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2019 Infiniti QX50 vs. compact luxury SUV rivals: How they compare

With apologies to the EX35, or whatever it was eventually renamed, Infiniti has been without a proper, competitive entry in the compact luxury SUV segment. You know, the segment that's growing faster in sales and entries than any other? To say the 2019 Infiniti QX50 is long awaited would therefore be an understatement. At first glance and drive, the new QX50 would indeed seem to be wildly more competitive than its predecessor, which come to think of it, was eventually called the QX50 as well. This one is based on an all-new front-wheel-drive platform, and although it lacks the inherent verve of the old, rear-drive- and 370Z-based one, the resulting increase in cabin space should be a welcome tradeoff. In fact, as you'll see below, the QX50 has gone from one of the smallest compact SUVs to the most spacious. How does it stack up in every other way? Say, against the segment's four best-selling entries last year: the 2018 Lexus NX 300, 2018 Acura RDX, 2018 Audi Q5 and 2018 BMW X3. On paper at least, really well as it turns out. Let's go to the spreadsheet! Discover and compare other luxury crossovers with our Car Finder and Compare tools. Comparing engines, drivetrains and transmissions With the exception of the Acura, all of the contenders come with 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engines. As you can see, the Infiniti is the heavyweight amongst the four-bangers, boasting the most horsepower and torque. The Acura V6 nips it by 11 hp, but the QX50 is still the overall torque champ. Plus, as we documented in the QX50 first drive, the Infiniti's new VC-Turbo engine is also the most technologically advanced. The Lexus is the wimp of the group and is also the second-heaviest, which isn't exactly the ideal scenario. The Infiniti is the only one in the group to feature a continuously variable transmission. That's not going to generate much applause around here. The BMW tops the gear count with eight, while the Audi is the only entry with a dual-clutch automated manual. The Acura and Lexus have only six gears, but they're good transmissions and it's not like their fuel economy is off the pace. The Audi and BMW come standard with all-wheel drive, while the others offer a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. Comparing cargo and interior space The new front-wheel-drive platform is paying dividends inside for the 2019 QX50, as it now boasts the most maximum cargo space at 65.1 cubic feet.

Acura NSX is industry's first supercar with a female design lead

Michelle Christensen. Unless you've been casting about the web for some behind-the-scenes takes on recent exotic car launches or were unusually curious during the early days of the sport crossover trend, her name probably means nothing to you. She grew up in Northern California, where her family drag-raced. Venerables like the 1932 Ford, Plymouth GTX, and Dodge Super Bee rolled through her family garage. And Christensen grew up designing prom dresses for friends and dreaming of working in a pit crew. In fact, she didn't even realize car design was a real profession until junior high, when her father pointed out Chip Foose at a car show. After that, she was hooked, so she went to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, where she reimagined the Plymouth Barracuda as her senior project. Today, Christensen can add the title of lead exterior designer on the 2016 Acura NSX to her resume. The first woman to lead the shape of a supercar, Christensen actually opened up her "First!" account with Acura in 2005 when the company swooped her up the night of graduation and she became its first female exterior car designer. Her first sketch on the job was a concept for the ZDX, and the bigwigs chose her design for production. She joined the NSX team after the mid-engined concept was introduced at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, replacing the front-engined V10 concept (we encourage you to go back and look at what was versus what is). Christensen thereafter led a crew of eight through a rework of the sheetmetal, with the focus being to keep the "emotional, 3-D kind of feeling." Reminiscing about her family's utterly unadorned '32 Ford hot rod, she said the NSX team was committed to keeping the design simple and light. Wind tunnel work led to larger bumper, hood and side intakes for better airflow on the production model. That, along with a switch in engine position, gave them a chance to go aggressive and to not only "punch more holes in it and make it more exotic," but also "take it to the gym and beef it up." In line with its decidedly un-retro rebirth, the third brake light that runs across the decklid is about the only nod to its predecessor. At age 34, we're certain we haven't seen the last of Christensen or her designs. Related Video:  

2022 Acura MDX revealed with official pricing and specs

The 2022 Acura MDX has finally been unveiled in production guise, and no surprise, it looks just like the prototype that was shown a couple months ago. Inside and out, there doesn't seem to be any difference. It also turns out that most of the details given regarding the prototype are the same for the production car. But we do have some more details and specifications, and we even have pricing. The MDX is completely redesigned from the ground-up. It is the first vehicle to use a new platform for light-truck use, and is not shared with the also recently redesigned Acura TLX sedan. There are similarities, though, as the MDX has a double-wishbone front suspension and multilink independent rear suspension as the TLX has. Acura notes that the chassis is the stiffest crossover/SUV chassis the company has ever created. Acura also added larger front brake rotors; they're 1.2 inches larger in diameter. It's a bigger body than the previous MDX, too. It's 2.2 inches longer overall, with a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase. It's 1.4 inches wider than the old model, and is about half an inch taller. The proportions have changed significantly with a longer dash-to-axle ratio that gives the new MDX the look of a rear-drive vehicle. The hood is more horizontal, adding length visually. The sheet metal is clean and smooth with only a handful of creases and pieces of trim adorning it. As for the interior, the design is very similar to the TLX and RDX with chunky, curvy panels. Six different leather colors are available, with the selection varying by trim package. Ambient lighting with 27 different color combinations is also available, and besides the combinations based on the drive modes, they're all named after race tracks and roads such as Suzuka and Route 66. Only one seating combination is available and it's unique. Rather than offering a choice of a second-row bench seat or captain's chairs, the new MDX effectively offers both. It has a second-row bench in which the middle seat can fold down to provide a large center console, or it can be removed entirely to provide access to the two-seat third-row bench. This versatility means every MDX can hold seven passengers. The third-row bench has also gained 2.4 inches of leg room, and the seat sits another 1.4-inches off the floor, all of which should make the way-back more comfortable. Not only that, but cargo space has increased.