Can you imagine trying to morph a pair of mountaineering boots with stilettos? It seems absurd, doesn’t it? After all, the two share absolutely nothing in terms of function or aesthetics.
However, the automotive industry isn’t immune from such cross-pollination practices, as evidenced by the growing number of SUV-coupes in the market. Traditionally, an SUV’s intended purpose was to haul loads and go off-road, while coupes leant towards svelte looks, compact dimensions and, in some cases, rapidity across the tarmac.
Not much in common there, yet the Germans have made an art form of producing these mixed-breed beasts, as evidenced by the hordes of Mercedes GLC/GLE Coupes, BMW X2/X4/X6s and Audi Q3 Sportback/Q8s plying our roads. Clearly, customers are interested in form over function, which is why they’re prepared to pay a premium over conventional, more practical SUVs for these concoctions.
Infiniti has been watching this segment evolve from the sidelines over the past dozen years, but it’s now leapt into the fray with its all-new QX55. As per the Teutonic brigade, the Japanese offering pairs a pseudo-off-roader stance – thanks to black wheel arch cladding and slightly jacked-up suspension – with a heavily tapered, coupe-mimicking roofline.
Basically, they’ve followed the Euro playbook to the letter, but clothed the QX55 in familiar Infiniti design language. Aesthetics are always a highly subjective area, but the newcomer is well resolved from a visual perspective – for the type of vehicle it is. It’s certainly eye-catching, as it elicited ample rubbernecking from other motorists and pedestrians during our three-day stint with the car.
The Infiniti isn’t a bargain-basement special, as the entry-level QX55 Luxe is priced at Dh195,000 ($53,097), while the mid-spec QX55 Essential is Dh210,000 and the range-topping QX55 Sensory is pegged at Dh225,000. That’s a sizeable outlay for a compact SUV with limited load space, but you can begin to see where some of your money went when you delve into the specs.
The QX55’s propulsion is provided by a 2.0-litre turbo motor that ekes out 268hp and 380Nm – beefy outputs for an engine of this size. Drive is relayed to all four wheels via a CVT (continuously variable transmission), although it baffles me why any carmaker continues to persist with this tech when conventional automatic transmissions nowadays offer such a high level of efficiency and seamless operation.
On paper, CVTs supposedly provide an infinite number of ratios to keep the car at optimum revs, but, in reality, the result is an incessant drone from the engine and the feeling that it’s sending power to the wheels via a giant elastic band. Be that as it may, the QX55 is lively enough when you stamp on the gas, sprinting from 0 to 100 kilometres per hour in 6.6 seconds. The engine is far more vocal than expected even with moderate throttle applications, but it’s acceptably quiet and refined when you’re at a steady cruise on the motorway.
The interior is neatly laid out and there are some nice design flourishes, but overall cabin ambience doesn’t match the premium feel inside an equivalent Audi/Mercedes/BMW. Trim materials are a bit on the plasticky side, and the impression you’re left with is that this is a luxurious Nissan, rather than a genuine Euro competitor.
That said, even the entry-level QX55 Luxe gets dual infotainment touchscreens, a powered glass sunroof, plus a suite of active safety features including forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, predictive forward collision warning, high beam assist, lane departure warning, blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
The mid-spec Essential gets all this plus navigation, climate-controlled leather seats, an Around View Monitor with moving object detection, a heated steering wheel and Bose premium audio. The range-topping QX55 Sensory adds supple semi-aniline leather seats, wood trim accents, tri-zone automatic climate control, a motion-activated liftgate and LED ambient lighting.
Verdict? The QX55 falls short of its Euro rivals in most key areas, but its striking looks, generous standard features and lower entry price versus a BMW X4/Mercedes GLC Coupe may be enough to lure some buyers.
