Special FX: 2022 Infiniti QX55 SUV honors crossover coupe past

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 debuted last night with a crossover-coupe-style design that looks as much like the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe as it does the Infiniti FX that helped launch the coupe-like roofline on sporty SUVs nearly two decades ago.

Related to the QX50 compact crossover SUV, the 2022 QX55 seats five and features an arched roofline with a curved rear end instead of the blocky rear end on most crossover SUVs. This turtle shell design usually places form over function, cutting into rear headroom and cargo space but offering a sportier look and often sportier suspension elements and more potent engines.

Up front, the honeycomb grille expands with a bolder, broader design stretching up to narrow LED headlights that squint like Dirty Harry. Lower air intakes house fog lights in deep C-shaped recesses that are reflected in the rear with twin exhaust pipes. Modest black cladding rounds the wheel arches and standard 20-inch wheels. The integrated roof spoiler salutes the descent of the roofline that pinches the rear end. 

Inside, an 8.0-inch touchscreen for navigation rules over a 7.0-inch touchscreen for climate and audio functions. Wireless Apple CarPlay comes standard, as does wired Android Auto compatibility. The cabin blends a mix of materials and two-tone synthetic leather that winds from the instrument cluster between the two screens into a signature flourish over the center console. In back, sliding rear seats help balance cargo room with leg room. 

2022 Infiniti QX55

2022 Infiniti QX55

2022 Infiniti QX55

The 2022 QX55 will come in three core trims—Luxe, Essential, Sensory—unlike the broader five-trim spread on the QX50. 

The 2022 QX55 features one powertrain, a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 that makes 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, same as the 2020 QX50. The engine uses variable engine compression based on driving style to optimize performance and fuel economy. A continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) also helps optimize power and efficiency. The QX55 comes standard with all-wheel drive. 

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 goes on sale in spring 2021. 

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