2027 INFINITI QX65 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The fastback shape is popular among crossovers right now, particularly luxury crossovers, where flouting practicality is a bit of a flex. Audi has its Sportback models, Mercedes has its Coupe variants, and BMW has its “Sport Activity Coupes.” But Infiniti has more of a right to play with this design than most, having introduced it on the 2003 FX35 and FX45 more than 20 years ago.

On the new QX65, the effect is of a very high beltline and a very imposing grille. The grille design draws the eye to the standard illuminated Infiniti badge, perched just below the standard LED daytime running lights (DRLs). These are segmented, which creates a bit of visual noise we could do without, but the choice is in line with the brand’s signature “digital piano lighting.” This is repeated at the rear, where the full-width LED taillamp, prominent enough that it helps to define the crossover’s silhouette, is again separated into a series of vertical segments. Puddle lamps are standard, upgraded to Infiniti’s more elaborate “Light Path” on Sport and Autograph trims.

In keeping with the QX65’s target segment, it comes standard with 20-inch wheels on the base Luxe and middle Sport trims, each with its own design. The QX65 Autograph steps up to 21-inch wheels. The rounded wheel arches are another reminder that this sleek crossover is designed for street style, not off-roading adventures.

Only top-trim Autograph models were available on the drive program we attended, so we cannot yet comment on the synthetic leather (TailorFit) trim of the Luxe and Sport models or on their silver (Luxe) and black (Sport) interior accents. We can say that the fit and finish in the Autograph felt genuinely luxurious, with supple leather and attractive open pore wood. The quilted red leather is not limited to the seating surfaces but also adorns the door cards, dash, and center console–no sense of cutting corners or nickel-and-diming here. We especially liked the subtle rose gold piping that lines the inner panels of the seats, and the fact that the rear seats appeared to have received equal attention.

Infiniti’s limited usage of glossy plastic really contributed to a sense of warmth and luxury in the cabin, and the 64-color ambient lighting system found in Sport and Autograph trims only enhances that. The exception was the touch-sensing control panel, which reads visually almost as a third screen. This is not our favorite mode of delivery for controls–we prefer true and individual buttons–but Infiniti’s works better than many.

Infiniti reps told us that the familiar Variable Compression Turbo (VC-Turbo) engine has been tuned in the QX65 to “feel more eager to accelerate,” to which we say, “mission accomplished.” We were actually surprised to feel the crossover jump the first time we stepped on the gas. If the default throttle-mapping is not to your liking on a test drive, know that there are six total drive modes to choose from: every trim gets Standard, Sport, Eco, Tow, Snow, and Off-Road. We preferred the power delivery in Eco, though the theatrics of the Active Sound Enhancement system in Sport mode were good for a giggle.

In total, the 2027 Infiniti QX65 produces 268 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque, sent through a nine-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels. Infiniti’s Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system is standard, with no extra financial outlay required. The front-wheel-drive (FWD) Lexus RX and Cadillac XT5 both cost extra with AWD, as does the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) Genesis GV80, but the Lincoln Nautilus also makes AWD standard.

As part of the aforementioned “eager acceleration” initiative, the QX65’s transmission has orders to favor lower gears. Running at higher RPMs than feel necessary can get annoying after a while. Luckily, Infiniti has provided paddle shifters, so you can take matters into your own hands.

Ride quality impressed us, particularly given the 21-inch wheels of the Autograph grade. Larger wheels typically mean less sidewall to absorb road imperfections, but if we did encounter any particularly rough patches of road on our drive, we didn’t feel them. The ride felt suitably composed, and the Active Noise Cancellation system also contributed to a premium feel, keeping the cabin quiet–outside of the amplified engine sounds from the Active Sound Enhancement and the transmission tuning.

Though the high beltline makes a dramatic impression visually, it did not prove a challenge to visibility, thanks in part to the adjustability of the front seats. The standard rear parking sensors and the available surround-view camera helped compensate for the sloping rear, and we did not find ourselves needing to use the digital rearview mirror.

The QX65 can tow up to 6,000 pounds when properly equipped. That's enough for a small powerboat, a loaded single-axle trailer, or a compact travel trailer, and that capability puts the QX65 in a different league from most competitors. Only the Genesis GV80 can match it: The Lexus RX and Cadillac XT5 both max out at 3,500 lbs, and the Lincoln Nautilus at 1,750.

The choice of a coupe roofline in a crossover telegraphs that style is a priority over practicality. Case in point: The QX65 is based on the QX60, but with no third row. And yet Infiniti makes a very different choice here than Mazda did with the CX-70, which simply deleted the CX-90’s rearmost seats. The QX65 offers more payoff for the “sacrifice,” with a genuinely attractive and very much distinctive look, and it’s clear that product planners put thought into making the interior space as usable as possible. The rear seats not only recline for passenger comfort but also slide forward and back and fold flat when not too close to the front seats, allowing for some adaptability: Prioritizing cargo space or leg room is not something you need to commit to at the dealership with this vehicle.

The QX65 offers 35.8 cubic feet of space behind the second row and 67.7 cubic feet with the seats folded–strong figures considering its style. The fastback roofline's most tangible consequence shows up in other dimensions. Front passengers enjoy 40.6 inches of headroom and a generous 44.2 inches of legroom, but second-row headroom clocks in at 36.9 inches and legroom at just 35.7. Headroom is the obvious tradeoff for a sloping silhouette, and it’s shared to varying degrees by every fastback in this segment. But the gap in legroom compared to some rivals is notable: the Lincoln Nautilus offers 43.1 inches of rear legroom, the Cadillac XT5 39 inches, the Genesis GV80 38.7 inches, and the Lexus RX 37.4 inches.

