2022 Infiniti Q60

When competing in the two-door sports coupe segment, as the Infiniti Q60 does, design is essential. What good is a 2-door coupe if it doesn't have an eye-catching exterior that compels you to shoot one last glance at it before you walk away? However, design alone is not enough. The second ingredient in the two-door sports coupe recipe book is a powerful engine, and the third is a responsive chassis that can cash the checks the body keeps on writing.

Infiniti gets two of the three main ingredients right. The Q60 has striking good looks and a twin-turbocharged V6, good for 300 horsepower or 400 hp, depending on which trim level you go for. Sadly, while it may be one of the better-looking coupes out there, it doesn't offer an engaging driving experience. But does that make it redundant in a segment that includes the all-new BMW 4 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, and the Audi A5?

The Infiniti Q60 coupe is a handsome brute, featuring just a pinch of elegance thanks to swooping lines running from front to rear. The wheel arches are quite pronounced, and the addition of thin headlights and taillights give it a wide, low stance. All models come standard with LED headlights and daytime running lights. Basic specs include 19-inch alloys, while Red Sport 400 models sport 20-inch alloy wheels. The rear features a set of large exhaust tips and a black diffuser, leaving onlookers with no doubts that this car means business.

With a total length of 184.4 inches, the Q60 is on par with most of its rivals. However, it has a wheelbase of 112.2 inches, which is longer than most of them. The overall width is 72.8 inches, and it's 54.9 (54.5 inches for RWD models) inches tall. These dimensions prove that the wide and low stance isn't just design trickery. The base trim weighs in at 3,747 pounds, while the Q60 Red Sport 400 AWD carries a weight of 4,047 lbs. It's one of the heavier coupes on sale in the USA, but that's the price you pay for rolling luxury and sportiness into one package.

The color options depend on the trim level you go for. The entry-level Pure is only available in three colors: Pure White, Graphite Shadow, and Black Obsidian. The Luxe mid-spec trim has access to the full color palette, adding to the three above-mentioned standard colors Majestic White, Midnight Black, and Grand Blue, all three retailing for $695. Dynamic Sunstone Red will cost you an additional $900. The top-tier Red Sport adds Slate Gray to the $695 options, but drops Grand Blue, Pure White, and Black Obsidian. This isn't much of a loss, as any images you've seen of this car prove that it looks best in its namesake red paint.

All models are equipped with a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox. However, the engine can be tuned to two outputs. The entry-level Pure and mid-spec Luxe get 300 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Red Sport 400, as its name suggests, gets 400 hp and 350 lb-ft to play with. While it has the power to rival some of its more famous competitors, it lacks the polished dynamics that make cars like the BMW M440i xDrive Coupe and Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe so sought after.

You can't fault its acceleration figures, though. According to Infiniti, the rear-wheel-drive Q60 can get to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. It's slower with the all-wheel-drive system, taking 5.5 seconds to reach 60 mph. The 400-hp model has been independently tested, and it achieved a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of 4.5 seconds for the rear-wheel-drive and five seconds flat for the AWD. It's a fast car, but most of the competition is even faster. The new M440i xDrive has a 0-60-mph figure of just 4.3 seconds.

The Q60 is fast in a straight line, but it won't tear your face off with brutal acceleration. Both engines feel remarkably similar, though you can notice the 100-hp difference. Even with 400 horses to play with, it doesn't deliver straight-line speed on par with its rivals. Instead, you get a linear power delivery higher up in the range. Once you get above 1,600 rpm, it delivers a flat torque curve to 5,200 rpm. The seven-speed automatic transmission isn't neck-snapping fast out the gate, but it's smooth in the mid-range and at higher speed.

This makes the Q60 feel more like a GT than a two-door sports car. You don't have to wait for the turbos to start boosting or the gearbox to drop a cog or two at higher speed. Once you go above the magical 1,600 rpm, you have access to either 295/350 lb-ft in an instant. The Q60 rarely has to kick down a gear to pass slower traffic.

