2025 Infiniti QX60 Review and Test Drive

Infiniti updates the 2025 QX60, swapping the midsize SUV's V6 engine for a turbocharged four-cylinder.

Jim Resnick | 

Apr 21, 2025 | 7 min read

Jim Resnick

In pursuit of improved fuel economy, Infiniti has significantly changed its QX60 for 2025. But the automaker hasn't added a hybrid or plug-in hybrid option to the midsize SUV. Instead, the 2025 Infiniti QX60 swaps its previous V6 engine for a turbocharged four-cylinder boasting variable compression ratio technology. It's called the VC-Turbo engine.

The idea behind the VC-Turbo engine, which debuted in the current-generation QX50, is that it can provide robust power when accelerating and better fuel economy when cruising. Does it? That's what I wanted to find out.

If you're unfamiliar with the Infiniti SUV lineup, the three-row QX60 is larger than the two-row QX50 and QX55 models and smaller than the QX80. It is available in Pure, Luxe, Sensory, and Autograph trim levels, and prices range from the low $50,000s to the high $60,000s, including the destination charge to ship it to your local dealership from the Smyrna, Tennessee, assembly plant.

For this QX60 review, Infiniti provided a test vehicle in Luxe trim with all-wheel drive (AWD), premium paint, and the new-for-2025 Black Edition package. Those upgrades brought the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $62,745, including the $1,350 destination charge. I evaluated the QX60 in Arizona.

Jim Resnick

Is the 2025 Infiniti QX60 a Good SUV?

Anyone seeking a handsome, distinctive, and well-appointed luxury SUV with three rows of seats will find the 2025 QX60 appealing. However, I think the new engine lacks refinement, low-speed power, and real-world fuel economy. That makes rivals such as the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, Lexus TX, Lincoln Aviator, and Volvo XC90 look more compelling.

Jim Resnick

What's New for the 2025 Infiniti QX60?

Until this year, the QX60 had a 3.5-liter V6 engine providing 295 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. It returned 23 mpg in combined driving with front-wheel drive (FWD) and 22 mpg with all-wheel drive (AWD).

That engine is gone, replaced by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder featuring variable compression ratio technology. At 268 horsepower, it's down in respect to ponies but it does make 16 more lb-ft of torque. According to the EPA, the QX60 will get 22/28/24 mpg city/highway/combined with FWD. AWD models see a 1 mpg drop on the highway.

The VC-Turbo engine is unconventional because it uses mechanical wizardry to alter compression depending on factors including engine load and throttle position. The theory behind variable compression is that it maximizes efficiency or outright power over a greater spread of driving conditions. Whether the situation involves low engine revs versus high revs, a light throttle versus a heavy throttle, or a light load versus a heavy load, the VC-Turbo engine can constantly adjust the compression ratio to improve power or efficiency as necessary.

In other news, a Black Edition package is now available. This features black 20-inch wheels, black exterior trim, a dark headliner for the interior, and illumination for the grille emblem and door sills. The Bose Performance audio system is now standard on all trim levels except the base QX60 Pure, and Harbor Gray paint is a new color for 2025.

Performance and Fuel Economy of the New VC-Turbo Engine

While Infiniti's VC-Turbo engine is slightly down on horsepower from the old V6, torque has a more significant effect on acceleration, and the new variable-compression powerplant supplies an increase. So in theory, the VC-Turbo should accelerate the QX60 as well as the old V6 did — but that was not my experience.

Despite its similar output figures, I found the VC-Turbo powertrain less responsive from a dead stop than the previous V6. The new engine gathers steam and delivers good power once fully underway and revving mightily, as when merging onto the freeway. However, an initial snap of responsiveness is lacking. Also, while the prior V6 engine sounded a bit buzzy under hard acceleration, the new VC-Turbo felt coarse through a wide span of engine speeds.

