2022 Infiniti QX50

Infiniti has not made any changes to the trim lineup for the 2022 QX50. The SUV continues to be available in five trims, namely Pure, Luxe, Essential, Sensory, and Autograph. The price range of the 2022 model is expected to fall between $38,650 for the base FWD model and goes up to $57,550 for the AWD variant of the top-end Autograph trim. The SUV comes with a wide range of features to provide an overall comprehensive experience. The complete distribution of trims and features is given in the table below.

*Expected

Apart from the standard list of features to keep you comfortable, entertained, and safe, many optional packages are also expected to be available to further enhance the attractive proposition of the SUV. The Convenience package will add leather upholstery, power-adjustable, heated steering wheel, and driver-seat memory settings. One package unique to the Autograph trim by the name of Premium White Leather package adds features like White leather upholstery, Blue faux suede interior accents, Brown faux suede headliner, and Blue accent stitching.

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Infiniti’s blessing on us to provide five trims so that each and every individual can get their QX50 according to their needs is what we admire. But for us, the mid-range ESSENTIAL trim takes the tag of the best value for money option in the lineup. With available features such as an Around view monitoring system with the object detection system, Navigation with lane guidance, Heated seats, and available leather upholstery and heated steering wheel, the ESSENTIAL trim has everything you need from an SUV of this segment. 

Release Date

While Infiniti has not made any official statement regarding the release of QX50 for this year, however, we expect the SUV to be in line with the release pattern of the previous year, thus coming out by the fall of 2021.

Every trim of the lineup owns the same 2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 with the capacity of put out 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. In its standard configuration, the SUV comes mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that sources the front wheels, although one has the option of going with the more grippy AWD drivetrain with all five trims for an added premium of $2,000. The marvel of the Inline-4 used is its potential to vary its compression by altering its stroke. This, in turn, helps in maximizing the power and fuel efficiency at times.

The one thing which is not going to be liked by the enthusiasts is its incapability to shoot away at the thrust of the pedal, so anyone looking for a seriously quick SUV should turn their face towards other options in the segment. The SUV has focused more on luxury and comfort instead of performance, which we see when comparing the figures with the German rivals in the competition. Since there are no changes in the powertrain for 2022, the SUV will continue to reach the 60 MPH mark in 6.3 seconds, while completing a quarter-mile in 14.8 seconds. The SUV tops out at 141 MPH, which is one of the best figures in the competition.

*Expected

All the SUVs in the competition have the same 2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 under the hood, however, each one has a different transmission setup to push power to the wheels. While the power and torque figures are very similar for all, the Audi Q5 stands tall in front of all Japanese and American rivals by offering the best-in-class acceleration figures, taking 5.7 and 14.3 seconds for 0-60 MPH and quarter-mile timing, respectively. When comparing the price range, the Cadillac XT5 is the most expensive option with a price tag of $45,190.

Like we mentioned before, Infiniti’s VC-Turbo 4-cylinder engine is of great importance in granting it maximum power and fuel economy at times, which we do see in the fuel economy figures. We are not expecting any changes to the powertrain, thus the SUV for 2022 in its FWD configuration, will continue to offer 23 MPG in the city, 29 MPG on the highway, and 26 MPG combined. With AWD coming into play, the figures slide down by 1 MPG in every area. The SUV comes equipped with a fuel tank capacity of 16 gallons, resulting in a combined range of 416 miles. 

While there are no major differences in fuel economy figures of the SUVs in the competition, but that certainly can't be said about the fuel tank capacity of the SUVs. The Infiniti QX50 tops the list with 26 MPG combined, followed by Audi, Cadillac, and Acura offering 25, 24, and 24 MPG combined, respectively. When comparing the overall range, the Audi Q5 offers the most at 462 miles combined, all thanks to its big fuel tank of 18.5 gallons.

Infiniti, by Nissan, separates itself from its parent company and comes out as a solid competition for the Germans in terms of overall luxury and comfort. The interior of the 2022 QX50 has gone through some interior trimmings but that is not going to change a lot about the overall experience the SUV provides. The interior of the SUV can be equipped with a variety of high-end materials such as quilted leather seats, wood interior trim, and a faux-suede headliner, however, all of these appointments can be owned with the top-end trims only.

In its standard 5-seater configuration, the SUV offers 8-way power-adjustable front seats along with power lumbar support. The seats are comfortable in both rows, while the cabin provides a noise-free experience. Also, the SUV is spacious even for the passengers of the second row. Apart from these general comfort standards, the SUV has other features such as Dual-zone automatic front air conditioning, Leatherette seat upholstery, Heated seats, Semi-aniline leather-appointed seats, and more. The 2022 QX50 comes with a cargo capacity of 31.4 cubic feet behind the second row, which can be enlarged up to 65 cubic feet by folding down the second row.

All the SUVs in the competition come with a seating capacity of 5, which is the segment's standard. When it comes to space for the passengers inside, the Acura RDX offers the most complete package in the front row, but nothing can be said about the second row as all the options are similarly providing. The Infiniti QX50 stands tall as the in-charge of practicality with best-in-class cargo space of 31.4 cubic feet, whereas the Audi stands at the very back with only 25.8 cubic feet of space. Standout interior features include:

• Tri-zone climate control
• Leather upholstery
• Power front seats with heating and ventilation
• Power-adjustable and heated steering wheel
• Driver lumbar adjustment
• Driver’s seat memory function

What’s there to keep you entertained?