Space aside, rear-seat occupants otherwise make out pretty well in the QX65. Two rear USB-C ports come standard, and the QX65 also gets tri-zone automatic climate control on all trims, with headliner-mounted rear air vents and under-seat rear heat ducts ensuring the back row gets due attention.

The QX65 comes standard with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is nice, but no longer a differentiator in the segment–we would expect wireless smartphone projection at this price point. What does stand out is the way Infiniti has made this feature more usable: with its well-designed wireless charging pad.

Regardless of wired vs wireless CarPlay, we tend to leave our phones plugged in on longer trips to charge. Wireless charging pads have become a common punching bag for their tendency to simply heat up a phone while only maintaining a charge–maybe adding a few percentage points if you’re lucky. Hardly worth it. In the QX65, Infiniti has adopted the latest Qi2 charging standard for faster charging with magnetic alignment. It’s further equipped with a fan, so the phone stays cool after snapping into place. We used cables in the morning out of habit, but we found the charging pad effective in our afternoon with the QX65.

The QX65’s cabin is not as screen-forward as some other luxury crossovers, and we mean that as a compliment. Its screens are a respectable size–a 12.3-inch touchscreen for infotainment in the center and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel–but they don’t dominate the cabin. Standard Google Built-In adds native Google Maps to the dash, along with Google Assistant for voice-activated requests. A 10.8-inch head-up display is available on the Sport trim and standard on Autograph, as is a digital rearview mirror.

Audiophiles take note: Sound is one of the features that cannot be added à la carte here. The QX65 Luxe comes with an unbranded 11-speaker audio system and the QX65 Sport with a 16-speaker Klipsch premium audio system, no matter what. Only the QX65 Autograph gets the 20-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere system with Individual Audio. Here, the front seats have speakers integrated into the headrests which can be targeted specifically. A phone call can be directed to either headrest or navigation cues to the driver while the music plays on for other cabin occupants. Similarly, audio can be directed only to the driver’s headrest so others can sleep. This offering pairs with the Personalized Sound app, available through the built-in Google Play store, to walk you through an in-vehicle hearing test, identify your “hearing profile,” and customize your audio settings accordingly.

Most safety features offered on the QX65 are standard. These include active driver-assistance technologies such as blind-spot intervention, lane-departure prevention, and ProPilot Assist, which combines adaptive cruise control and steering assist to reduce driver fatigue. Further safety features include predictive forward-collision warning, blind-spot warning, rear parking sensors, and high-beam assist. The key upgrade for the Sport trim is the 3D Around View Monitor, accompanied by Front Wide View, Invisible Hood View, and front sonar. Invisible Hood View provides a real-time camera feed of the road directly beneath the engine bay, a neat feature we’ve also seen and appreciated on the new Nissan Murano and Armada.

The range-topping QX65 gets almost the full kit, but even here, you’ll have to add the Technology Package to get ProPilot Assist 2.1, Infiniti’s hands-free highway-driving assistant. The package also adds a driver-monitoring system, a meaningful complement to hands-free highway driving in that it ensures drivers remain sufficiently attentive. Because compatible freeways were part of our drive route, we were able to test ProPilot Assist 2.1, and we found the operation to be smooth and natural.

Genesis makes Highway Driving Assist 2 standard on the GV80, and Lincoln makes BlueCruise standard on the Nautilus. But as Lexus doesn’t have a comparable semi-autonomous driving system at this time, and Cadillac doesn’t offer Super Cruise on the XT5, this technology’s extra cost on Infiniti’s entrant into the category isn’t as much of a black mark as it could have been. At least ProPilot Assist 2.1 is available for the QX65.

The QX65 is too new to have seen crash-testing with independent safety organizations as of this writing. However, the related Infiniti QX60 earned a 2026 Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), that organization’s highest honor. It also earned top marks from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) with a 5-Star Overall Safety Rating.

The 2027 Infiniti QX65 starts at $55,535 for the base Luxe trim with standard AWD. The QX65 Sport nudges a bit higher, starting at $57,235, and the range-topping Autograph trim leaps to a starting point of $64,135. All prices quoted account for the mandatory $1,545 destination fee.

Infiniti has identified the Cadillac XT5, Genesis GV80, Lexus RX, and Lincoln Nautilus as the QX65’s primary competitors. Of these, only the Nautilus also features standard AWD, and at a very similar price point to the QX65: $55,990 with destination factored in. The Lexus RX is cheaper, but not as much so once you add AWD (it starts at $53,875 in that case), and the GV80 is substantially pricier at close to $60K even in RWD form. Only the Cadillac represents significant savings, starting at $48,595 with AWD, but it also comes with 18-inch wheels, far less competitive in the luxury space, and its base Bose audio system has only eight speakers.

One area where every competitor listed has an arguable advantage over the QX65 is in the variety of powertrain offerings. The Lexus RX is available as a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. The Lincoln Nautilus also has a hybrid variant. And the Genesis GV80 and Cadillac XT5 each offer a V6 alternative to their base four-cylinders. For shoppers who prioritize fuel economy or seek a performance upgrade path, this could be the deciding factor. (Note that fuel economy numbers for the QX65 are not available as of this writing.)

The really interesting comp for the QX65 is the Genesis GV80 Coupe. The QX65 is a fastback first. Cutting the third row in favor of the coupe style is what distinguishes it from the QX60. At the start of this review, we listed several other “coupe SUVs” for context–all of them German, all of them from true luxury brands. Perhaps that’s why Genesis treats the GV80 Coupe as a separate and far more expensive model, pricing it at $83,345 to start. If we accept Genesis’s apparent valuation of the fastback premium at nearly $25,000, the QX65, delivering the same essential identity, looks like a downright bargain.