• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The Rearview Mirror: Ford’s High-End Failure
  • Ram Returning to Midsize Pickup Segment; Shows Dealers a Concept EV
  • Why Isn’t That EV Charger Working?
  • Ford Will Trust The Truck — The New One Built at BlueOval City
  • Cupra Could Be Headed to the U.S.
  • March New Vehicle Sales to Rise 6.2% Over Last Year
  • Hyundai, Kia Recall Warns Owners of 570K Vehicles to Park Outside
  • Ford Facing $3 Billion in Losses on EV Business for 2023
  • Higher Interest Rates, Bank Failures Pose Challenge to Car Business
  • General Motors to Face Class Action Lawsuit
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Infiniti QX80
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV80 Prestige 3.5 Turbo
    • First Drive: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T
    • First Drive: 2023 Dodge Hornet GT
    • First Drive: 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70
    • First Drive: 2023 Nissan Ariya e-4orce AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Jeep Compass Limited
    • A Week With: 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series
    • A Week With: 2023 Volvo XC40 AWD Ultimate
    • First Drive: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > reviews > A Week With: 2021 Infiniti QX50 Autograph AWD

        A Week With: 2021 Infiniti QX50 Autograph AWD

        Tweaked for 2021, the new crossover competes in a tough segment.

        Larry Printz
        Larry Printz , Assistant Managing Editor
        Nov. 20, 2020
        The 2021 Infiniti QX50 gets a few tweaks to its overall look. The new iteration comes in five trim levels.

        Redesigned for 2019, the compact 2021 Infiniti QX50 luxury crossover utility vehicle returns sporting welcome minor trim updates, including a standard Wi-Fi hotspot, and laminated front side glass for a quieter ride.

        Safety enhancements include side-mounted airbags in the rear seat and automatic collision notification with emergency calling. Offered in ascending Pure, Luxe, Essential, Sensory and Autograph trim levels, QX50 Luxe models now get standard ProPilot Assist, Intelligent Cruise Control, Lane Departure Prevention and Blind Spot Intervention, along with heated seats. An optional appearance package adds 20-inch black painted aluminum-alloy wheels, and dark chrome accents.

        Overview: Boasting modestly adventurous styling and all the mod cons, the Infiniti QX50 is trying to grab the market with an innovative engine that promises potent performance, but not at the expense of fuel economy. It seems like a tempting proposition, although you’ll be disappointed if you’re expecting sporting performance. Instead, think of the Infiniti QX50 as the perfect automotive salve, a respite that puts you at ease in uneasy times.

        (First Look: 2021 Infiniti QX55.)

        The QX50’s exterior is taut but features supple sculptural cues that draw the eye from front to back.

        Exterior: The QX50’s taut yet supple sculptural design aesthetic presents the volumetric voluptuousness of a Renoir nude, albeit in automotive garb. Its sensuous curves pull your eye across its rounded exterior, with LED headlights that seem to emulate the human eye, serving as an anchor for the crisp creases that add a taut counterpoint, drawing you rearward toward Infiniti’s unique crescent-cut D-pillar.

        Interior: The QX50 Autograph’s alluring interior sports whitewashed wood accents, pale leather and leatherette trim offset by navy-colored suede and diamond-quilted seats. At once comfortable and comforting, it’s more stylish than most homes, a feeling accentuated by such niceties as rear sunshades. After all, how many cars come with window coverings? While base Pure models get pleather; other trims get actual leather, which improves in quality with trim level.

        “… The QX50’s taut yet supple sculptural design aesthetic presents a volumetric voluptuousness of a Renoir nude, albeit in automotive garb …”

        As you’d expect, the QX50’s seats place you high in the saddle and are all-day comfortable, with plenty of room in both rows. A truly mammoth panoramic sunroof brightens the interior, although it robs headroom for taller passengers.

        The QX50 is defined by its distinctive proportions, which set the car apart from its competitors.

        Thoughtfully, the rear seat can slide back and forth several inches, giving more space for cargo or people, depending on your need. Cargo room is impressive for the size of the vehicle, with a low liftover and up to 44.9 inches of cargo length with the seats moved forward. The cabin is quiet most of the time, with road noise becoming prominent at highway speed.

        Powertrain: Offered with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive for an additional $2,000, the QX50 tries to make its mark under the hood, where the world’s first production 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder variable compression ratio engine “represents a breakthrough” meant to “optimize power and fuel efficiency,” according to the company.