No changes are expected in the infotainment setup of QX50 for 2022, thus we will be getting the same dual-screen setup at the dashboard consisting of one 8-inch and one 7-inch touchscreen. The upper 8-inch screen is to control functions like Navigation, Apple CarPlay, whereas the lower screen is there for climate control, radio, and more. The screen works fantastically, however, the dual-screen setup is definitely going to be annoying for some people in the market. 

One major drawback of the infotainment setup is its more than necessary dependency on the system to control each and every aspect of the cabin. The controlling of the heated steering wheel and custom drive-mode settings through the screen is not appreciated. When it comes to the tech inside, the SUV is laden with a wide range of features, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Siri Eyes Free, voice commands, Bluetooth connectivity, text assistant, and more. The system comes connected to a 6-speaker setup in the base trim, which gets upgraded to a 16-speaker Bose Sound System in the top-end Autograph trim. Standout infotainment features include:

• Dual touchscreen setup 
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility
• Bluetooth
• AM/FM/SiriusXM
• Voice controls 
• Navigation
• Rear camera
• 6-speaker system
• 16-speaker Bose premium audio system (Autograph trim)

Offering attractive and eye-turning designs have never been a problem for Infiniti, and the 2022 QX50 follows the suit. The LED taillights at the front along with the powerful-looking clamshell hood give the SUV the much-needed style and flair. Apart from this, the SUV also has many other exterior elements such as chrome accents, privacy glass, power tailgate, panoramic sunroof, and LED taillights to keep it modern. From the side, the 19-inch alloy wheels further enhance the stance of the SUV, however, you have the option of choosing 20-inch black wheels with the Appearance package. Apart from all of this, Infiniti has provided 8 color options as standard.

When it comes to dimensions, the Cadillac XT5 is the biggest SUV in the competition with class-leading length and wheelbase to boast of. The Infiniti has a length of 184.7 inches, making it the second last only to Audi's Q5. When comparing the curb weight of the SUVs in the competition, the Audi Q5 is the heaviest at 4,057 lbs. This figure makes us more attracted towards the Audi as it still beats all the rivals in both 0-60 and quarter-mile time. Standout exterior features include:

• LED headlights
• LED DRLs
• LED fog lights
• 19-inch wheels
• Optional 20-inch wheels
• Chrome trim
• LED tail lamps
• Dual-exhaust setup

One area which remains crucial unanimously across the globe when it comes to vehicles is safety. Infiniti has taken care of it fully. While the SUV is yet to be tested by both NHTSA and IIHS for 2022, the ratings for the 2021 model give us hope that the SUV will keep the passengers safe inside. The 2021 QX50 has received an overall rating of 5 stars from the NHTSA, whereas the IIHS has given the SUV a 'Good' rating in most of the areas.

Apart from the structural strength which we have seen is up to the mark, the SUV also comes with a variety of safety guards. For 2022, one major highlight of the SUV remains the presence of ProPilot Assist which includes Nissan's Intelligent Cruise Control and Steering Assist technologies. Right from the basic necessities such as airbags, TPMS, adaptive cruise control, and ABS with EBD to more advanced safety features like pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, rear-automatic braking, blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic alert, and many more are also present. Standout safety features include:

• ProPilot Assist
• Parking sensors
• Forward collision mitigation 
• Lane departure warning 
• Blind-spot monitor 
• Rear cross-traffic alert 
• Rear automatic braking 

2022 Infiniti QX50 vs 2022 Cadillac XT5

The tussle between Infiniti and Cadillac is impressive. The 2022 Cadillac XT5 fails to compete with the rivals as it takes the most amount of time for both 0-60 and quarter-mile. One area where the Infiniti owns every SUV in the competition is the fuel economy, while the Cadillac stays 1 MPG behind in the combined scenario, however, the bigger fuel tank of Cadillac helps it in achieving better range. When it comes to the interior space, the bigger cargo of Infiniti takes the cake. The extra premium of $7,000 that Cadillac asks over Infiniti makes us choose the Infiniti as the better option of the two.

2022 Infiniti QX50 vs 2022 Acura RDX

Despite offering more power from its Inline-4 under the hood, the 2022 Acura RDX fails to cash in on it as it is slightly slower than the Infiniti in both 0-60 and quarter-mile time. Even in the fuel economy, the SUV from Infiniti takes an upper hand, but just like Cadillac, the RDX also offers a better range, all thanks to its bigger fuel tank. Both the Japanese SUVs offer very similar cargo space, however, the RDX offers an overall better package for the people in the first row. When comparing the price range, there is no major difference to look up to, thus the Infiniti QX50 comes out to be the better pick for us. 

2022 Infiniti QX50 vs 2022 Audi Q5 

The dominance of Germans in luxury segments is not a secret to anyone, and that is what the Japanese luxury marques in the industry are trying to dismantle, however, there is still a long way to go before that becomes a reality. When comparing the two, the Audi Q5 takes an edge in real-world performance, all thanks to its refined powertrain setup. Talking about practicality, the QX50 enjoys an upper hand due to its bigger cargo space. All in all, when the two rivals are put together, we will go with the Audi for now.

The Infiniti QX50 has all that is necessary for a luxury compact SUV to become a solid option in the segment. For 2022, the addition of ProPilot Assist along with few other features have further solidified its presence in the market. The SUV provides decent performance from its Inline-4 along with the best-in-class fuel economy. The luxury inside is also noticeable, while the practicality is also taken care of inside the cabin. All in all, the 2022 Infiniti QX50 is a decent option, however, it surely needs some time to overtake the Audi Q5 in the segment.