Both engines offer the kind of output that will have an enthusiast salivating, but the way the power is delivered might be disappointing to some. Overall they feel punchy but lack the refinement of the next-generation turbocharged six-cylinder engines.

This is the trickiest part to get right. Customers want an engaging experience and a suspension tune that won't result in backache after a 200-mile trip. Finding this balance is easily one of the most challenging jobs in the auto-manufacturing industry. The Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe is on the firm side, but it feels more composed when you drive it enthusiastically. Infiniti went in the other direction. It's one of the most comfortable cars in the segment. The Q60 doesn't jar, jump, hop, or skip over bumps. It glides, offering a supple ride most of the time.

The downside of this is a car that doesn't respond well to dynamic driving. In general, it is a stable car and provides suitable levels of grip, but there isn't an enormous amount of fun to be had. The steering is devoid of any feedback, so you never know exactly what the front end is doing. Infiniti offers a system called Direct Adaptive Steering as part of the Proactive Package, but it just makes the driving experience worse. This system provides steering input according to the speed, but the feedback you receive in return is inconsistent at best. Once again, you'll find more in common with a grand tourer than a sports car with the Q60.

Though few prospective owners will care about mileage in this segment, it's worth looking at only to illustrate how much of a difference a few years can make. The most efficient Q60 is the base RWD model, which has EPA-estimated figures of 19/28/22 mpg city/highway/combined. The thirstiest model is the 400 hp with AWD, with EPA-estimates of 19/26/21 mpg. There's not much of a difference between the two, which usually isn't in a comparison between a RWD and AWD vehicle configurations. It does well against the Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe's 19/27/22 mpg but falls flat in the face of the BMW M440i xDrive's 23/32/26 mpg. The Q60 does have a decent 20-gallon tank, resulting in a theoretical range of 440 miles

The cabin is pleasant, albeit dated. The build quality is exceptional, on par with what's offered by its rivals. The front seats are comfortable yet supportive, though they are mounted a bit high, which may upset taller drivers. At least visibility is good, and the cabin is logically laid out.

To stay competitive in this segment, the Q60 is equipped with a dual-screen infotainment system. It's meant to give the interior a minimalist feel, but all it does is frustrate. The interface isn't intuitive at all, and the responses are slow and clumsy. You do at least get buttons and shortcuts for the features you use most often.

The legroom is exceptionally generous for front passengers, with the Q60 offering 43.1 inches. Meanwhile, those in the back have to make do with just 32.4 inches. The headroom in the front without a moonroof is 37.9 inches (37.4 with) in front and 34.5 inches in the rear. Getting comfortable up front is easy thanks to eight-way power-adjustable seats, but the rear seats are only really suitable for children. Ingress can be tricky, but that's one of the sacrifices you knowingly make by buying a two-door sports car.

The Pure model comes as standard with a Graphite leatherette interior coupled with Brushed Aluminum inserts. The Luxe makes use of semi-aniline leather and expands the palette with the addition of Stone leather; the trim remains Brushed Aluminum. Red Sport trim provides you with semi-aniline leather in one of three color combinations, each paired with Matte Black carbon fiber trim. Choices include Gallery White, Monaco Red, and Graphite.

If a customer decides to sacrifice two doors to get an aesthetically pleasing exterior, chances are cargo room doesn't feature high on their list of priorities. BMW, Mercedes, and Audi have all found a nice balance between a beautiful exterior and a useful interior. By comparison, the Q60's 8.7 cubic foot trunk is laughably small. This is barely enough for a handful of groceries, let alone luggage for four passengers, not that you could easily fit that many anyway. The rear bench can fold flat to offer more space, but the Q60 will never be considered practical.

Small-item storage is slightly more accommodating, though you have to get by with only two door pockets. Both rows of seats get their own set of cup holders, at least, and the center armrest storage up front is on the larger side.

