Car of the Week – 17 June – Infiniti QX60

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  • The Qx60 is a seven-seater 3.5-litre V6.

    I have always admired Infiniti, the luxury arm of Nissan, mainly because they are not afraid of innovative design that pushes the envelope to the maximum to create vehicles that truly stand out from the crowd.

    This bold approach has made Infiniti one of the fastest growing premium brands in the Middle East and their rapid rise is not about to ease off with an aggressive product offensive planned for the coming year with more exciting new models to be unveiled.

    Four years ago I actually bought an Infiniti FX50S a brilliantly styled SUV that was powered by a magnificent five-litre V8 engine and it served me well until I decided to downsize and sold it.

    During the time I owned that car I also test drove the JX which was launched in 2013 as a luxury crossover aimed squarely at families and I guess for that reason, and having been used to driving the sportier FX50S, I found it a little dull.

    Since then Infiniti have rebadged their fleet and the FX50 is now the QX70 and the JX has been reborn as the QX60 after a significant redesign which has given this vehicle a completely new look, particularly from the front. It was recently launched at a glittering ceremony in Dubai, along with the new QX50 and we will talk about that car another time.

    The Crossover sector has proved to be particularly fashionable in the UAE and continues to grow with Infiniti selling a considerable number of them last year and are clearly intent on building on that success with the QX60.

    It still resembles the JX, particularly from the side, but the front of the vehicle is now far more distinctive thanks for a major facelift which is a triumph of design.

    Sitting on very nice 20-inch fivespoke aluminium alloy wheels, it now looks far more sporty with a sophisticated persona which will definitely appeal to those looking for a vehicle that can seat up to seven but doesn’t look like a glorified bus.

    At the business end the QX60 has a redesigned double-arch grille, flanked by bi-xenon headlamps and there is much greater use of LED lights including new DRLs and front fogs. The side view remains streamlined and the rear has been upgraded to give it a more refined look. The result is an extremely distinctive and appealing vehicle that offers comfort, distinction and enough space inside to cater for a small tribe.

    There is clearly an emphasis on creating a prestigious looking vehicle and the interior is no exception with fabulously comfortable leather seats, maple wood trims and thin-chrome accents. The vehicle is also fully loaded with the latest automotive technology with safety a priority.

    It was already pretty impressive but it now has Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, to add to the existing driver assists like Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Backup Collision Intervention and a 3600 around view monitor which is really useful when it comes to parking.

    There is also a new suspension system to ensure a more comfortable and agile performance.

    The infotainment system is accessed through an eight-inch colour touch-screen which sits at the top of the centre-console which features a very cool maple-wood surround.

    The interior is incredibly spacious with three rows of seats all easily accessible and the second row passengers have their own individual entertainment systems with screens in the back of the front seat headrests.

    It all adds up to an interior that oozes class and versatility.

    Infiniti-QX60

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