[Kenny Ray]

Hi
I just joined the forum. I am currently researching my next vehicle and the QX 60 is high on my list. I am a little concerned about some on line reviews I have read about the projected reliability of all of Nissan products, including the Infinity line. The MPG is also a little concerning to me, in that so many seem to be saying the actual MPG is no where near the advertised numbers.

Another vehicle I have considered is the Audi Q5 though it has no where near the interior room of the I QX60. Also looking at Lexus R300.

I would love to hear from current QX 60 owners about their search leading to the vehicle.

Thanks

 

[bsnguy]

Welcome. Here are my thoughts for you. First, remember that people rarely take the time to go online and praise their car. Most "reviews" by owners are skewed towards the negative for this reason. No car is perfect and I can complain about he QX60 with the best of 'em, but it was the best vehicle in the class (3-row SUVish vehicle with both a usable 3rd row and storage) when I was looking 18 months ago. Today, I hear the new Volvo XC90 is excellent so I would look there, too. As you note, the Qs are quite small (the Q7 is much closer to the QX60, but still not as roomy and more money for less).

As for MPG... No car has ever gotten me the rated numbers except for the Lexus CT200h. You can get the numbers Infiniti posts, but you have to do it the way they are tested: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml. Note that this is not what you do! The MPG estimates are best used to compare vehicles, not as a number that you should expect, every day, while hauling your friends, family and stuff around.

I have the QX60 Hybrid (no longer available, but maybe a few are still on lots, somewhere) and I average about 21 MPG over the life of my car. I've done as well as 23 MPG and as low as 15.5 MPG (this is per tank and measured based on distance and fuel put in from the pump... the car's computer thinks it's always about 10% higher, by the way... ). I think this is pretty darn good for a car that weighs about 4500 lbs and can have five people, two dogs, a roof rack, bikes and every square inch stuffed with "necessities" on a long road trip.

Comparing that to my previous Cadillac ESV under the same circumstances, I get about 30%-40% better MPG, on average. (On specific trips, I've gotten well over 30 MPG, but this is when it's only me in the car, no climate control on, windows up, etc.)

So, look around! Don't worry too much about reliability as you have a 4 year warranty and can always move on in year 4 if you find you can't take it any more. I've had only one minor issue, personally, in over 18 months. It's the best driving car I've had in many years. I also looked at the MDX, RX, Q7, Enclave and older XC90 (as well as many others, but these were the "finalists" in my search based on my criteria).

Good luck.

 

[Lexfiniti]

Hi
I just joined the forum. I am currently researching my next vehicle and the QX 60 is high on my list. I am a little concerned about some on line reviews I have read about the projected reliability of all of Nissan products, including the Infinity line. The MPG is also a little concerning to me, in that so many seem to be saying the actual MPG is no where near the advertised numbers.

Another vehicle I have considered is the Audi Q5 though it has no where near the interior room of the I QX60. Also looking at Lexus R300.

I would love to hear from current QX 60 owners about their search leading to the vehicle.

Thanks

I can understand your concerns about the Nissan/Infiniti reliability, but if that is the case why is an Audi even in your list? Infiniti has a longer/more mileage warranty and even though it may not enjoy the same reliability image as Honda/Toyota, I would say it is certainly better than most German cars.

Also, the Q5 and QX60 are not really cross-shoppable cars. Q5 is almost a compact SUV more the size of a CRV. And if you really don't need the extra space, I would say you should not get the QX60. There are always compromises with a bigger vehicle.

Interestingly, me and one of my friends started looking for SUVs last month together and my friend bought the Q5 and I bought the QX60. He didn't have any special need for 7 passenger capacity, while I did. I have driven his Q5 and it is certainly more fun (really there is no comparison between these two). But the QX60 is a much more comfortable car, with a softer-ride and more spacious and open cabin. And of course price wise also QX60 is cheaper. My fully loaded QX60 came in around the same price as his mid-range Q5 (and a mid-range Audi is closer to a base Infiniti in features).

So as far as I can see, it should be a very easy decision between these two based on what your preferences are. Now the comparison between the RX350 and QX60 is a bit closer and between the two, my suggestion would be to go with the RX350, i.e. if you don't need 7 passenger seating. One drawback with it though is, that everyone seems to have one .

 

[mahtx2]

I previously owned a Lexus RX330 and have a QX60 now, and both have a soft comfortable ride. I looked again at the RX350's before I purchased my QX60, and I wasn't impressed at all. I didn't like the interior, it wasn't nearly as nice as my previously owned RX330, or as nice as my QX60. They run about the same price, but you get much more for your money with the Infiniti, including a lot more space. I have 20,000 miles on my QX60, and I can say it's the best vehicle I've owned to date. I've had one minor issue when I first bought my QX60 which was taken care of immediately. I know Lexus has a great reputation, but I had lots of issues when I owned my RX330 and traded it in after only 18 months. That's when I bought my first Infiniti, and I'm on my third one now. I love my dealership, I love how I'm treated when I go in for service, and I love my QX60.

 

[carid]

Welcome to the forum! Nice to have you here. Lots of knowledgeable people here who can help you when you get what you're looking for. Good luck with the hunt and ask away if you need any info.

