Infiniti QX55 sport utility coupe will launch in 2020
The upcoming QX55 will draw inspiration from Infiniti's cancelled FX performance crossover.
- North American Car, Truck and SUV of the Year (NACTOY) Awards Juror
As a fan of the curvaceous proportions of Infiniti's FX crossover -- later renamed the QX70 -- I was a little sad to see it quietly leave the automaker's lineup back in 2017. But at least one element of the FX's design will live on as the inspiration for "a new luxury sport utility coupe" that will be joining Infiniti's stable next year.
The new model will be called the QX55 when it arrives at dealerships in summer 2020. So far, we've only seen a brushstroke sketch of the QX55's roofline which, in Infiniti's words, is "inspired by [the] iconic first-generation FX performance crossover." With so few details beyond that to go on, it's time to don my speculation hat for a moment and make some educated guesses.
The QX55 designation gives a few clues about the nature of this new vehicle. I don't think this will be a true revival of the midsized FX, because Infiniti would've just revived the QX70 nameplate for that. Rather, I expect a variant of the smaller VC-Turbo-powered QX50 compact crossover, but with a coupe-like roofline and perhaps sportier proportions. This makes sense: Infiniti already retcons the QX50 as the FX's successor on its website. Giving this new QX55 the FX's signature silhouette makes it even more true.
Every other Infiniti model number ends with a multiple of 10. A numerical half-step, I expect the QX55 will be a coupe-like variant of the QX50 pictured here.
If I'm right, that means another competitor in the niche class of compact "coupeovers" that currently includes BMW's X4 and Mercedes-Benz's GLC Coupe. Considering the mostly warm reception the QX50 received when it arrived last year, I think a QX55 that sticks close to that formula could be a compelling cross-shop. Of course, I'm also hoping that Infiniti has some sort of cabin tech tweaks or upgrades to go with the new roof.
OK, speculation hat off. The summer 2020 launch window means that we'll almost certainly be learning (and seeing) more of the upcoming QX55 later this year, so stay tuned for more details as they emerge.