Infiniti follows the tried and trusted Japanese way of including a lot of equipment as standard. The base-spec Pure has remote keyless entry with a push-button start, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a rearview camera, and forward-collision warning. The Luxe adds a power moonroof, along with an auto-dimming rearview mirror, semi-aniline leather upholstery, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a surround-view camera, and remote engine start. These features are joined by a decent safety specification, including forward collision avoidance, pedestrian detection with automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-collision warning, and lane-departure warning. The Red Sport rounds out the package with a power-adjustable tilt and telescoping steering wheel, paddle shifters, and access to exclusive accessories and packages.

The Infiniti's infotainment system has the appearance of a modern dual-screen interface with haptic feedback. But you soon realize that it's just an elaborate illusion. The graphics are below par, the interface is also confusing, and it's slow to react. However, It does feature all of the modern connectivity features we expect in our cars, including Apple CarPlay (wireless from this year) and Android Auto, making it a lot easier to interact with the system. It also has Bluetooth audio streaming, HD and satellite radio. The top screen is eight inches, and the lower is seven inches. The Pure has a six-speaker sound system, while the Luxe and Red Sport 400 are equipped with a 13-speaker Bose Performance Series surround-sound system. Navigation, Infiniti InTouch, and SiriusXM Travel Link are standard only on the Red Sport.

There have been a few recalls in the coupe's past, and even the new Infiniti Q60 has not been spared the shame of questionable reliability. It was recalled in 2018 and 2019 for problems with the rearview camera image not displaying, and in 2020 for rear seat belts not locking as they should. In 2021, the rearview camera problem returned, joined by the possibility that the engine control module may cause a stall. So far, the 2022 model has been recall-free.

Every 2022 Infiniti Q60 sold in the US is covered by a four-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and a six-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty.

It is not uncommon for luxury cars to avoid the chopping block when it comes to safety evaluation. Thus, the fact that there is no safety review of the Infiniti Q60 should not fill you with apprehension. In fact, the 2022 model comes outfitted with loads of advanced passive and active features designed to keep everyone safe.

The base Q60 is equipped with what we regard as a full suite of standard safety requirements, including six airbags, a rearview camera, traction and stability control, ABS, tire pressure warning, cruise control, and forward-collision warning. The Luxe trim adds some advanced driver assistance in the form of forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking with rear collision intervention, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and a surround-view camera. The Red Sport doesn't introduce any additional standard features, but it does allow you to option on active lane control, lane-departure prevention, and blind-spot intervention.

As mentioned earlier, this segment is all about balance - taking certain things away to provide something else. Take two doors away, but in return, you get a striking exterior aesthetic. Firm up the suspension and increase the turn-in, but lose some ride comfort.

The Infiniti Q60 isn't balanced at all. It has a powerful twin-turbo engine, but the gearbox and chassis don't do it justice. More than anything, it feels as if Infiniti's engineers set out to build a grand tourer rather than a sporty, engaging machine. We know some folks like that sort of thing, but its main rivals strike a better balance. The 4 Series, C-Class Coupe, and A5 Coupe all offer a refined yet engaging experience. Infiniti may be on par with its Japanese rivals, but it pales in comparison to the Europeans

It is a beautiful car, and you do get many standard features, but there are too many negative attributes dragging it down.

There are essentially three trim levels, all of which can be had with Infiniti's Intelligent all-wheel drive for an additional $2,000. Pricing stays unchanged for 2022. The cheapest Q60 is the Pure, with an MSRP of $41,750. The mid-spec Luxe carries a price of $50,300, while the Red Sport 400 starts at $58,200. The base price of the Infiniti Q60 does not include the company's $1,025 handling fee.

The 2022 Infiniti Q60 lineup comprises three trims: Pure, Luxe, and Red Sport 400. They are all rear-wheel drive by default, with all-wheel driver available for an extra $2,000. They all share a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine and seven-speed automatic transmission, the only difference being that the engine produces 300 hp in the Pure and Luxe but 400 hp in the Red Sport 400.

