2022 Infiniti QX55 Sensory AWD

In the past decade, luxury automakers such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz have created sedans and SUVs distinguished mainly by their fastback rooflines, dubbed 4-door coupes. Which brings us to the QX55, a more-stylish version of the QX50 small SUV, with which it shares a platform and most components. The QX55 has much to recommend it: For openers, its turbocharged 4-cylinder engine (268 hp) delivers strong power throughout its range, and the ride is smooth and compliant. Its luxurious interior is elegant and tasteful, providing good front legroom and headroom and easy entry and exit. The center stack is nicely designed, with well-integrated buttons and a high degree of usability. Last but not least, it’s loaded with tech, including lots of standard ADAS features. On the other hand, the QX55 also comes up short in a number of annoying ways. First, the driving experience is diminished by the QX55’s CVT transmission; a 9- or 10-speed automatic, which most competitors use, would have been a much better choice. Second, despite the CVT and a variable-compression-ratio engine, the QX55’s fuel efficiency is middling - 25 mpg in combined city/highway driving - and the engine/CVT combo is noisy, to boot. Final complaints include poor overall rear visibility and a dated, low-resolution infotainment screen.