Used 2022 INFINITI QX50

The 2022 Infiniti QX50 is a good premium compact SUV/crossover. It has a roomy and well-designed interior, drives smoothly, comes with a lot of standard safety systems, starts at a reasonable price, and wraps it all up with an arguably good-looking exterior.

It’s still quite fresh, as well. This second generation debuted for the 2019 model year. These qualities and more could put the QX50 on many prospective buyers’ short lists. But they might have to be long short lists.

Because there’s so much competition. Some rivals are more fun from a driving perspective than the QX50, several have greater prestige, others retain their worth to a higher degree.

More standard equipment this year emphasizes the 2022 QX50’s value, especially in the lower trim levels. This might turn some heads away from the usual Audi Q5 and BMW X3 choices.

Having 268 horsepower available with a flex of the right foot is definitely a positive thing. The same goes for 280 lb-ft of torque. This amount of thrust is more than adequate. The QX50 isn’t wildly fast, but quick enough for a premium compact crossover.

The suspension brings a soothing ride quality — great for road trips, less so for solo jaunts through the canyons. The steering doesn’t exactly inspire that kind of playfulness anyway. It’s precise and prompt, but lacking in feel.

Where the QX50’s luxury credentials are less convincing is in the transmission department. It’s a continuously variable transmission (CVT), a unit often found in budget vehicles.

Although Infiniti (and parent company Nissan) has performed minor miracles in making a CVT less sluggish in its responses and quieter in operation, most people with even a slight enthusiasm for driving would prefer an automatic with real gears. And this one still drones at higher revs.

These front seats are really comfortable. And they only become plusher in line with the trim levels, when perforated semi-aniline leather comes on board, sporting a quilted effect in the top model.

Heated front seats become standard in the second-from-bottom trim, with ventilation added to the mid-level Essential trim this year. Another change for 2022 is the inclusion of simulated suede accents fitted to the second-from-top Sensory trim.

The infotainment system has a dual-screen setup, yet still leaves several often-used functions such as volume and temperature control to physical buttons.

Sliding/reclining rear seats provide 38.7 inches of legroom, making the QX50 one of the most spacious in its class. Likewise with cargo area. Luggage space behind the 60/40 split/folding rear seats measures 39.3 cubic feet. When they’re folded, the maximum is 68.3 cubic feet.

Chances are a lot of people will like the styling of the 2022 QX50. Let’s call the grille bold, instead of too big. The rest of this compact crossover looks suitably premium and well proportioned.

A few small changes for 2022 include black accents for the headlights and taillights of the top four trims. Plus LED welcome lights for the base model’s rear door handles.

Slate Gray is a fresh addition to the premium paint choices offered with all but the entry level version. The top two trims are eligible for Dynamic Sunstone Red, a $900 option.

Although the QX50 doesn’t have the off-road abilities of a Jeep Wrangler, ground clearance of 8.6 inches can be useful when snow starts to build up.

WIRELESS APPLE CARPLAY
The ability to link a smartphone with the infotainment system is super-convenient and still not something we take for granted. Not having to use a cable with Apple CarPlay, a new feature this year, is even better and keeps the cabin tidier.

PROPILOT ASSIST
Now standard in every new QX50, this is a partial self-driving system with full-speed adaptive cruise control and steering assistance. Drivers must keep their hands on the wheel, but it takes some of the grind out of long freeway stretches.

The most affordable Pure trim enjoys extra standard equipment this year. Most significantly, blind-spot intervention, adaptive cruise control with steering assistance, and lane-departure prevention. It also gains wireless Apple CarPlay smartphone integration. Android Auto still requires a cable.

Other features include 19-inch alloy wheels, LED exterior lighting, keyless entry (now including the tailgate, which is powered), push-button start, 8-way power-adjustable front seats, simulated leather seating surfaces, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a self-dimming rearview mirror.

Driver assistance systems include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, automatic high beams, rear parking sensors, and rear automatic braking.

The dual-screen infotainment system incorporates satellite radio, Wi-Fi for up to seven devices, CD player, Bluetooth, four USB ports (including a Type-C), and six speakers.

Beyond things like all-wheel drive, premium paint, illuminated scuff plates, rear bumper protection and welcome lighting, there aren’t many options. Buyers must move to a higher trim for more equipment.

The main exception is an Appearance package for the Luxe trim that follows the Pure model. We’ll get to this in a moment.

Luxe adds a panoramic moonroof with a powered shade, roof rails, LED fog lights, heated side mirrors (newly standard), remote start, garage door opener, heated front seats, and seating surfaces of perforated leather (also new). The Appearance package brings various exterior elements and 20-inch alloy wheels all finished in black.

The next step in this ascent is Essential trim, now with heated/ventilated front seats, memory settings for the driver’s seat and mirrors (which also tilt down when reverse gear is engaged), heated steering wheel, and a 16-speaker Bose audio system. They join rain-sensing wipers, navigation, front parking sensors, road sign recognition, and a 360-degree camera system.

Sensory trim gains perforated semi-aniline leather for its seating surfaces, plus hands-free tailgate operation, and heated rear outboard seats. This version’s existing equipment includes adaptive LED headlights, 20-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable steering column with memory, and a head-up display.

Autograph complements its newly standard all-wheel-drive system with 3-zone automatic climate control, ambient cabin lighting, maple wood trim, rear side window shades, and quilted stitching in the seats.

There’s some more complex technology than usual going on inside the engine of the QX50. Variable compression. The idea behind it is that fuel economy is optimized under light loads, yet power can still be delivered promptly and forcefully when required.

That’s a lot of engineering effort for the occasional advantage of 2 or 3 miles per gallon. The Acura RDX is even closer, yet has more horsepower.

The engine itself is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder unit turbocharged to produce 268 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. Perhaps this variable compression setup might be more impressive if there wasn’t a continuously variable transmission (CVT) doing the shifting duties.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is the standard configuration in all but the top Autograph model, with all-wheel drive (AWD) available as an option. Autograph has AWD included.

Premium gasoline is recommended. These fuel economy estimates from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) pertain to 2021, but 2022’s figures should be the same.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 w/variable compression
268 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm
280 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 23/29 mpg (FWD), 22/28 mpg (AWD)