Infiniti’s bestseller — the midsize QX60 — receives a makeover this fall with an updated powertrain and more muscular styling.
The 2022 QX60 three-row crossover will be the first product launch since Nissan Motor Co. hatched greater collaboration between the mass-market Nissan and premium Infiniti brands.
Infiniti will share platforms, powertrains and assembly lines with Nissan to boost product development efficiencies. The second-generation QX60 will test whether the brands can share more components without sacrificing their distinct identities.
Updating the QX60 is a critical step in rejuvenating Infiniti, which has suffered multiyear sales declines in the U.S. In 2020, Infiniti deliveries slumped 32 percent — the largest annual drop in the brand’s history.
U.S. sales of the QX60 tallied 22,880 last year and accounted for 29 percent of Infiniti volume.
The QX60, along with the compact QX50, form the “backbone of Infiniti’s sales in the U.S., so executing the refresh is critical for the brand’s success,” said Tyson Jominy, vice president of the Power Information Network at J.D. Power.
The QX60 is one of the oldest products in the segment and needs to counter the recently upgraded Acura MDX, one of its top competitors, Jominy added.
