Why You Can Trust CNET 2022 Infiniti Q60 Review: Not Aging Gracefully
This luxury sports coupe is getting seriously old and, in many ways, it feels it.
The Q60's profile looks great.
Thank goodness it's pretty, because there are few other reasons to buy a 2022 Infiniti Q60 . With its leering headlamps, curvaceous body and perky rear, this luxury sports coupe stands out from the throngs of pickup trucks and SUVs that make up much of today's traffic, but this car's lackluster dynamics and tech don't match its styling.
Like
- Interior looks and feels nice
- Delightful powertrain
- Sultry styling
Don't like
- Odd infotainment system
- More tech, please
- Sloppy steering
As it sits, the Q60 dates back to 2017, but the underpinnings are much older than that. Despite its advanced years, this luxury coupe is charged with battling rivals such as the Audi A5 , BMW 4 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class , newer cars that offer more tech and have superior dynamics. In 2022, this Infiniti can't keep up with the pack.
Midrange Luxe and top-shelf Red Sport 400 models come standard with a range of driver aids, from blind-spot monitoring and automatic high beams to lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control. Upping the ante, Red Sport 400s can also be fitted with Infiniti's ProActive Package. This $1,700 options group includes amenities like lane-departure prevention, blind-spot intervention to help keep you from sideswiping other vehicles and auto-leveling headlights. But the biggest amenity (if you can call it that) is Direct Adaptive Steering, basically steer-by-wire tech. The Q60 you see in this review is not fitted with the ProActive Package, and thank goodness, because the numb, twitchy Direct Adaptive Steering is, well, not good.
The Q60 offers a decent amount of driver aids, but a host of other amenities are missing. A head-up display is not available, there's no traffic-jam assist and a phone companion app that allows you to remotely lock or track the vehicle is nowhere to be found. Ventilated seats and a fully digital instrument cluster aren't on the menu, either.
Despite its age and paucity of features, the Q60's interior is still pleasant. The materials are nice, the overall design functional and everything is properly screwed together and feels like it's built to last. Red Sport 400 models feature matte black carbon fiber trim that looks amazing, though this example also features bright red semi-aniline leather that pops like a firecracker and feels great, too.
The Q60 is a coupe, so naturally, that means it comes with a few compromises. For starters, the backseat is pretty tight. Kids will be OK, but there's barely enough legroom for adult passengers. Headroom is too cramped to be comfortable for any longer than it takes to snake through the drive-thru line. Trunk space is at a premium, too, as this Infiniti only offers a measly 8.7 cubic feet, though the rear-seat backrest does fold down, somewhat increasing the car's versatility. Storage space in the glovebox and center console is limited as well, so pack lightly.
The biggest news for 2022 (basically, the only thing that's new) is the inclusion of wireless Apple CarPlay. Generously, this must-have feature is standard across the Q60 model range. Android Auto is supported, too, though you still need a cable to use it. These smartphone-mirroring systems allow you to minimize your interaction with this car's awkward two-screen infotainment system. This setup is reasonably responsive and not particularly challenging to use, but it looks like it was developed by two totally separate teams that never spoke to each other. The 8-inch upper touchscreen handles navigation functions and is where Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is displayed. The lower panel, which is also touch-enabled, clocks in at a smaller 7 inches and handles climate functions and vehicle settings. Aside from that, there's also a tiny screen in the instrument cluster. This too-small display looks old, and not in a cool, retro way, either.
Those red seats really pop.
All Q60s are schlepped around by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, which is super-duper smooth and very quiet. In standard form, this unit cranks out 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, disappointing figures for an engine of that size and configuration, but rectifying this, the top-level Red Sport 400 trim is far more impressive. As its name suggests, this model is graced with 400 hp and 350 lb-ft of twist, enough kibbles and bits to get this luxury coupe to 60 mph in the mid-4-second range.
A standard seven-speed automatic transmission shuffles ratios as needed, shifting quickly and seamlessly. A paragon of refinement, this gearbox works just about perfectly, routing torque to either the rear wheels, or, for $2,000 more, the fronts as well. This all-wheel-drive system can send up to 50% of the powertrain's torque to the front axle as dictated by conditions, though, when possible, 100% of that goes to the rear for a sportier feel.
This Q60 stickers at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Combined, it's rated at 21 mpg, though in testing the car is returning better than 25 mpg, a stellar performance, though to be fair, this includes minimal stop-and-go driving.
With 400 hp, the Red Sport is the Q60 to get.
Red Sport 400 models exhale through dual exhaust tips that are treated to a brushed satin finish. Large and in charge, these outlets make you think this car has a rowdy voice, but for the most part, it's whisper quiet. Further setting this trim apart from lesser versions of the Q60 are beautiful red brake calipers, 20-inch wheels and adaptive dampers on all-wheel-drive models. You can adjust how the car behaves by playing with the various drive modes, though comfort is my favorite. The Q60's ride is energetic (read: a little busy) and the car has no qualms about letting you know intimate details about the road's condition, but it is noticeably smoother in comfort than in other settings.
The Q60 tries to be sporty, but aside from the delightful powertrain and ride that strikes a decent balance between firm and flaccid, this car fails to impress. Its undoing is the steering, which is all kinds of bad, and this example doesn't even have the available steer-by-wire system, which is one of the most maligned automotive features introduced in the last 20 years. Frustratingly, my Q60 tester doesn't track well, requiring constant attention or it wanders from one lane marker to the other. Aside from that, the wheel feels a bit too light and provides zero feel, things that result in a completely synthesized driving experience, one that's tiring rather than engaging.
At least it looks good.
When it comes to money, the Q60 starts just shy of $43,000 including $1,025 to cover those pesky -- and mandatory -- destination fees. In comparison, the hot-rod Red Sport 400 model kicks off at a whisker less than 60 large, though this all-wheel drive example checks out for around $66,000.
Until now, the gray-haired Infiniti Q60 has been aging gracefully, though its deficiencies are much harder to ignore in 2022. Sure, this luxury coupe is beautiful and, yes, its powertrain is superb, but that's no longer enough to help it keep up with much-newer rivals.