Test drive Infiniti QX50 vs Volvo XC60
Striking design, smart CVT and variable compression ratio motor versus discreet Scandinavian styling, driver assistants and a near-flawless audio system
Premium crossovers aren't just made in Germany. We are already used to opposing the German troika to the Japanese Lexus NX and the Swedish Volvo XC60, but there is another serious competitor from the Land of the Rising Sun - the Infiniti QX50. Moreover, the latter claims to be successful not only with a bright design and an attractive price list, but with all sorts of high-tech chips and a solid set of equipment.
Karim Habib, a Canadian auto designer of Lebanese origin, will now always associate with me with the QX50. Although he had a very indirect relationship to its creation. The former BMW designer joined Infiniti in March 2017, when work on the exterior of this crossover was in full swing or even entered its final stages. After all, the car was shown in November of the same year at the Los Angeles Auto Show. But it was under Khabib that this new style of the brand saw the light. And it is with him that the transition of the Japanese from brutal forms to sophisticated curves and lines in the spirit of the new Mazda is associated.
Fans of old-school "dates", of which there are not so many, do not approve of these changes. But personally, I am absolutely delighted. In the same way, the delight is experienced by those around them, who in the stream catch the car with their eyes and turn around after it. There were many of them, because it is almost impossible not to notice this car. Especially in bright red metallic.
But the QX50 is not only good for its design. Its predecessor, which only after the update took the current index, and was originally designated by the EX index, was a good car, but still very strange. A fairly compact crossover with a longitudinally located gluttonous atmospheric V6, in principle, frightened off the public. And after the introduction of tax rates depending on the power of the car, it completely lost all attractiveness.
This is not the case with this car. Under the hood of the new QX50 is an innovative two-liter turbo engine with variable compression ratio and a sparing output of 249 hp, but an impressive maximum torque of 380 Newton meters. Hence the good dynamics: only 7,3 s to "hundreds". Acceleration is even more surprising when you realize that the engine is assisted not by a classic “automatic”, but by a variator. The box allows the motor to spin properly and imitates switching so skillfully that at first you don't even know about the design features. However, there is something from the traditional "machine" here. For a quick, but smoother and smoother start-off, the transmission is equipped with a torque converter.
A variable compression engine must combine the efficiency of a high-pressure turbocharging, when at high loads, the compression ratio drops to 8,0: 1, and the economy of a "clamped" engine (with a compression ratio of up to 14,0: 1), as on Mazda's Skyactive engines. And if the pickup from the bottom of the motor is really good, then not everything is smooth with the economy. Even with the most gentle handling of the gas pedal, the flow rate does not drop below 10 liters per “hundred”, and with active driving it even goes over 12 liters.
What does not take away from the QX50 anyway is the cool interior. The salon is cozy, stylish, high quality, and most importantly, very comfortable. At the back, there is much more space than the first generation model, the trunk is pretty decent, and the set of transformations is no worse than that of other models. I only want a simpler multimedia system: without intricate control of two touchscreens and with a more mundane set of functions.
The Volvo XC60 crossover can be easily confused with the older and more expensive XC90, and the similarities are not only external, but also internal. It seems that the Swedes have developed one great car and slightly reduced it with a special device. The idea is generally good, because along with the size, the price decreases.
You won't surprise anyone with adaptive systems and driver assistants, but the way this is set up and works at Volvo is respectful. The XC60 fully fits into the development vector of the Scandinavian company, according to which people in Volvo cars should not receive serious injuries, and even more so fatal. Therefore, this crossover knows how to keep the distance, urgently brake, steer and keep the lane if the driver is distracted. The car will never allow the wheels to cross the markings without the included turn signal.
However, the Swedish crossover is very strict about the position of the hands on the steering wheel. If you completely leave the steering wheel, then after 15–20 seconds a warning will appear on the instrument panel with a request to take up the wheel again. And after another minute, the system will simply turn off. Although, in general, it would be nice in this case to make an emergency stop - you never know what happened to the driver. However, the new generation of assistants will use just such an algorithm of actions, so after the update it will probably appear on the XC60 as well.
But to be honest, you want to drive the Swedish crossover yourself, and not trust a good half of the driver's work to electronic assistants. Because Volvo drives great. The XC60 keeps straight with a firm grip on the road, predictably handles on arcs, and sways moderately during sharp maneuvers and in tight turns.
For the thrill, you can also switch the mechatronics settings to Dynamic mode, and then the gas pedal will become more sensitive, and the gearbox will be sharper and faster when shifting. But globally, the difference between the driving modes, among which, in addition to Dynamic, there is also ECO, Comfort and Individual, is almost imperceptible. The most balanced base Comfort variant appears to suit any riding style.
Under the hood, our version of the XC60 has a 5 hp T249 petrol engine. with., which more than confidently drives the car. But at idle, he, alas, rumbles like a diesel engine. Before the first refueling, I even got the idea to double-check the type of fuel on the fuel filler flap. But while driving, no extraneous noise is heard in the cabin. Another negative point is the fuel consumption figures. There is no question of the declared 8 liters per “hundred”. Better to count on at least 11.
For a car of considerable dimensions, this is generally normal, especially considering how much it is ready to transport at one time. The cozy cabin has enough space for three, if the middle rear passenger is not confused by a solid tunnel on the floor. It's even easier with children, and the optional transforming chairs that turn the side seats into children's seats are generally a godsend. Everything is just fine with the driver, without reservations, and even a safe headrest presses on the back of the head not as intrusively as before.
The main thing is that a reminder of the flagship in the XC60 cabin is the vertically oriented display of the media system on the center console. Almost all the functionality of the cabin is sewn into the head unit, including climate control, so there are a minimum of buttons around. From the point of view of Scandinavian minimalism and style, this is a plus, but from the point of view of ease of use, it is rather a minus. In motion, it is much easier to scroll the puck or press a button than to get your finger into the desired sector of the touchscreen.
Only the audio system has its own control unit. And it is worth talking about it separately. The optional Bower & Wilkins can play very loud and still sound crystal clear. Upset only the volume control buttons and track switching on the steering wheel - they still fall into the grip area and sometimes you touch them with your fingers during active steering wheel manipulations.
| A type | Crossover | Crossover |
| dimensions (length, width, height), mm | 4693/1903/1678 | 4688/1999/1658 |
| Wheelbase, mm | 2800 | 2665 |
| Cargo space, l | 565 | 505 |
| Curb weight, kg | 1884 | 2081 |
| engine's type | Petrol R4, turbo | Petrol R4, turbo |
| Working volume, cubic meters cm | 1997 | 1969 |
| Max. power, l. with. (at rpm) | 249/5600 | 249/5500 |
| Max. cool. moment, Nm (at rpm) | 380/4400 | 350 / 1500-4800 |
| Drive type, transmission | CVT full | AKP8, full |
| Acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h, s | 7,3 | 6,8 |
| Max. speed km / h | 220 | 220 |
| Fuel consumption (mixed cycle), l per 100 km | 8,6 | 7,3 |
| Price from, $. | 38 381 | 42 822 |
