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2023 Infiniti QX60 Review: Now worth checking out

Pros: Well-equipped; handsome interior; sharp exterior styling; solid towing capacity Cons: No hybrid option; cramped third row; there are better three-rows for the price The 2023 Infiniti QX60 is relevant and worth considering for the first time in a long while. It’s based on the proficient Nissan Pathfinder, and Infiniti brings a lot of good to the table with this three-row SUV. The design is immediately eye-catching, as the curvaceous body panels blend and wrap around this rear, giving it a very sleek and attractive profile. Plus, its beauty isnÂ’t just skin deep. Infiniti ditched the old modelÂ’s frustrating CVT for a nine-speed automatic transmission, and the result is a driving experience that better matches its luxury car badge. It would be nice if there was more than just the standard 3.5-liter V6 available — such as a hybrid or PHEV — but the single engine is at least a competent one with enough power for above-average towing capacity. Despite the QX60 being a perfectly competitive SUV these days, donÂ’t think that itÂ’s now a class leader. Other options in the luxury space such as the Acura MDX, Lincoln Aviator and Volvo XC90 would find their way into our garages before the QX60. Even non-luxury-branded alternatives such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee L or Hyundai Palisade/Kia Telluride in their top trims compete strongly against the QX60. The base models offer a plethora of standard equipment that many luxury manufacturers donÂ’t offer, so the best play Infiniti has to offer is in value. That said, if you want every luxury in the book, the top-trim Autograph delivers with gorgeous interior appointments and a high-tech cabin. ItÂ’s still tough to recommend the QX60 over others in this segment, though, as the over-$50,000 starting price puts it squarely in the sights of our favorite three-row vehicles. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Features   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2023? The QX60 was all-new last year, but Infiniti has a few updates for 2023. The wireless charging pad is now standard across all trims. A frameless rearview mirror is added, and the lower bumper accents are updated with new colors. Lastly, all QX60s will now have "Infiniti Premium Care" as standard, which includes three years of free inspections, oil changes and tire rotations.

2015 Mexican Grand Prix is a lot like old times

The last time Formula One visited Mexico, in 1992, 26 cars powered by eight engine manufacturers (counting Honda and Mugen-Honda separately) lined up on the grid; it would have been nine engine makers but the Brabham-Judd cars failed to qualify. In 1992 Lewis Hamilton was seven years old, Sebastian Vettel was five, Max Verstappen was still five years away from being born. Two of the current Sky Sports F1 commentary team, Martin Brundle and Johnny Herbert, were drivers. The starting three were Nigel Mansell on pole – 39 years old, this the year he'd win his only World Championship – and Riccardo Patrese both driving Williams-Renault cars, followed by Michael Schumacher in a Benetton-Ford. Only 13 of the 26 starters would finish. The circuit is has been reworked to today's safer standards, the track surface is brand new and slippery, but the atmosphere and packed grandstands haven't changed. Nico Rosberg was another point of consistency, scoring pole position for the fourth race in a row to beat his now-World-Champion teammate Hamilton by almost two-tenths of a second. The last time Rosberg turned pole position into a victory? The Spanish Grand Prix back in May. Vettel locked up third for Ferrari, followed by the Infiniti Red Bull Racing duo of Daniil Kvyat and Daniel Ricciardo. Williams went two-up as well, Valtteri Bottas in sixth ahead of Felipe Massa in seventh. Max Verstappen turned in a great late lap to reserve eighth place, Sergio Perez did all he could in front of his home crowd to get ninth, teammate Nico Hulkenberg the caboose in the top ten. In that 1992 race the first three on the grid finished the race in the same order after Mansell dominated, and it was almost the same in 2015. If Rosberg had driven the whole season like he drove today the Driver's World Championship would still be up for grabs. He got a great start and held his line through the first corner, coming out ahead of Hamilton through the initial kinks, pulling away as soon as he got to the straight. Hamilton was never more than a few seconds behind, but every time the Brit inched closer the German found a few more tenths to keep his distance. The field got bunched up when the Safety Car came out on Lap 53 after Vettel spun and got stuck in the barriers, but Rosberg handled the restart perfectly. Both drivers made small mistakes in the last few laps while driving on the edge, but Rosberg earned a strong victory, crossing the line two seconds ahead of his teammate.

Infiniti QX80 to spearhead new direction for Nissan's luxury brand

Infiniti has had a tumultuous time in the last few years. However, a new plan is under way to revive Nissan's luxury marque, and to give it some much-needed direction. Now, Infiniti chairman Peyman Kargar has detailed his plans for the first time, and revealed that the QX80 will be at the vanguard of this new push. Left to languish under former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's quest for market share at the cost of all else, Infiniti's lineup failed to receive the necessary updates in several hotly contested segments. In a time when the luxury brands have seen record profits, Infiniti has instead seen its sales plummet. In 2018 the brand was among the first to announce a date by which it would "go electric." That was taken by many to mean solely electric or hybrid vehicles after 2021, but that time has come and gone. Infiniti missed its own deadline for a first EV model last year, and sales have nosedived by more than 50 percent since 2019 (117,708 in U.S. sales in 2019, versus 58,553 in 2021). Part of that is due to the  pandemic and resulting semiconductor shortage that's plagued the entire industry, but there's no doubt that the brand is seldom uttered in the same breath as Mercedes, BMW, Lexus or Audi. Speaking with Automotive News, Kargar outlined a three-phase plan to get Infiniti back on its feet. The first phase, focusing on restructuring and recovery, was just completed in March. Infiniti has now turned record profits globally, Kargar said.  Phase two has now begun and will play out through March 2026. By this time next year, designers will have locked in a new corporate face to take over on all new models. Leading the charge with that identity will be a new QX80 that arrives in late 2023 or early 2024.  Kargar didn't disclose details, but called it the future flagship of the marque. It will have enhanced performance specs to distance itself from the Nissan Armada on which it is based. Infiniti hopes that the QX will be seen as a competitor against the likes of the Cadillac Escalade Lexus LX, and Range Rover. Despite riding on the same platform as the Patrol — a Land Cruiser-like body-on-frame SUV — since 2010, the QX has not fallen in sales as much as other models. Part of the rebranding also includes a unification of Infiniti's identity. Kargar spoke of a new dealership look and feel, which includes a "brand scent" for showrooms and a "sound signature" that will tie in apps, websites, and call centers.