Special FX: 2022 Infiniti QX55 SUV costs $47,525 to start

On Feb 16, 2021

The new 2022 Infiniti QX55 crossover coupe costs $47,525, including $1,025 destination, Infiniti announced Tuesday.

Related to the QX50 compact crossover SUV, the 2022 QX55 seats five and features a roofline with a curved rear end instead of the blocky rear end on most crossover SUVs. The crossover-coupe-style design looks as much like the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe as it does the Infiniti FX that helped launch the coupe-like roofline on sporty SUVs nearly two decades ago. This turtle shell design usually places form over function, cutting into rear headroom and cargo space but offering a sportier look and often sportier suspension elements and more-potent engines.

Up front, the honeycomb grille expands with a bolder, broader design stretching up to narrow LED headlights that squint like Dirty Harry. Lower air intakes house fog lights in deep C-shaped recesses that are reflected in the rear with twin exhaust pipes. Modest black cladding rounds the wheel arches and standard 20-inch wheels. The integrated roof spoiler salutes the descent of the roofline that pinches the rear end.

2022 Infiniti QX55

The 2022 QX55 features one powertrain, a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that makes 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque, same as the 2020 QX50. The engine uses variable engine compression based on driving style to optimize performance and fuel economy. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) also helps optimize efficiency. The QX55 comes standard with all-wheel drive.

Consider the QX55 a high-end variant of the 2021 QX50 that starts at $40,975 with all-wheel drive.

Inside, an 8.0-inch touchscreen for navigation rules over a 7.0-inch touchscreen for climate and audio functions. Wireless Apple CarPlay compatibility comes standard, as does wired Android Auto compatibility. The cabin blends a mix of materials and two-tone synthetic leather that winds from the instrument cluster between the two screens into a signature flourish over the center console. In back, sliding rear seats help balance cargo room with leg room.

2022 Infiniti QX55

The 2022 QX55 will come in three core trims—Luxe, Essential, Sensory—unlike the broader five-trim spread on the QX50. Luxe models come with a sunroof, heated front seats, a wi-fi hotspot, and standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking front and rear, lane-departure warnings, blind-spot monitors, and automatic high beams.

For $52,625, the Essential model adds navigation, heated and cooled leather front seats, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera system, and a 16-speaker Bose sound system. Optional packages come with adaptive cruise control, a head-up display, active lane control, and a short-term hands-free driving system.

The Sensory model tops the lineup at $58,075, and includes the two packages offered on the Essential model. The interior comes with open-pore wood trim, semi-aniline leather seats, a power liftgate, and ambient lighting.

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 goes on sale in April.