Infiniti’s QX50 Concept to Debut in Detroit

Despite its back-seat growth in 2016, the Infiniti QX50 remains one of the most dated crossovers in the midsize luxury segment. Apparently, the Japanese automaker is set to address this soon, as it’ll unveil a concept version of the next-gen QX50 in Detroit.

The redesign of this crossover is long overdue, so there is no shock in learning this concept is coming. What is a bit surprising is its design. Instead of taking on the flowing bodylines of most of the Infiniti lineup, the QX50 Concept has a more upright grille and rear hatch, making it more like the QX60. There are also hints of the QX Sport Concept that Infiniti launched at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.

Also like the QX60, the QX50 Concept has the shapely rear quarter window and cabin-forward setup

There are no images of the interior, but Infiniti says it features a “driver focused, passenger-minded” setup. Translation: the interior is skewed toward the driver without forgetting about the passenger.

Also debuting on the QX50 Concept is the brand’s new autonomous driving technology. These systems will act as a “co-pilot,” meaning they’ll take on the more boring driving tasks, like stop-and-go traffic, leaving the fun stuff to the driver.

The powertrain remains unknown at this point, but I suspect we’ll see the first application of Infiniti’s award-winning VC-Turbo engine. This 2.0-liter variable-compression turbo four-cylinder produces around 268 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque. This engine is not only plenty potent, but it delivers 27% better fuel economy than a comparable V-6.

We’ll learn more at the Detroit Auto Show, which opens to the press on Jan. 9, 2017.