After some "off-site events" faded, we were finally able to sit down and face the car. Before Dongfeng Infiniti held a grand press conference for the new QX60 and announced its pre-sale price of 450,000-660,000 yuan, of course, for this pre-price caused a lot of controversy - many people think that the pre-price given is too "idealized", and some people feel that the luxury medium and large SUV with 2.0T "small displacement" is not enough to have a row.
So is this really the case? With this test drive opportunity, we will first focus on the power combination of this 2.0T VC-TURO+9AT.
Driving quality is based on luxury comfort
First look at the book data, the maximum power of 254Ps, the maximum torque of 376 N· m, it seems that there is nothing particularly eye-catching in ordinary people, of course, it is not the same level of "weak chicken" of the kind of power system. In fact, if you look at the data alone, this power system is even better than the Volvo XC90 of the B5 power system. The matching 9AT gearbox is also the mainstream level.
As for why some people think that this power system is "not enough", after I opened for a while, I found that this power system is more to allow a car of people to reach the destination comfortably, and on the national highway near the border in Guangxi, the timing of overtaking is often fleeting, so the absolute power and response speed of this power system are put forward higher requirements. If in normal mode, without manual gear shifting to "hoist" the speed in advance to overtake the truck on the road, the opportunity to overtake may be missed during the VC-TURO switching variable compression ratio.
Even if the throttle pedal is pressed in time, the 9AT transmission has been reduced to the right gear, and there is a process of waiting for nearly 1 to 2 seconds for torque release. For consumers who are new to the QX60, it is likely to misunderstand this process as "power is only enough", in fact, only VC-TURO switches the compression ratio from the economic state of cruising to power priority, and uses the paddle to reduce the 9AT to the appropriate gear in advance, which has a 2.0T with 254 Ps and 376 N·m power output will not make you feel any lack of power. It's just that in the process of power release, compared to the V6 turbo-boosted competitors, there are some differences in the sense of premium and delicacy.
Overall, this powertrain is just right for the QX60, as long as you treat the car in a daily way, this 2.0T VC-TURO+9AT combination, with the opening torque curve of the throttle release is very smooth, with the linearity of the old-school naturally aspirated 6-cylinder engine. Regardless of the driver's driving level, the power output of this powertrain does not disturb the comfort of the co-pilot and rear passengers.
In fact, comfort is a point that the QX60 emphasizes.
As a luxury medium and large SUV, the QX60 has a vehicle mass of 2171kg, which is nearly 200kg lighter than the Lincoln Aviator, and the advantages of the curb weight are also reflected in the driving texture. To put it simply, the suspension of the QX60 is completely different from the American yacht style of the aviator, there is no too obvious sense of chassis thickness, compared to the lighter ride, but at the same time, the chassis can still show the sense of weight that a 500,000-yuan 7-seat medium and large SUV should have.
Overall, the suspension tuning of the QX60 still has the characteristics of the Japanese high-end model, which is more damped in the rear section than the air suspension of the aviator, and does not reach the XC90's state of overemphasizing support. The initial stage of the suspension has a fairly good ability to filter fine and bumpy roads, basically there will be no fragmented vibration transmitted into the car, and even on the steering wheel, there is almost no small feedback to affect the driver's judgment of the current road conditions. However, in the face of large potholes and undulations, the QX60's suspension barrel rebound speed is not fast and resolute, there will be one or two aftershocks in the rear axle, and the suspension has room for improvement in the ability to suppress the undulations of the body.
That said, the QX60 creates a light driving feel that is rare in this class, but also has the sense of isolation that this level of luxury brand models should have from the road. In terms of hardware, although the QX60 series is not equipped with more advanced variable damping suspension or air suspension, it can adjust such a driving texture, Infiniti's suspension engineers really have two brushes, which can be described as spending a small amount of money to do a big thing.
Another important indicator that affects the attributes of luxury is tranquility. The QX60 series is equipped with ANC active noise cancellation function and ASC active noise compensation as standard, and there is also double-layer laminated glass on the hardware. At high speed cruising, even if the speed exceeds 120km/h, the QX60 will not have obvious wind noise into the cabin. The noise of the engine operation is also difficult to pass through the firewall, and only when the rapid acceleration speed exceeds 3000 rpm, some unpleasant four-cylinder engine operation cannot be hidden.
