Driving Impressions: 2023 Infiniti QX60 Autograph AWD

By: Mark Moskowitz MD

Most Driving Impressions test cars are accompanied by a Monroney label (a reproduction of the factory window sticker). Its absence in this 2023 edition prompted me to the Infiniti website rather than the driver's seat for that initial impression. Six drivers were seen on the opening web page. Five were women. The first three pictured were females tagged as influencers.

The auto industry finds it worthwhile to study buying habits. It seems women constitute the majority of new car buyers and are said to lean towards Asian cars. Price, practicality and standard safety features ranging from better visibility to remote entry and to the variety of collision avoidance systems are all mentioned as explanations. Numbers one and two among cars considered for purchase are sedans (de-emphasized by Ford and GM) and mid-size SUVs.

These are interesting facts (at least to me) but I believe members of both sexes can gather around the now one year old QX60. Tested was the top-level Autograph edition. It shares chassis, suspension and engine with the popular Nissan Pathfinder and they are nearly identical in profile. The Infiniti is more curvaceous in the rear and fortunately is not bound to the Nissan V-Motion grill. I much prefer the QX60's front with its large but more subtle blackened grill and laterally placed cutouts for ventilation.

Inside the Infiniti is opulent with most every possible surface above the armrests being soft touch. There are four models: Pure, Luxe, Sensory and Autograph which range in price from $49,200 for the 2wd Pure version to $65,500 for the AWD Autograph edition. All are equipped with a 12.3-inch touch screen, leather upholstery and heated front seats. Each level of trim adds more luxury. Upgrades with each level of trim include:

Luxe Edition: heated and ventilated front seats, 12.3-inch gauge display, and surround view monitoring

Sensory Edition: a 17 speaker Bose system, massaging front seats and open pore wood and heated rears

Autograph: A colorful heads-up display, adaptive front lighting, and soft leather quilted seats in the front and mid sections; this is the only level of trim featuring mid-section captain's chairs and a removable console.

And no complaints about storage. A small purse can easily fit in an eight-inch-tall space beneath the console. And I was pleased to find a hidden compartment measuring 38 x 12 x 8 inches in the rear. All models have a built-in phone charger though its indicator light is hidden in the deep recess beneath the dash.

Seating was comfortable and at 5'10' I found great foot room in the mid-section and surprisingly adequate foot room in the rear. Adults could ride comfortably there though access requires agility.

Driving Impressions strongly believes in controls which lessen the time one's eyes leave the road ahead. Normally I would complain about the lack of a dashboard mounted knob for radio channel adjustment but a console mounted knob which responds to a twist or push is a great substitute. (One can also scroll through favorites with a steering wheel mounted toggle.) A positive touch is a feedback system which gives a click when different climate controls are activated on a flat screen. The Infiniti's voice control system responds well to simple commands yet is a bit confounding when entering addresses. It has not yet been upgraded for such commands as turning on an otherwise marvelous massage system. (A vehicle of this quality deserves a more multifunctional infotainment system!)

Underway the cockpit was quiet, and the sound system once activated was excellent. Engagement of the console mounted shifter was positive and facilitated by a side mounted release. Steering was light and accurate and adjusted appropriately in sport mode. Bumps were received a bit more than expected in a crossover, but the ride was otherwise excellent – much less body lean than expected in a tall vehicle. On and off ramps were a pleasure. Throttle response was quick as expected in a vehicle with electronic fuel injection. Others have reached it sooner, but I hit 60 in 7.0 seconds.

Standard safety features include blind spot monitoring and automatic front and rear braking when a collision is anticipated. (This was accompanied by an alert signal projected on the windshield even when the HUD was off.) Nissan's ProPilot system did not seem to improve lane keep (centering) over previous versions. But it now can intervene to prevent a blind spot collision and integrated with the navigation system can sync with speed limits to slow the vehicle before it negotiates a sharp curve. It was simple to engage. I noted that the hands-free mode typically lasts for less than 15 seconds, after which a series of alarms are initiated. Canceling the alarm once activated requires very vigorous pressure on the steering wheel. It's uncomfortable for light touch drivers but the trait seems common to most every vehicle I have driven.

Rounding out a rather complete package, the Autograph comes standard with a two-inch receiver hitch, wiring for same, sway control and the proper ECU. It can tow 6000 pounds.

There's an established sales hierarchy in luxury mid-size SUV/crossover segment with Lexus (RX), BMW (X5), and Mercedes (GLE) in that very top tier. I attempted to outfit an AWD GLE, a unit with a four-cylinder powerplant and slightly smaller dimensions than the Infiniti. Costs for the Mercedes were greater by more than ten percent over that of the Autograph. And Infiniti's Premium Care, covering virtually all costs of service in the first three year, adds to the savings. Driving Impressions recommends one seriously consider the QX60 Autograph when shopping for that upscale SUV.

Photo credit: Mark Moskowitz MD

Related Posts