        By continuously raising or lowering the pistons’ reach, the compression ratio changes from 8:1 (for high performance when you mash the throttle to the floor) to 14:1 (at light throttle for fuel efficiency).

        The engine generates 268 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque, about the same amount of juice as Nissan’s naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6, with 27% better fuel economy, at 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, 25 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.

        The interior of the QX50 is more stylish than many homes.

        Skip the all-wheel drive, and the figures jump to 25, 29 and 27 mpg respectively. By comparison, the all-wheel drive 2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i return 23 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined without the QX50’s complexity, although it has 20 less horsepower.

        (Infiniti QX60 Monograph reveals future look for SUV.)

        Technology and Safety: The biggest disappointment resides in the center console, where two touchscreens and bevvy of buttons make the infotainment system cumbersome to use. The top screen is used for navigation and phone, while the bottom screen, buried at the base of the center console, houses audio, climate and phone controls.

        Both screens are touchscreens, but for some reason, the top one can also be controlled by a controller on the center console. Both are burdened with a cumbersome user interface that’s hard to use at a glance and in dire need of a redesign. And while the QX50’s two hidden USB plugs are a nice thought; it would be nicer to have wireless charging. At least the center console bin is large and roomy enough to house an iPad or small laptop computer.

        The Bose audio system provided decent sound. Too bad SiriusXM’s sound quality is only slightly better than your grandmother’s 70-year-old table radio. But you could always use Android Auto, Apple CarPlay or the standard CD player.

        For 2021, Infiniti offers ProPilot Assist, an electronic nannie that helps the driver accelerate, brake and steer, and can operate the car operate on the driver’s behalf in stop-and-go traffic. All models come with rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, forward-emergency braking with pedestrian detection, high-beam assist, rear cross-traffic alert and rear parking sensors.

        Driving impressions: The variable compression 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, dubbed “VC-Turbo” by Infiniti, provides decent acceleration, although it gets noticeably better once you switch the driving mode to Sport and plant your right foot to the floor, although it gets rather vocal.

        The all-wheel drive works as advertised, but heavy downpours showed the system is still susceptible to hydroplaning if pushed too hard. Steering doesn’t return much in the way of feel, but it’s nicely weighted. The QX50’s continuously variable automatic transmission is typical of the breed, reacting sluggishly to demands for more power, and off-the-line.

        A traditional automatic or dual-clutch transmission would be a far more appropriate solution for a luxury vehicle, as it would provide the effortless response buyers in this class expect. CVTs are best left to economy cars.

        The QX50 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with a CVT.

        The test model is rated by the EPA at 22 mpg city, 28 mph highway, and 25 mpg combined; the 245-mile test loop returned 22.9 mpg. Premium fuel is required for optimal performance and fuel economy. Towing capacity is 3,000 pounds when equipped with the optional Tow Package.

        And there is no spare tire or tire inflator kit; the QX50 uses run flat tires.

        (Infiniti teases coupe-like QX55 crossover.)

        Wrap Up: While plenty of SUVs try to impress with sporty pretension, and others attempt to excite you with affectations of off-road prowess, the 2021 Infiniti QX50 is a calm, quiet, powerful-yet-fuel-efficient chariot that provides comfortably competent premium driving experience wrapped in distinctive styling that fulfills its mission, but may not be satisfying to more demanding drivers. Most will find it a comfortable cruiser in a world where comfort is increasingly hard to find.

         

         

         

         

         

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published
        2023 Infiniti QX80 front 3-4

        A Week With: 2023 Infiniti QX80

        March 24, 2023

        A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV80 Prestige 3.5 Turbo

        March 23, 2023
        2024 Dodge Hornet R/T blue driving front REL

        First Drive: 2024 Dodge Hornet R/T

        March 22, 2023

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        What Are You Looking For?

        See More
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Buying an SUV or Crossover? See our recommended reviews and guides.
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Reviews and Resources For Car Buyers and Owners
        Reviews of SUVs and CUVs, Warranty and Insurance advice, all collected by the Editors of TheDetroitBureau.
        Collection
        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Collection

        SUV Reviews and Guides
        Recommends
        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends

        Where Can You Get the Best SUV Warranty?
        Recommends
        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends

        Is Full Coverage Auto Insurance Right for You?
        Recommends
        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Recommends

        Is it Cheaper to Add a Second Car to Insurance?
        Close
        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: