Sport Luxury and Tech

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2025 Infiniti QX60 Review

Price: $66,150 as tested

268 HP / 286 TQ

2.0 Liter Turbo 4 Cylinder

20 MPG in mixed driving

Guy who did stuff : Yousef Alvi

Media: Manufacturer

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The 2025 Infiniti QX60 is the perfect amalgamation of the current state of Infiniti. The QX60, by far, is their largest selling model and ironically….it is one of the most dissappointing vehicles I have ever driven. From the headlights all the way to the rearview camera and everything in between, the 2025 Infiniti QX60 just makes me want to go ‘nope’.

It’s so far gone from any of it’s peers, that doing my obligatory The Great, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, is not possible. Because every detail can be stuffed into either Bad or Ugly category. So what i’ll do is breakdown the worst offending items.

Lets start off with the engine. The variable compression 2.0 liter turbo 4 cylinder, sounds novel on paper. It can supposedly do neat things like vary the compression at all the times, depending on load. So, in theory, can yield you power when you want it and uber frugalness when you need it and in combination of the two in between. In actual, real world, applications though, it’s one of the worst engines on the market.

It idles so roughly, that I’m fairly convinced it’s engine mounts are either broken or missing. It sounds so buzzy, that it makes my blender sound harmonious in comparison. Somehow, it lacks of torque down low nor does it makes any type of horsepower higher up the rev range. It just kinda annoyingly buzzes itself to redline. I guess, all of that could be forgive if it was getting 40 MPG…but it doesn’t. We got around 20 MPG in our testing.

The confusing part is that this replaced the venerable VQ 3.7 liter V6 in last year’s model. Sure this new engine makes 16 more torque but it also makes 22 LESS HP. So, it’s around a second slower to 60 and gets a negligible 2 MPG difference compared to last year’s model. So I have to ask…what is the point?

What makes matters worse is that the new engine is bolted to a 9 speed automatic, which shifts so slowly that you can actual count from one gear disengaging and another gear engaging. If you happen to mat your foot, you might as well start checking Instagram because by the time the transmission figures out exactly what it wants to do, you have either crashed or given up on accelerating. To top it all off you have an electronic shifter that is cumbersome and needlessly complicated to use.

The steering, if anything, is worst than the engine and transmission. It is, by far, the worst feeling steering I have ever tested or driven. It feels like both ends of the rack are attached to yo-yos. There is nothing, like absolutely nothing in terms of feel on center, as you get closer to lock, the feels goes from non-existent to a springy/yo-yo like/bouncy sensation. It makes navigating the QX60 a frankly unnerving and annoying experience.

Putting all of that to the ground is a supposed All Wheel Drive system but in the real world it’s more of a really slow traction control system. I took a left hand turn, the front wheels spun for a full 2 seconds before the rear wheels decided to engage. Which misses the point entirely on an AWD vehicle. That point? Traction.

Now let’s move on to the tech part and we have to talk about the rearview/360 camera. It has the resolution of a circa 2000s Motorola Razr. It is grainy, pixelated, unfocused, dim and washed out. Thats during the day mind you. At night, it’s borderline unusable. Heck, it’s borderline dangerous because if you need to use it, whatever object you are trying to avoid is so dimly lit and pixelated that you are going to run into it.

Borderline unusable at night.

Speaking of dimly lit, lets talk about the headlights. I don’t know how it’s possible with modern day LEDs but the headlights on the QX60 are so dim, you spend your entire time driving, rechecking the stalk to ensure it’s actually on! When you realize that the headlights are indeed on, the lack of illumination is so jarring, that you either think have suddenly developed glaucoma or your retina got sick of your shit and decided to detach.

Now, the interior isn’t bad as the above. The seats are comfortable. There is plenty of space in all 3 rows. They are actual buttons on the center console, which is refreshing. But other than that…it just feels like a nice Nissan on the inside. Nothing screams out ‘luxury’ or why this commands a $10,000 premium compared to it’s platform mate, the still V6 powered Pathfinder. It just feels okay, in a shrug your shoulder and go ‘‘meh, it’s nice I guess?” sort of way.

But what is not okay is the infotainment. The resolution looks like it’s using the GPU from a 1998 iMac. The graphics appear to be from the last decade and the menu system is confusing and unintuitive. It’s also slow to respond and while it’s screen is 12.3 inches big, for some odd reason, it looks a lot smaller.

I guess the only saving grace for the 2025 Infiniti QX60 is that it’s cheap. Like really cheap. So cheap that it just doesn’t undercut similar priced peers like the MDX and the GV80, it does so by close to $5000 or more.

Which has a much better errr everything compared to the QX60. From the engine, interior, ride, handling, braking, comfort, performance and technology the Mazda CX90 pummels the Infiniti QX60. It also pummels it on the pricing front…a fully loaded CX90 costs $5000 less than a fully loaded QX60. Heck, just comparing the interior alone between the two, leaves you wondering why pay more for….less.

Speaking of more for less, if you’re a diehard Nissan aficionado and are looking for a 3 row crossover. Just get the Pathfinder Platinum. It has a MUCH better engine, better looking interior, better headlights and it’s again…$10,000 cheaper!

In conclusion, the best thing I can say about the 2025 Infiniti QX60 is this: