INFINITI QX65 (2027)

Kirk Kreifels is sharply critical of the QX65, despite admiring its design and upscale cabin. He praises the beautiful exterior, comfortable reclining rear seats, generous cargo space, quiet ride, and polished materials, but finds the 268-hp VC-Turbo poorly matched with the nine-speed automatic. He criticizes its weak braking feel, noisy and shaky engine, sluggish passing response, mediocre fuel economy, and excessive pricing, calling it “fire-sale only” until the promised V6 arrives. Compared with the Nissan Pathfinder, Genesis GV80, Mazda CX-70, Lexus RX hybrid, and discounted QX80, he considers the QX65 an inferior buy, ultimately scoring it 72/100.

TFLnow is strongly impressed by the 2027 INFINITI QX65, especially its style, comfort, and value. The reviewer enjoys its responsive 9-speed automatic, standard AWD, polished cabin, excellent materials, clever Qi2 charger, and generous 6,000-pound towing rating. He argues it can make more sense than a comparable QX60 because similarly equipped QX65 trims cost less. Still, the 268-hp VC-Turbo four-cylinder sounds ordinary, the throttle is touchy, sport-mode steering is heavy, and the sloping roof sacrifices some rear headroom and cargo height. Overall, it feels like a pleasant, well-equipped luxury crossover rather than a genuinely sporty machine.

Tedward is clearly positive about the QX65, though he stops short of calling it a complete return to Infiniti’s glory days. He praises its striking FX-inspired sportback design, quiet and comfortable ride, upscale cabin, excellent Klipsch audio system, standard AWD, and surprising 6,000-pound towing capacity. He also appreciates that the VC-Turbo preserves a nonhybrid option, while cautioning buyers about its complexity and past bearing recalls. The vague steering, over-eager Sport-mode throttle, modest fuel economy, and limited athleticism keep it from feeling truly sporty. Overall, he sees a refined, promising luxury cruiser and an encouraging first step for Infiniti’s revival.

Topher Drives is unconvinced by the QX65, despite genuinely liking parts of it. He praises the beautiful red-over-red Autograph interior, exceptionally comfortable massaging seats, spacious cargo area, excellent 20-speaker Klipsch audio, and capable ProPILOT Assist. However, the 268-hp VC-Turbo four-cylinder feels underpowered and unrefined in this nearly 4,700-pound SUV, while abrupt throttle tuning, slow shifting, artificial steering and braking, road noise, and a firm ride undermine its luxury and sporty ambitions. The styling is appealing, but at roughly $71,000 as tested, Topher would choose something else and cannot recommend it.

Jakub is strongly negative on the QX65, while Yuri sees a few redeeming qualities. They criticize its awkward proportions, undersized wheels, noisy engine, clumsy 9-speed transmission, tire noise, and strange throttle behavior, arguing buyers should wait for the rumored V6. The reviewers do praise the attractive front end, comfortable and well-finished cabin, excellent Klipsch audio, useful wireless charger, strong driver-assistance features, and practical space for a sportback. Still, the poor powertrain tuning overwhelms those positives, making the Pathfinder—and the better-looking Genesis GV80 Coupe—their preferred choices.

Mike’s Car Info is moderately positive about the QX65’s nighttime performance, but clearly unimpressed by its refinement. The LED headlights earn praise for strong brightness, sharp beam cutoff, useful width, and effective high beams, while the rear lighting and customizable ambient illumination look distinctive. However, missing glovebox, cupholder, center-console, and puddle lighting, inconsistent approach-light behavior, uneven screen dimming controls, and mediocre camera clarity undermine the luxury experience. His hands-on night testing suggests the QX65 is safe and generally capable after dark, yet some features feel designed for showroom appeal rather than everyday usability.

Redline Reviews is positive on the 2027 INFINITI QX65, though not convinced it revives the FX’s sporty character. The first drive praises its striking styling, comfortable seats, premium materials, useful cargo flexibility, strong standard equipment, 6,000-pound towing capacity, and impressive highway manners, including nearly 25 mpg and effective ProPILOT Assist 2.1. However, the 268-hp four-cylinder feels merely adequate, sport mode is jerky and over-enhanced, ride and road noise are less refined than expected, and the front-drive-based platform lacks the old FX’s V6/V8 excitement. Overall, it’s a compelling, well-equipped luxury cruiser rather than a true performance SUV.

Micah Muzio is clearly impressed by the 2027 INFINITI QX65, especially its distinctive styling and upscale cabin. He praises the surprisingly useful fastback cargo area, comfortable seats, family-friendly rear-seat flexibility, easy-to-use displays, and excellent 20-speaker Klipsch audio system. On the road, the QX65 feels quiet, stable, and unexpectedly capable through corners, though the 268-hp VC-Turbo has noticeable turbo lag, can feel strained on hills, and doesn’t sound as substantial as the SUV looks. The ride is firm, braking slightly spongy, and the engine’s past reliability issues merit awareness. Overall, he considers it stylish, practical, and easy to live with, favoring the SPORT trim.

Brian Makse is pleasantly surprised by the QX65, despite arriving skeptical of coupe-style SUVs. He praises its responsive torque, well-calibrated steering, composed ride, exceptionally quiet cabin, excellent seats, and unusually useful 35.8-cubic-foot cargo area, arguing it largely avoids the typical “fastback tax.” The 20-speaker Klipsch system and satisfying paddles also impress. Still, he criticizes the artificial engine sound, front-biased AWD response, limited ground clearance, firm ride, weak brake feedback, cautious ProPILOT Assist, and reduced rear legroom. Overall, his tone is strongly positive but practical: buyers should test the back seat before purchasing.

MotorWeek is cautiously positive about the 2027 INFINITI QX65, finding it more responsive and peppy than expected. The coupe-like QX60 alternative earns praise for its elegant cabin, plush materials, separated 12.3-inch displays, generous cargo space, and standard AWD. The review acknowledges skepticism around the 268-hp 2.0-liter VC-Turbo four-cylinder, but concludes it handles everyday needs capably. A potential future V6 is intriguing, though the current single-engine lineup and dropped third row limit its appeal for buyers prioritizing performance or maximum practicality.

Ben Hardy is highly impressed by the 2027 Infiniti QX65’s styling, comfort, refinement, and smooth driving character. He particularly likes its distinctive sportback design, premium painted trim, practical two-row cargo area, responsive technology, and nine-speed automatic, contrasting it favorably with Mazda’s less differentiated CX-70. The 268-hp VC-Turbo four-cylinder provides smooth, adequate torque, but Hardy considers it the vehicle’s main weakness: Infiniti should offer a turbocharged V6 to match the brand’s performance image. Overall, he views the QX65 as a polished, well-built luxury SUV with strong appeal, held back mainly by its single powertrain.