Infiniti is preparing a new QX60 and the brand says it will be its most refined and advanced three-row crossover yet. In the buildup to its official launch, the automaker is sharing details of the testing program the SUV went through as well as the new gearbox and other details that help make it better than before.
While Infiniti has been moving toward using continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) in its crossovers, the new QX60 makes a move back to a nine-speed automatic. With a wider gear ratio spread, Infiniti says it has better ride comfort, smoother shifting, good fuel economy, and is combined with an Active Torque Mount to further isolate vibrations from the powertrain getting in the cabin. Infiniti says it will also offer rev-matching, simulating a heel-toe shift, for smoother shifting in sport mode, as well as offering automatic downshifting for engine braking and then holding of the lower gear for immediate acceleration.
That transmission is paired with a 3.5L V6, and while power figures weren't' revealed, it will likely be the same as or close to the 284 hp of the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder that shares the driveline.
Infiniti tested the vehicle with hundreds of thousands of kilometres including heat above 50 degrees in Death Valley where the cooling system and interior were baked to their limits. That interior includes a new shift-by-wire gear selector that frees up centre console space and includes the drive mode switch to allow picking of one of the five available modes that include a Personal mode.
We've seen a preview of the new QX60 already, in the form of the QX60 Monograph concept renderings the brand posted last year, and although it's camouflaged, this is one of our best looks at the outside so far. It shows slim headlights, looking much thinner than Infiniti's other models, but with a prominently bulging hood as well as muscular rear fenders. In short, it looks a lot like that concept. Expect more shortly, with Infiniti saying it "will be revealed soon."
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