2023 Infiniti QX50 Sport Review: Is Alluring Shape and Novel Tech Enough?

Today’s market is awash with compact crossover SUVs, and limiting your choices to the premium segment does little to thin the herd. But Infiniti’s new mid-level sport trim uses cleverly contrasting dark and light and an attractive shape to grab your attention.

Even more fascination comes from the only engine offered, the VC-Turbo 2.0L. This is variable compression turbo. And yet its performance and fuel economy do not noticeably outperform other crossovers in its class.

I spent a few days riding my favorite Michigan roads to see if the feel of the road matched its looks.

In summary: There’s no denying that Infiniti has perfected the design. It’s a great combination of scary and sexy. And in practical terms, the QX50 offers good standard equipment at a competitive price. But at this price, the drive isn’t as compelling as the best of its competition.

2023 Infiniti QX50: New clothes

Many compact crossovers in the premium segment roam our streets these days. Its ubiquity comes from its pleasing combination of attributes: relatively small, roomy, fuel efficient and a touch of luxury. But omnipresence often leads to homogeneity and merges with the point of obscurity.

Enter the 2023 Infiniti QX50 Sport, a beautiful blend of curvaceous styling, broad shoulders and a broad stance to give it and its driver real presence. Instead of the typical polished metal look, parts like the front grille, window trim and roof rails are bathed in gloss black, adding a bit of mystery to the visual experience.

As you roll down the street, onlookers watch as 20-inch wheels with strategically placed polished metal steaks slice through the road in an otherwise black wheel, creating a cool effect as the wheel spins.

The QX50 elegantly blends bold curves with sharp creases and fluidity in the general shape. And all this with good and usable space inside.

Infiniti QX50 Sport: Flexible and lots of space inside

Swing your leg under the QX50’s rear bumper and the power tailgate will flash and beep to recognize when the door opens hands-free, revealing 31 cubic feet of space behind the second row. Also in this space is a 12V charging port, tie-down straps and hooks for hanging light bags.

Two quick lever pulls on either side fold the back row to reveal 64 cubic feet of space.

But when it’s about people, not things, the second row offers enough space for two adults, even on longer trips. And feel comfortable with the idea of ​​squeezing in a third here and there for a quick jaunt. In addition, the seat backrests can be adjusted to several different angles. And the seating surfaces move fore and aft, giving you the choice of legroom or extra storage. The second row has two USB ports for charging devices. Pretty!

Of course, you will find the greatest comfort in the front row. Infiniti upholstered the QX50 Sport with plush semi-aniline leather seats and plenty of ways to adjust the seat, including, crucially for me, adequate lumbar adjustment. My lower back says thank you.

While not as much a head-turner as the exterior, Infiniti designed the QX50 with class and purpose. It is comfortable and easy to use. And that includes an above-average number of standard screens and gadgets.

QX50: The right technology and the right price

Standard QX50 features include dual touchscreens in the center stack, an 8-inch stacked on top of a 7-inch, with tons of menus to play with. As well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, the former connects wirelessly and the latter requires a cable.

And my personal favourite; Underneath all of these screens is a wireless smartphone charging pad, also standard. Love it!

In this new Sport trim you also get a panoramic sunroof that floods the interior with natural light (but also robs you of a cubic foot of storage space), heated and ventilated front seats and a heated steering wheel. Finally, a 12-speaker Bose sound system wraps all of these devices in a sonically pleasing arc.

Many competitors, especially German manufacturers, like to cram much of this into “Premium” or “Executive” packages and charge four figures for it, which pushes the end cost far beyond expectations. I appreciate that Infiniti resists that temptation.

Infiniti QX50 Sport: what’s under that pretty hood?

Of the five trims offered in the QX50, four of the five come standard with front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) options for an additional $2,000. The upper, Autograph trim is standard with AWD. Aside from that, they all have the exact same powertrain, a 2.0-liter VC turbo engine and a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

The variable compression turbo is a 4-cylinder engine that literally moves to adjust the engine’s displacement, which in turn adjusts the compression ratio between 8.0:1 and 14.0:1. Great! A quick explanation – the compression ratio is the difference in space between the piston and the top of the combustion chamber from the bottom to the top of the piston stroke. And different driving conditions and driver requirements change whether it is better to have a lower or higher compression ratio. This Infiniti doesn’t have to compromise.

Instead, it simply changes the ratio with conditions to give the QX50 incredible flexibility. All told, you get 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. You also get 22mpg in the city, 28 on the highway and 25 combined in one AWD crossover. If you get a FWD version instead, it all increases by one: 23/29/26 city/highway/wagon.

But wait, there’s always a caveat

While Infiniti has created impressive technology with the VC-Turbo engine, other manufacturers have seemed to achieve similar results using other means, such as variable valve timing and lift. Simply give an engine an inherently high compression ratio and use it only when you need it.

For example, we recently reviewed the 2023 Porsche Macan T. Its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine produces negligibly less horsepower (261 hp) and indeed superior peak torque (295 pound-feet). Granted, the QX50 offers better fuel economy. But the phrase “there’s more than one way to skin a cat” applies here.

roll pretty?

Hit the gas anyway, and the QX50 jumps into action without hesitation. You feel good from the 2.0-litre pull throughout the rev range. And the CVT generally does a good job of keeping the acceleration party going. However, I would personally prefer the 9-speed automatic used in the Infiniti QX60.

As soon as you move, you will feel a soft and comfortable ride, softer than what you usually expect German makes. Infiniti has dialed in plenty of sag to handle all the bumps and bumps on those friendly Michigan roads. The yang to that particular yin? The QX50 leans more into corners and generally feels less responsive when things get cornering. More luxury than sport here.

That luxury wears off slightly at highway speeds, as the QX50 allows a little bit of wind and road noise into the cabin. On the plus side, all of the standard-fitted technology is there to keep you entertained. And the highly adjustable seats ensure comfort.

2023 Infiniti QX50 Sport Review Summary

If you part with $41,495, a dealer will happily hand you the keys to a 2023 Infiniti QX50 Pure (its base trim level) front-wheel drive. To get that new for 2023 sexy styling You need a minimum of $49,695 in the Infiniti QX50 Sport. Add another $2,000 to get AWD. As I mentioned earlier, that compares quite well to the nearly $60,000 required for each Porsche Macan.

Closer competition includes the base $47,195 BMW X3 and $43,965 Lexus NX 350. The more you search, the more reasonable the price of the Infiniti QX50 seems.

And the Infiniti QX50 looks good. That makes it an easy choice for the form-over-function crowd that’s always on trend. Look good in the QX50 and there’s plenty of room for your designer bag.

Driving enthusiasts, on the other hand, should keep their hands off it. Even with Sport in its name, the QX50 leans toward luxury and a good dose of cornering, too. Ultimately, as a driver, you will struggle to engage and never really feel connected. You might look better in the QX50, but you’ll smile more in the Macan T.