wheels
• Chrome trim
• Optional black trim
• LED tail lamps
• Dual-exhaust setup

The 2021 INFINITI QX50 is a very well-equipped crossover in terms of safety aids on offer, right from the base trim itself. Also adding credibility to the implementation and use of these safety systems is the flawless 5-star rating from the NHTSA. It has not been tested by the IIHS yet but seeing how safety-focused the crossover is, we don’t expect anything less from the top accolades from the IIHS as well. Talking of the safety aids on offer, the crossover comes standard with:

• Forward collision mitigation 
• Lane departure warning 
• Blind-spot monitor 
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Rear automatic braking 
• Parking sensors

The higher trims add in safety aids such as auto-dimming rearview mirror, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot intervention, lane-keeping system, front parking sensors, and 360-degree camera system.

2021 INFINITI QX50 Vs. Volvo XC60 

Both the crossovers are equally matched in terms of performance, overall dimensions, and fuel economy but the QX50’s interior quality and overall craftsmanship cannot be beaten by the Volvo. Also, the Volvo brakes better but the driving dynamics aren’t enough to suppress the INFINITI’s excellence. 

2021 INFINITI QX50 Vs. Lincoln Corsair 

The INFINITI QX50 overshadows the Lincoln Corsair in terms of interior space and also in terms of styling, although the latter is a rather subjective parameter. Apart from that, both the crossovers are equally matched with similar acceleration figures but when it comes to braking, the Corsair performs better due to lower curb weight. The INFINITI manages to return better fuel economy and better range despite the smaller fuel tank. 

2021 INFINITI QX50 Vs. Audi Q5

The Audi Q5 poses more fierce competition to the QX50 since it is similarly packed in terms of performance as well as in terms of safety and luxury inside. The acceleration figures are better than the INFINITI due to the standard AWD and the big fuel tank provides more range despite returning relatively lesser MPGs to the QX50. In the latter’s defense, the interior provides more amenities right front of the base trim itself, and the usability of the safety aids is better. Along with this, INFINITI also provides more cabin space to its occupants to add to its credit. 

The INFINITI QX50 is the perfect choice for the person who is in the market looking for luxury compact crossovers and wants something very packed right from the base trim itself. The QX50 is a perfect fit due to the fact that the interior features and the standard equipment list are more than enough for a person’s luxury needs. Couple that with the performance and the MPGs on offer and you get the best feature-rich crossover that fits your budget perfectly well.