2019 Infiniti QX50 – Round 2

BEIRUT: Most people who review cars tend to drone on endlessly about engine capacities, gear ratios, sales figures and market shares. Even people presenting the cars to journalists at various launches and events fall into that trap, going overboard with profit figures and the number of units sold. Well guess what, the vast majority of people aren’t interested in buying shares in car companies – they just want a car that accommodates their lifestyle.

As for me, usually I would send you off to Google numbers and stats, and as far as engine size is concerned, well, all you’d get from me is a passing mention just so I can claim I was thorough. But not in the case of the Infiniti QX50’s, because this is no ordinary engine.

But first some background: I’ve already reviewed this crossover once before, in Oman, and you can find that article HERE. However, driving a car as part of a convoy for a few hours is hardly as illuminating as having it all to yourself for a weekend in Lebanon, where driving conditions are a great deal more different than in the Gulf. So I took a second crack at the QX50 right here, and the experience proved quite worthwhile.

Now some might see the fact that it rained that entire weekend as a downer, as you can tell from the images of the rain-soaked Infiniti and streets, but I was actually pleased because I got to see what this crossover car can do in inclement weather, something anyone who cares about the welfare of their family can appreciate.

With all versions of the new QX50 equipped with all-wheel-drive in Lebanon, the crossover backs up its quality construction with outstanding road holding capability, whether on dry tarmac or in inclement weather.

And as I said, it was raining the entire weekend and the roads were slippery, yet in the sure-footed QX50 I felt absolutely safe. Steering too is outstanding, affording confidence and razor-sharp accuracy, even if it lacks the intuitive feedback found on some more expensive rivals.

But back to why the QX50’s engine is worth more than a passing mention. In addition to being nice to look at and boasting unprecedented handling, the QX50 also breaks new ground in its power plant. Underneath that sensual skin resides a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that is a technological marvel.

Meet the world’s first and only mass-produced variable-compression engine, which alters the engine –displacement unless you call upon it to exhibit more power. Essentially, the engine can change the combustion chamber volume by varying the relative position of the piston over its stroke to alter the compression ratio between 14.0:1 and 8.0:1.

The reason for this is because while a high compression ratio improves the output and efficiency of an engine by increasing internal pressure as well as the expansion ratio to achieve a longer stroke, all this also promotes detonation, which calls for retarding the ignition timing to avoid damaging the mill, at the expense of efficiency. With a turbocharged engine this problem grows more pronounced.

Infiniti’s Variable Compression turbo mill overcomes this problem by using a 14.0:1 compression ratio at light throttle for optimal fuel efficiency, and switching to an 8.0:1 compression ratio during more aggressive driving that lets the engine operate eficiently without having to resort to drop the ignition timing. Sounds complicated? Come on, it’s like having two engines in one! How is that not cool?

What this translates to for the people uninterested in the techno babble is that the engine shows a 30-percent increase in fuel economy while remaining as quick as nimble as the previous V-6 model. The new turbocharged four-pot generates up to 268 ponies, which technically is less than the 325 horses found in the outgoing QX50, but torque is up to 380 Newton-meters as compared to 362 Nm in the V-6.

That translates to more power around town, but slightly less in the rpm’s higher range, a tradeoff that’s more than worth it considering the vastly improved fuel economy. 

Also gone is the geriatric seven-speed transmission in the last version. In its place the QX50 comes equipped with a continuously variable transmission as standard. But there’s no rubbery feel to this box, thanks to some very ingenious programming, and in manual mode the new transmission simulates eight gears with uncanny accuracy.

This being a luxury crossover, the suspension has been tuned with comfort in mind, absorbs road bumps and imperfections without any effort.  And although the car does exhibit some lean and roll on corners, as would be expected of crossovers, it does so with poise and without any displays of drama.

Then there’s Infiniti’s new design language, the one it’s applied to the Q30, the Q50, the Q60 and the Q70, as well as the QX30, the QX50 and the QX80. The recent styling, which features undulating curves that extrude from the sheet metal in crisp creases, has grown more cohesive with every model released in the range. They were already exquisite in the Q30 and QX30, but in the QX50 they are simply sublime.

Equally important is the fact that the chassis makes the first automotive use of Super High Formability 980 MPa high-tensile steel, which increases the torsional rigidity of the QX50 chassis by 23 percent over the previous generation. That’s quite an improvement!

I am happy to say that as far as exterior design is concerned, there’s more. Rather than just styling a pretty body and throwing on sculpted headlights and tail lamps as an afterthought, Infiniti has matured, taking the time to design the lighting to integrate seamlessly not just into the car’s design, but also the overall theme. That, along with the trademark grille, front and rear splash guards, and the sculpted rims, all conspire to produce a very cohesive and distinctive shape that stands apart from other crossovers on the road.

The lusciously quiet interior is no less impressive, and if you like being pampered you won’t be disappointed. The entire cabin has been carefully designed to envelop you in a sumptuous environment, and in the higher trim variants they feel like how the inside of Karl Lagerfeld’s customized car would feel: Everything seems flawless, tailored. Furthermore, the natural leather – I think half a dozen cows must have sacrificed their lives to make that interior attests to this car’s luxurious orientation.

The asymmetric layout, meanwhile, signals the fact that this car is as much your private domain as it is a mode of transportation for the entire family, unless you have more than five people in your family, in which case you may need a second QX50. Interior space is abundant, with plenty of leg and head room in the back. Cargo space is also more than adequate, and actually bigger than many European rivals.

That peace of mind is further bolstered by no fewer than eight air bags, anti-lock brakes, traction and stability control, and electronic brake force distribution as standard even on the base model. Move up a trim level and you can add lane departure warning, brake assist, forward collision warning and collision and collision sensors to your safety repertoire.

That also nets you light sensors and LED fog lights as well roof rails, a panoramic roof, LED daytime running lights, a 360-degree camera, a Bose sound system and a whopping 16 speakers.

The top trim level, meanwhile, increases the rim diameter to 20 inches, adds premium leather as well as a ton of other amenities.

At that point, it stops being a premium crossover and transforms into a rolling work of art and a show case of technology. You’d be hard-pressed to find anything else this cool in its price range, which starts at $49,900 before VAT.