The 2019 Infiniti QX50 is the latest in what seems like an endless parade of small luxury SUVs, but this all-new platform showcases several new technologies not only for the brand, but the automotive industry as a whole.
Aesthetically, the 2019 model brings the QX50’s design closer in line with the recently updated Q50 sedan and Q60 coupe, bringing muscular proportions, deeper character lines and a more sculpted overall look to this utility. But the big news is under the hood: The 2019 QX50 will debut Infiniti’s new variable compression, or VC-Turbo, gasoline engine, a 2.0-liter turbocharged mill that can continuously alter its compression ratio from 8:1, for high performance, all the way to 14:1, for high efficiency. The design is an industry first for a production engine, delivering 268 hp at 5,600 rpm and 280 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm while returning an expected 35 percent improvement in fuel efficiency over the V6 found in the previous front-drive QX50 with 27 mpg (combined). The all-wheel-drive model is expected to deliver 26 mpg, a 30 percent improvement over the equivalent outgoing model. The new engine will be paired with Infiniti’s new Xtronic continuously variable transmission.
The new QX50 also sees Infiniti’s first use of the ProPILOT Assist system. Introduced on the 2018 Nissan Leaf, the technology comprises an array of semi-autonomous driving features designed to “empower the driver, not to remove the driver from the equation,” says François Bancon, Infiniti’s vice president of product strategy. That said, features like active lane control and adaptive cruise control should bring more vehicle autonomy to highway drives.
Designed for both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive applications, Infiniti says that new high-strength steel technology used in the chassis lowers the amount of noise transmitted into the cabin and that it also weighs less.
The 2019 Infiniti QX50 is expected go on sale in spring 2018. Pricing has not been announced.