Review update: 2022 Infiniti QX60 blossoms into something desirable

On Mar 11, 2022

It only took *checks with father time* nearly a decade, but the Infiniti QX60 three-row SUV has hit its stride.

Known originally as the JX35, the QX60’s always been a few pieces of the puzzle behind the competition. The value was there but it wasn’t a compelling luxury family hauler. That ends now.

It’s not all new, but it’s darn close. Nearly everything you can see, touch, and even most of what you can’t, has been redone or replaced to finally deliver a luxurious experience with distinct style.

With a TCC Rating of 6.8 out of 10, the 2022 Infiniti QX60 bests rivals such as the Buick Enclave, but still trails the Lincoln Aviator and Acura MDX.

After spending a week hauling the kids around town through the wintery Minnesota weather, here’s what I learned.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Hit: Oh, that leather

The saddle brown semi-aniline quilted leather on the dashboard and three rows of seats of my top-spec $64,970 QX60 Autograph AWD tester makes the Cadillac XT6 look a lot less chic. Not just in the way it looks, but the way it feels. The leather on the seating surfaces was already starting to (just barely) get a patina and it was evident it is meant to wear like a nice pair of gloves rather than the waxy-feeling stuff found in the Cadillac. That’s before even mentioning the gorgeous black open-pore wood arcing from door-to-door on the dashboard.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Miss: Are these buttons?

The controls for the climate control system are confusing for newcomers. Are these buttons? Are these touch-sensitive? Are they both? The answer is they are buttons that you must push and then your finger’s met with a slight click of feedback. It’s weird and absolutely not intuitive. Pick a format, button or touch, but this is silly because this flat panel is trying to act like buttons but are still capacitive.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Hit: Well-packaged interior

Even wrapped in leather, the QX60’s interior is still as family-friendly as the more pedestrian Nissan Pathfinder. The rear doors open wide to make second- and third-row entry a snap. A button enables the tilt and slide second-row captain’s chairs, making it easy for climbers of all ages to get in the third row. The center console mounted between the second-row captain’s chairs can be removed by pulling off the front plastic panel and pulling a release tab. Removing the console opens another pathway for third row access.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Miss: Useless home screen

The 12.3-inch infotainment system’s interface is a reskin of what’s found in the Nissan Pathfinder. The issue is, like with the Pathfinder, the home screen layout options are useless unless one cares about the weather (except I’m in the car and can see what’s going on with the weather), the time (how big a digital clock do I need?), or using the built-in navigation functions. The navigation system feels and looks old despite actually being the automaker’s latest design. It simply isn’t as intuitive to use or as smart at routing as Waze, Apple Maps, or Google Maps. Using the wireless Apple CarPlay setup gets rid of the useless interface, thankfully.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Hit: It can split screen

Infiniti does make good use of that 12.3-inch screen with Apple CarPlay in use with a split-screen function. Apple CarPlay can be on the left, displaying Waze or Apple Maps for navigation, while the right third of the screen can display the music currently playing, which is a trick the new 14.0-inch touchscreen in the 2022 Lexus NX can’t do. This is a good use of screen real estate.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Miss: Want to feel the heat

As a Minnesota resident that spent a week in the QX60 during the heart of winter, I’m here to tell you the heated seats are weak. Yes, they work, but the performance is lackluster at best. Notably, the system remembers if the heated seats were on when the vehicle was shut down and will turn on upon restart, though unfortunately the same can’t be said for the heated steering wheel.

2022 Infiniti QX60

Bonus: Nod to the past

My favorite feature of the 2022 QX60 is one that few, if anyone else, will care about in the world: a design nod to the original Q45 flagship sedan. The digital gauge cluster design theme is a riff off the 1990 Q45’s gauge cluster design. Someone somewhere in the Infiniti design team cared about history and I applaud them.

In short, the 2022 QX60 is finally a stylish, comfortable place families will want to spend their time while on the road.

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2022 Infiniti QX60 Autograph AWD

Base price: $47,875, including $1,025 destination
Price as tested: $64,970
Powertrain: 295-hp 3.5-liter V-6, 9-speed automatic, all-wheel drive
EPA fuel economy: 20/25/22 mpg
The hits: Nice leather and wood, wireless Apple CarPlay and charging pad, split screen capabilities, acknowledges the past subtly
The misses: Mediocre climate control interface, useless infotainment home screen layout options, weak heated seats