The Pure trim runs on 19-inch alloy wheels and has LED headlights, daytime running lights, and front fog lights, and remote keyless entry. Inside, it gets a steering wheel and shift knob trimmed in leather, leatherette upholstery, eight-way electrically adjustable front seats, push-button start, dual-zone climate control, and brushed aluminum trim. The infotainment system has one seven- and one eight-inch screen and incorporates Android Auto, wireless Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, two USB ports, Bluetooth, SiriusXM, and a six-speaker audio system. Safety and driver-assistance technology includes six airbags, cruise control, automatic headlights, stability control, and forward-collision warning.

The Luxe trim adds a power sliding/tilting moonroof, semi-aniline leather upholstery, power side bolsters and lumbar support for the driver, a heated steering wheel and front seats, and aluminum-trimmed pedals. The infotainment system gains a 13-speaker Bose Performance Series audio system. It benefits from a comprehensive driver-assistance suite that includes auto high beams, forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection with automatic braking, reverse-collision avoidance, blind-spot warning, and lane-departure warning.

The flagship Red Sport 400 trim adds the powerful 400-hp engine and model-specific exterior with 20-inch alloy wheels, brushed satin-finish exhaust tips, and red brake calipers. Inside, it has a more advanced climate control system with an air purification system, quilted semi-aniline leather upholstery, matte-black carbon-fiber trim, sport seats, paddle shifters, a power tilting/telescoping steering column, SiriusXM Traffic and Travel Link, and navigation with lane guidance.

The Pure has no additional packages to speak of but rather a long list of standalone optional extras. The Luxe has just one new option, called the Essential Package. It costs $2,050 but adds several luxurious niceties like a power-adjustable steering column, a memory function for both front seats, advanced climate control, navigation with traffic updates and lane guidance, voice recognition, and a three-month SiriusXM subscription.

The Red Sport has an optional ProActive Package, which takes the strain out of highway driving. It costs $1,700 and adds Direct Adaptive Steering, blind-spot intervention, adaptive lighting, pre-crash seat belts, and an eco pedal.

Since the Q60 is more of a tourer than a performance machine, the best bet is the mid-spec Luxe. Its list of standard features already includes leather upholstery, the 13-speaker Bose surround-sound system, and advanced driver-assistance systems. It seems to be the preferred model on Infiniti's side as well, as it received the most significant makeover last year, including even more luxury and safety features. The kind of person who buys a car like this is likely a relaxed, laid-back individual, so 300 hp should be more than enough. Get the AWD system if you live in a cold state, but otherwise, it's fine sending the power to the rear wheels only.

The Q50 is essentially the sedan the Q60 is based on. Most of its Infiniti's rivals do the same thing. The changes made to give the car a sportier coupe styling include deleting the two rear doors, adding a sportier suspension setup, throwing in some more standard features, and, in some cases, upping the power outputs. Infiniti only seems to have the skin-deep changes while retaining the comfort and handling characteristics of the sedan. This begs the question, is it worth paying the extra money just for the styling?

The Q50 seats five people more comfortably, and it has a usable 13.5 cubes of cargo capacity. It has the same 300 hp engine, same gearbox, and same annoying interior. However, with the base Pure trim dropped for 2022, its Luxe trim starts at an MSRP of $42,100 - a little higher than the base Q60, but better equipped. It represents better value. If the Q60's main draw were a magnificent driving experience, the two-door body would have been a great fit. Since it's all about luxury, it makes more sense to us to get the sedan.

The Infiniti Q60 and Lexus RC are both impressive Japanese competitors to the established German coupes. Oddly, both place more emphasis on comfort than a rewarding driving experience. For similar money as the Q60, Lexus offers either a turbocharged four-cylinder or a naturally aspirated V6. Neither engine is as potent as the twin-turbo V6 in the Q60, though, even though the RC 350's 311 hp beats the 300-hp Q60 on paper.

The Lexus offers a more usable cabin and trunk and also presents buyers with a far higher-quality cabin, which is why we'd go for the RC. Yes, the Q60 has more power, but since neither were really made for the thrill of driving, we'd choose the Lexus for its superior comfort.