New for 2015

For the 2015 model year, the Infiniti QX70 gains a Sport package and loses its 5.0-liter V8 engine option.

Dressed to Impress

Luxury crossovers are all about practicality, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add a little style to the mix. The 2015 Infiniti QX70 doesn’t look like the average utility vehicle, and it doesn’t drive like one either. Despite its considerable size and roomy cabin, the QX70 is styled to impress and was designed to drive more like a sports sedan than anything with “utility” in its description.

Powertrain and Performance

When designing the QX70, Infiniti wanted to emphasize the “sport” in this sport utility vehicle. So it needed an engine that could provide plenty of excitement.

Under the QX70’s curvaceous hood is a 3.7-liter V6 that produces 325 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. It drives the rear wheels or all four through a seven-speed automatic transmission and Adaptive Shift Control.

The QX70 is also built on Infiniti’s Front-Midship platform, which places the engine closer to the middle of the chassis for better weight distribution, and makes for sportier handling. As a crossover vehicle, the QX70 also has a more car-like ride than traditional SUVs.

On the more practical side, the EPA rates the 2015 QX70 at 19 mpg combined (17 mpg city, 24 mpg highway) with rear-wheel drive,* or 18 mpg combined (16 mpg city, 22 mpg highway) with all-wheel drive.*

Features and Trims

The 2015 Infiniti QX70 is a five-door, five-seat crossover offered in a single trim level starting from $45,850.** In addition to a long list of standard equipment, there are also a number of standalone options and packages to make this stylish vehicle even more luxurious.

Standard features include automatic on/off High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights, a power liftgate, Bose® 11-speaker Premium Audio System, and power-adjustable front seats with 10-way adjustment for the driver and eight-way adjustment for the passenger.

In addition, Infiniti offers a Premium Package that includes a memory system for the front seats, an entry/exit system for the driver’s seat and steering wheel, navigation, and an eight-inch display screen.

For some added style, the Deluxe Touring Package includes 20-inch alloy wheels, aluminum pedal accents, Maple interior accents, and quilted leather seats with climate control.

The Technology Package includes several advanced safety features, among them lane departure warning and prevention systems, forward collision warning, and adaptive cruise control. In inclement weather, rain-sensing wipers and the Adaptive Front lighting System with auto-leveling provides some extra reassurance.

Finally, the Sport packages emphasizes the QX70’s performance-oriented attitude. Its’ distinguished by dark-finished exterior trim, including 21-inch Enkei alloy wheels, along with the Adaptive Front lighting System. sport seats, magnesium paddle shifters, and contrasting interior stitching.

Exterior/Interior

The 2015 Infiniti QX70 is one crossover that thinks outside the box. Where most similar vehicles try to mimic boxy, truck-based SUVs, the QX70 goes a completely different route.

With its long hood, curved roofline, and integrated rear spoiler, the QX70 looks athletic, like a vehicle meant to devour highway miles, not wallow in the mud. The extroverted exterior design is enhanced by a bold grille, functional side air vents, and dual chrome exhaust tips.

The interior design is just as dynamic. Infiniti likens it to an airplane’s cockpit, which is not something you typically hear about the inside of a luxury utility vehicle.

Fighter planes don’t have steering wheels, but the QX70’s leather-wrapped, three-spoke wheel with cruise and audio controls is pretty nice nonetheless. The electroluminescent gauges are sharp too, and Sequential Welcome Light illumination makes entering the QX70 like stepping into a living room.

Safety

What’s style without substance, though? The 2015 Infiniti QX70 also boasts an array of safety features, including standard anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, and rear-view camera. Front, front-side, and side-curtain airbags are also standard, the latter with a rollover sensor and outboard occupant head protection.

Bottom Line

The 2015 Infiniti QX70 is a different spin on the usual luxury crossover format. Its focus on style and performance sets the QX70 apart from the competition, and provides an excellent option for buyers who need a practical vehicle, but don’t want it to be boring.

For more information, contact us online or visit 3Birds Template to schedule a test drive.

*2015 EPA Fuel Economy Estimates. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions. Use for comparison only. Figure listed applicable to base models only. Other models may vary.

**All prices are Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP). MSRP excludes destination and handling charges, tax, title, license, and options. Retailer sets actual price.

Image: Infiniti (Vehicle shown with optional equipment)