Infiniti QX60 review: the three-row crossover the CVT was holding back
4/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
This generation of QX60 is a legitimate alternative to a Highlander or a Palisade for a Bahraini family that wants a plusher cabin and does not mind paying for it. Third-row space is still tight for adults on a causeway run to Saudi, but the drivetrain, ride and cabin quality no longer feel like compromises.
Pros
- Nine-speed automatic replaces the CVT that hurt the previous generation's reputation
- Cabin material quality and dashboard design are a genuine step up
- Second-row captain's chairs are comfortable for two adults
- All-wheel drive adds real security in rare heavy rain
Cons
- Third row is still tight for adults over a long causeway run
- V6 is unremarkable next to some turbocharged rivals
- Fuel consumption around 10-11 L/100 km is on the thirsty side for the class
- Resale still trails the Highlander and Palisade in Bahrain
The previous QX60 generation was a genuinely comfortable family crossover saddled with a CVT that made every acceleration event sound like the engine was struggling to keep up with the car's intentions. The 2022 redesign fixes that with a conventional nine-speed automatic shared with the Nissan Pathfinder, and the difference in how the car feels under load is immediate.
A properly upgraded cabin
Material quality moved up a genuine notch: real stitching, a glass roof that spans nearly the length of the cabin on higher grades, and a dashboard layout that finally looks contemporary rather than a Nissan part-bin arrangement with an Infiniti badge glued on. Second-row captain's chairs are the pick if you rarely need all seven seats; the bench trades comfort for capacity.
The V6 is unremarkable in isolation but well matched to the car's mission: quiet, smooth, and adequate rather than quick, with all-wheel drive adding real security during the region's occasional intense downpours rather than any pretence of off-road ability.
For Bahrain families making the regular run to the Saudi causeway or Dubai, the QX60 carries three rows of people in genuine comfort for the first two rows and acceptable comfort for the third over short stints. Fuel consumption in the 10 to 11 L/100 km range is the honest cost of that comfort and size.