Today, many automakers have opted for hybrid powertrains to give their smaller engines more shove off the line. Infiniti seemingly missed an opportunity by not offering the VC-Turbo with such technology. Because the QX60 is a relatively large and heavy SUV, I found the VC-Turbo suffers from low-speed lethargy in a way the V6 engine didn't.

Jim Resnick

The QX60's nine-speed automatic transmission is sleepy from a stop, too. Once the QX60 gets going, it upshifts too quickly into higher gears in Normal mode, worsening the engine's response time at low revs. It also takes a hefty prod of the accelerator pedal to force the transmission to kick down a gear. If you always select Sport mode, it keeps the transmission in a lower gear, helping to solve this problem. But that also means more noise and lower gas mileage.

Since the VC-Turbo engine is partly an efficiency play, I twice measured the vehicle's mileage over a 73-mile route of urban, suburban, and freeway driving. The EPA's figures for the QX60 AWD are 24 mpg in combined driving. My two test runs returned 23.5 mpg and 23.3 mpg on different days, slightly under the official rating.

In comparison, the prior V6-powered QX60 I tested in 2023 carried an EPA rating of 22 mpg combined and returned 22.3 mpg over the same route, slightly better than rated. So while the new VC-Turbo engine proved somewhat more efficient than the prior V6 on my testing loop, it also fell slightly short of expectations.

Jim Resnick

Comfort, Convenience, and Driving Impressions

Aside from the engine swap, the 2025 QX60 continues to excel at the more tedious tasks of everyday life, such as commuting, hauling kids and sports gear, and packing in a week's worth of groceries. I also think the sheetmetal is stylish enough to impress at my local bistro.

I found the interior pleasing, plus the QX60 offers all the infotainment and active safety features I'd expect to find in a modern midsize luxury SUV. The Zero Gravity front seats provide excellent support to prevent fatigue on long drives, but I think second-row seat comfort is merely adequate — my adult passengers got fidgety on drives lasting more than half an hour. The third-row seating is likely best for small folks and short jaunts.

There's lots of interior storage, including a shelf under the center console surface that's accessible from both sides. Cargo space is adequate at 14.5 cubic-feet behind the third row, 41.6 cu-ft behind the second row, and 75.4 with both rear rows folded. Some rivals are better in this regard, such as the Volvo XC90, which offers a maximum of 85.7 cu-ft.

Jim Resnick

All QX60s have an extensive list of standard safety features, and my QX60 Luxe test vehicle came with ProPilot Assist, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist. You must keep your hands on the steering wheel when using ProPilot Assist.

When driving the QX60, I found the steering responsive, but the suspension leans toward comfort rather than agility. The QX60 is not a sporting vehicle, and it doesn't purport to be, but alternatives such as the Audi Q7 can carve up twisty roads at no cost to ride comfort.

Happily, the Bose Performance audio system produces high-quality sound, even at low volumes. The Bose system may not be on par with the excellent Burmester systems in various Mercedes-Benz models, but few ears would miss the extra performance — especially when indexed against the price.

Jim Resnick

While looks are always subjective, I like the 2025 Infiniti QX60's design. Plus, the ride quality, technical package, and appearance feel up to snuff for the category. While I don't believe Infiniti's VC-Turbo engine quite fulfills its efficiency promise, the QX60 overall is a solid choice for accomplishing everyday tasks in comfort.

Jim Resnick

From racing exotic sports cars, to ranking new cars, to peeling back layers of cover up in an exhaust emissions scandal, Jim has chronicled the automotive sector for decades. Jim has also worked inside the corporate headquarters of three carmakers, and therefore understands how the automotive sausage is really made. But Jim’s affinity for vehicles takes a back seat to finding the truth and the cultural implications of modern transportation. He has also lectured at universities to engineering and policy students and faculty on the industry’s relationship with legislation in the wake of the diesel exhaust emissions scandal several years ago. Put simply, Jim reports on autos, mobility, tech, car culture, and the traffic jam of topics within.