Summary
The 2019 INFINITI QX50 is one of the most highly-anticipated crossovers to hit the market and one of the highest rated vehicles of the year.
It gets excellent marks for safety, innovative driving technology and a luxurious interior. The higher model trims can get a bit pricey, but finally for a small crossover it feels worth it.
Introduction to the QX50
The 2019 INFINITI QX50 is a small luxury crossover that aims to give Audi and BMW automakers a run for their money. It’s got everything you’d come to expect from a luxury crossover – leather and wood and big screens, but it also has style and power.
The 2019 QX50 is available in three model trims: Pure, Luxe and Essential.
The MSRP starts at $36,550 but can reach as high as $50,000 with all the best packaged features equipped on the Essential QX50 model with all-wheel drive.
For a grab bag of awesome features, take a closer look at the Sensory Package which adds 20-inch wheels, maple wood interior trim, cube design LED headlights, and a premium audio system.
Performance
The 2019 INFINITI QX50 has the first variable compression turbo engine on a production car. It’s a big deal, but you don’t see INFINITI clogging your social media feed about it. The VC Turbo is capable of varying the engine’s displacement ratio based on how much power you actually need at any given moment.
So, it’s still sporty when you want it to be, but now it’s even more fuel efficient. The new QX50 gets 24 miles per gallon in the city, 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 combined. That’s a remarkable improvement over the 2018 model and most crossovers in the category such as the 2019 Audi Q5.
The VC 2.0 Liter turbo four in the INFINITI QX50 reduces the horsepower of the previous engine from 325 in 2018 to 268 horsepower this year. It’s not a high revving monster. You’ll get more power and torque in the low range of RPMS this time around so look out for that initial leap when you press the accelerator. The 2019 QX50 is managed by a CVT automatic transmission.
You can toggle the CVT into Sport mode and you’ll get much shorter, punchier gears. The steering and handling aren’t tuned to match the torque-chomping engine.
The QX50 languishes in turns and the steering response is loose and comfortable. You can choose between front-wheel and all-wheel drive on all model trims, but only the all-wheel drive models can tow anything substantial.
When you add the tow package, the 2019 INFINITI QX50 is capable of handling 3,000 lbs. It comes with a tow hitch, wiring harness and coolers for the oil and radiator.
Exterior Style
You won’t find any garish folds or jutting panels on this crossover. The 2019 INFINITI QX50 is subtle and elegant. The front grille keeps with the brand design by incorporating a double arc and domed hood.
The profile channels light into a pool of lower door panelling and the effect is repeated again just beneath the beltline. Dual chrome-tipped exhaust tips accent the back fender and give the QX50 a more aggressive look.
The rear window is a bit small, but the kinked rear roof panels insure that driver visibility is never fully compromised.
A motion-activated rear hatch comes standard on the QX50 and opens higher than the roof to make loading in your goods even easier.
To see the best exterior style cues, you should opt for the Essential model and one of the premium exterior paint finishes such as Eclipse Black, Sunstone Red or Majestic White. Ironically, the most basic color palettes you can choose will come with an extra $500 price tag.
Interior Amenities
The 2019 INFINITI QX50 is unbeatable when it comes to interior features. The QX50 has class-leading cargo space with 65.1 cubic feet of interior to play around with.
That’s partly due to the small footprint of the VC Turbo engine which allows the entire cabin to move forward just a bit.
Also, the rear seats can slide, recline and fold down. There’s 39.6 inches of legroom up front and 38.7 inches of legroom in the rear.
When you enter the stratosphere of luxury vehicles, leather and wood trim are amenities that go without saying. It all comes down to what kind of leather and what type of woodgrain trim a luxury vehicle has available.
Well, the 2019 INFINITI QX50 doesn’t disappoint. The autograph package delights the senses with white semi-aniline leather and natural maple wood trims. It also includes a blue stitching for the seats and blue Ultrasuede headliner with matching accents in the door panels.
Safety Features
The base model of the 2019 INFNITI QX50 comes with some basic standard safety equipment. You get forward collision warning, emergency forward braking, and a rearview camera.
The Essential trim is where the rest of the advanced safety features are lurking.
Once you reach the highest model trim, there is no limit to the amount of safety features you can add to the vehicle. The Essential model QX50 comes with an around view monitor with motion detectors. You can equip the ProAssist package to include backup collision warning and rear cross traffic alert.
The ProActive package has lane departure warning and prevention, blind spot intervention to avoid collisions with objects you might have missed, and an intelligent cruise control function that can change lanes.
Final Verdict
The 2019 QX50 silently excels at the art of sophistication. The exterior is curvaceous and sporty, a design phenomenon in the crossover category. The four-cylinder engine is an innovation in of itself and delivers 28 combined MPG.
One of the only drawbacks with the 2019 INFINITI QX50 is that some of the feature packages aren’t compatible with each other. For example, the tow package can’t be equipped with the premium audio and heating package.
That makes for a frustrating customization experience that tries to mimic what Porsche automakers provide their buyers, but with less effectiveness.
Also, the infotainment system is overly-complicated. It’s a shame that the QX50 comes up short in those aspects of the interior.
Yet, it still rates higher than nearly any other small crossover on the market. Buyers advice: wait another year and then put yourself behind the wheel of an INFINITI QX50.
Do you own an INFINITI QX50? What are you impressions?