Basically in the high-speed cruising will slightly affect the tranquility of the only tire noise, QX60 uses 255/50 R20 specifications of the horse brand Cross Contac RX tires, this set of tires is actually a good match with the QX60, can be transmitted into the cabin tire noise is also filtered by sound insulation material, the impact on passenger comfort is actually very limited.
Has an aura without being greasy
Let's go back to the design of the new QX60. Infiniti has always had its own set of appearances, and domestic models have basically mass-produced the design elements of the QX60 Monograph concept car, and highly restored the details. This generation of Infiniti design language emphasizes the combination of lines and highlights, the higher front cover position with the visual effect of the suspended roof reduced window, under the right chrome decoration, creating a sense of luxury that has both the aura of this level of models and the refinement of luxury brands.
From the perspective of the refinement of the appearance, I think the QX60 is more concise than the Lincoln Aviator, and the details of the workmanship of the sheet metal also reflect the characteristics of Japanese luxury brands, which is more in line with the aesthetic needs of young consumers, even if the consumer groups of these two cars are middle-aged people who are not small.
However, there is a detail that makes me a little puzzled, as the QX60 of the luxury medium and large SUV, obviously can make a more beautiful exhaust layout or exhaust decoration, but use two large chrome decorative plates with a large unilateral exhaust, not proud enough in the senses, to know that the next door pilot is "real 4 out".
Unforgettable delicate touch
Leaving aside the design layout of the center console, the interior leather fabric and workmanship of the four-wheel drive flagship version with a pre-priced price of 660,000 yuan have obvious advantages at this level. For example, the all-leather wrap with stitching on the center console is also a response to the diamond-shaped elements of the seat surface, and it is quite satisfactory in both touch and thickness.
Of course, I think that consumers can really buy the four-wheel drive flagship version with a pre-price of 660,000 yuan, a large part of the reason will be the blessing of this set of zero-gravity seats made of semi-aniline Autograph material - not only is the appearance of enough grade, but the details are also very good, the seat's sense of support and wrapping on the body is just right, in fact, the zero-gravity seat must be helpful to the improvement of riding comfort.
The only thing I personally have some opinions about this interior is this steering wheel, although from the semi-aniline leather of the steering wheel, the style of the model still has the appearance of a 500,000-yuan model, but from the layout and shape of the multi-functional buttons, it is not too similar to the 200,000-yuan Nissan X-Trail.
From the data point of view, the 2900mm wheelbase of the QX60 is not dominant in the same class, but the Japanese car companies have always had a "unique cheat" in the creation of internal space, and the 6-seat version of the model does not lose the actual performance of the third row of seating space. Details such as the flat platform in the back row have a substantial improvement in the comfort of the passengers in the second row. In addition, in order to create a more comfortable occupant compartment space, the QX60 also makes a certain degree of storage space for the trunk - the depth performance of the trunk is only in line with the level of this class of models.
Driver's Summary:
Product strength is not the most worrying problem for QX60, and some doubts on the Internet now are mainly because the pre-price of 450,000-66 million yuan exceeds the psychological price of many consumers for the Infiniti brand. But in fact, compared to the price system of Lincoln Aviator and Volvo XC90, the QX60 without a higher-end power system is actually very interesting, looking at the luxury medium and large SUV with 250 Ps power output, Dongfeng Infiniti gives such a pre-price is not excessive.
If you start from the consumer group of QX60, their needs are not fundamentally different from consumers who buy aviators and XC90, they all need a luxury medium and large SUV to meet the needs of family daily cars, as well as their own requirements for quality, and QX60 can meet these. Of course, how to make potential consumers who originally belonged to the other two cars turn to "risk" to choose QX60 is probably not only a matter dominated by Dongfeng Infiniti - but more is the "Nissan-plus" strategy of Infiniti's headquarters, whether domestic consumers can buy it.
Text| John 117
Photography | John 117
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