Bringing on the Sunshine in the 2024 Infiniti QX50
It’s spring here in northern Utah, which means the flowers are blooming, the sun is shining, the snow is falling, the thunder is rolling… you get the idea.
Still, despite the manic swings in temperature, I feel hopeful that the sun will come out to stay. Until then, driving the 2024 Infiniti QX50 Autograph, the top of the line trim in this lineup, definitely felt like sunshine. It was the bright spot in the middle of this most temperamental of seasons.
Priced at just over $60,000, this car gives you a lot value and gets you that little ray of light we all so desperately need at times.
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There’s So Much to Love
Heated seats? Check. Heated steering wheel? Yes, please. Buttery soft, diamond-quilted leather seats that smell like the inside of a brand-new designer bag? Absolutely.
If the interior feels luxurious, that’s because it is. It’s roomy, comfortable, and loaded with tech features. My car was billed as the Autograph trim level, which is the top tier for this model. Tech abounds with Apple CarPlay, a 16-speaker Bose audio system, navigation, and a head-up display. I’ve also decided that every woman, no matter her age or stage in life, deserves both heated and cooled seats. Who can we meet with to make that a thing? I’ll lead the charge.
One place where the interior falls a little short is storage. The center console is larger than some but still not big enough for a purse or handbag. Also, I took a couple of friends for a ride, who both had some thoughts.
One friend, who is very much into interior design, thought there was too much going on with the interior trim colors: gray wood, brown leather, white leather, brushed metal trim, and dark blue suede. She felt that they should have stuck to two colors, maybe three at most; she would have better appreciated the Pure trim which takes a more zen approach to the interior with fewer materials.
The other friend, thinking as a mom of boys, wondered if the dark-colored suede would attract light-colored dust and lint. I think that’s an especially fair question for anyone who lives, you know, anywhere.
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A First-Class Ride
With that being said, there was a whole lot more to love than not to love. I was a real fan of the panoramic sunroof, which lent a light and airy feeling to the already spacious cabin – especially combined with the light-colored seats. The back seat has the kind of legroom that could rival a first-class spot on any given airliner. Anyone who rode with me that week was sure to point that out.
I’m not especially short, but I’m also not especially tall, and from the driver’s seat, I got a good view all the way around. I was able to see beyond the car’s nose, which isn’t always necessarily the case for me. And with Infiniti’s “Around View Monitor,” maneuvering tight parking spaces becomes a breeze.
The QX50 feels like a big car to drive, but it handles like something much smaller. It feels agile and quick and can take tight turns with ease. One of the first places I parked it was in the cramped lot of a college campus apartment complex. I figured if I could park it there, I could park it anywhere.
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An Engaging Ride that Even Goldilocks Would Approve of
To borrow a buzzword from the world of education, the drive is “engaging.” The 2.0-liter turbo engine has some nice zip to it, but not unlike my own Audi Q3, has a little lag time before it kicks in. Power is perfectly balanced, with 268 horsepower and 268 lb-ft. of torque. The ride quality is smooth and sporty, not too soft, not too harsh, but just right. Goldilocks would love it.
The doors close with a nice, solid thud, so the cabin stays nice and quiet even at higher speeds. What it doesn’t do, however, is make you feel completely isolated from the road, which is where that feeling of engagement comes into play.
There is a canyon near my house with some nice curvy roads, uphill climbs, and downhill thrills. You cross a dam, see a waterfall, and drive along a rushing river. It’s a great place to take a drive, and the QX50 took it all on with grace and refinement. Finally, it rained and/or snowed every single day I drove it, and the Infiniti handled the conditions beautifully.
As far as fuel economy goes, it gets 22 mpg in town and 28 mpg on the highway, for a combined average fuel rating of 25 miles per gallon. And should you want to tow anything, this Infiniti can tow up to 3,000 pounds.
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Stylish Design Cues
The QX50’s exterior is definitely eye-catching, with lots of sculpted, muscular lines and graceful curves. These are definitely more prominent on the hood and actually look pretty cool from behind the steering wheel.
The color of the model I drove was slate gray, but it actually had a nice bluish tint to it. I really liked the styling cues of the cube design in the headlights. Add to that the big grille, and this car gives off an opulent vibe. 20-inch wheels are standard on the Autograph, so you know you’re rolling around in style.
I Love These Safety Features
When I was a young mom with little kids, safety features were a big deal for me. I can’t say my attitude has changed in the years since, and the QX50 has some good ones. Some of the more notable ones include:
- forward collision warning
- front and rear parking sensors
- blind spot warning
Thanks to Infiniti’s all wheel drive that adapts to your drive, the car (and I) felt confident and solid on my early morning ice-covered drives to work. This system constantly monitors and adjusts power to the different wheels in less-than-ideal driving conditions.
The wide rear seats will easily accommodate kids car seats; there are two LATCH sets in the back seat. I also really appreciate that this car comes equipped with run-flat tires. If you get a flat, you don’t have to worry about changing a flat tire yourself. Run flats can drive up to 50 miles with most tire damage (the tire pressure monitor lets you know there’s a problem if it’s not easy to see by looking at the tire).
Is changing a tire a great skill to have? Of course. But for safety’s sake, you can just drive to a garage rather than be stuck on the side of a busy road.
Infiniti QX50 Trim Levels, Pricing, and Features
The QX50 has five trim levels, each with its own notable features.
The QX50 Pure starts at $41,000 MSRP ($43,000 with AWD) and comes standard with:
- Infiniti InTouch with 8-inch upper and 7-inch lower screens
- Android Auto
- Wireless Apple CarPlay
- ProPILOT Assist
- 9-inch silver-painted aluminum alloy wheels
The QX50 Luxe starts at $44,300 ($46,300 with AWD) and adds the following:
- Panoramic moonroof
- Leather seats
- Heated front seats
- Roof rails
- Motion-activated liftgate
The QX50 Sport begins at $49,200 ($51,200 with AWD) features a more rugged aesthetic:
- Sport front fascia
- Gloss black exterior trim
- Black grille and surround, and
- 20-inch dark-painted and machine-finished wheels
The QX50 Sensory starts at $53,500 ($55,500 with AWD). It includes:
- 20-inch dark-painted wheels
- Adaptive Front Lighting System
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Power tilt and telescope steering wheel
- Four-way passenger seat power lumbar
- Maple wood interior accents
- Cube-design LED headlights
- Head-Up Display
- 16-speaker Bose sound system
The QX50 Autograph ($58,050 with standard AWD) has everything in the above-listed trim levels, plus:
- Quilted seat stitching
- Metallic cargo-area scuff plates
- Rear passenger window sunshades
- Tri-zone advanced automatic climate control system
- 3,000-pound towing capacity
I drove the fully loaded Autograph model, which tops out at just under $60,000.
All told, the Infiniti QX50 Autograph I drove was $61,610. In the luxury world, that feels like a bargain, considering all you get. It’s loaded with plenty of luxurious features. Did I mention the heated/cooled seats? They were definitely a bright spot during the dreary days of early Spring here in the mountains.
Whatever trim level, any driver will get that sunshine feeling in the 2024 Infiniti QX50, no matter the weather.
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