 

[dgandbver]

Online reviews are a good start, but you really need to know what your needs are and then test drive, test drive and more test driving.....
As others noted, Lexus RX and Audi Q5 really aren't really comparable with respect to size and gas mileage. They're both 5 passenger vs the QX60 7 passenger capacity.
From your comments, it appears you may not need the 7 passenger utility of the QX70 since your other auto options are the RX and Q5.
For us, we needed the 7 passenger capacity/utility and only looked at vehicles as such - MDX, QX60, X5, Q7, GX, GL450, Enclave. We own BMW 750Li and Lexus GS sedans.
X5, Q7, GL450 we're just pricey - about 20K more for comparatively equipped. They had more engine choices, more power, and handled better, but the 3 row seating was tight. Gas mileage was not exceptional, except for the diesel models.
GX - didn't like the third row seating and how it stowed. Also drove like a truck.
Enclave - room galore and by far the longest of the bunch. We didn't care for the interior design and this may seem weird but we wanted push button start....
Really came down to MDX or QX60 - both are good values and get relatively decent gas mileage and reliability. We purchased fully loaded QX60 for it's tech(nanny devices) and the roomier third row. Also, my wife is the primary driver and she preferred the seats and ride of the QX60 over the MDX. I was leaning more toward the MDX, but she didn't like the ride of the MDX - said it was a bit harsher and stiff and she found the 2 screens confusing - one for navigation, the other for everything else.
Well, happy wife, happy life
No problems with QX60 after logging 21000 miles.

Let us know what you decide on.

Cheers!

 

[Lexfiniti]

I previously owned a Lexus RX330 and have a QX60 now, and both have a soft comfortable ride. I looked again at the RX350's before I purchased my QX60, and I wasn't impressed at all. I didn't like the interior, it wasn't nearly as nice as my previously owned RX330, or as nice as my QX60. They run about the same price, but you get much more for your money with the Infiniti, including a lot more space. I have 20,000 miles on my QX60, and I can say it's the best vehicle I've owned to date. I've had one minor issue when I first bought my QX60 which was taken care of immediately. I know Lexus has a great reputation, but I had lots of issues when I owned my RX330 and traded it in after only 18 months. That's when I bought my first Infiniti, and I'm on my third one now. I love my dealership, I love how I'm treated when I go in for service, and I love my QX60.

I also do not particularly like the interior of the new RX350. But that is more personal preference. Given the concerns OP had raised, I think the RX350 will be a better fit for him. One is gas mileage. It is clear from my own experience and reports from other owners and pretty much every review out there that the actual mileage is no where near the EPA ratings. I would put the average we are getting at may be 15/22 (a combined of around 18 as per the trip computer, which as reported by several people shows about 5-10% higher).
One of my friends has the RX350 (I think 2013), and he does get 25-26 on the highway and 21-22 overall.

As for reliability, surely there'll be examples like yours. But if you look at the reliability ratings overall, RX comes out as the more reliable of the two. Not saying that QX60 is unreliable or anything.

And anyway I'm assuming the OP is going to test drive all the contenders before making a decision. All the info from reviews, blogs, forums can only help you so much, it is finally the test drive that should make the difference.
For eg., based on reading online reviews, I had pretty much assumed that the MDX will be a better car to drive. But on test driving I found I preferred the drive of QX60 a lot more.

 

[Lexfiniti]

Online reviews are a good start, but you really need to know what your needs are and then test drive, test drive and more test driving.....
As others noted, Lexus RX and Audi Q5 really aren't really comparable with respect to size and gas mileage. They're both 5 passenger vs the QX60 7 passenger capacity.
From your comments, it appears you may not need the 7 passenger utility of the QX70 since your other auto options are the RX and Q5.
For us, we needed the 7 passenger capacity/utility and only looked at vehicles as such - MDX, QX60, X5, Q7, GX, GL450, Enclave. We own BMW 750Li and Lexus GS sedans.
X5, Q7, GL450 we're just pricey - about 20K more for comparatively equipped. They had more engine choices, more power, and handled better, but the 3 row seating was tight. Gas mileage was not exceptional, except for the diesel models.
GX - didn't like the third row seating and how it stowed. Also drove like a truck.
Enclave - room galore and by far the longest of the bunch. We didn't care for the interior design and this may seem weird but we wanted push button start....
Really came down to MDX or QX60 - both are good values and get relatively decent gas mileage and reliability. We purchased fully loaded QX60 for it's tech(nanny devices) and the roomier third row. Also, my wife is the primary driver and she preferred the seats and ride of the QX60 over the MDX. I was leaning more toward the MDX, but she didn't like the ride of the MDX - said it was a bit harsher and stiff and she found the 2 screens confusing - one for navigation, the other for everything else.
Well, happy wife, happy life
No problems with QX60 after logging 21000 miles.

Let us know what you decide on.

Cheers!

This mostly sums up our decision process too, except we didn't look at the Buick. In our case also the QX60 is my wife's primary driver.
Though one difference is that we did seriously consider the Odyssey as it is by far the most practical and convenient vehicle for 7-8 passengers.
But we didn't like how it drove (compared to the QX60 at least) and the seas of cheap grey plastic all around was also a big turn-off. Plus it would have forced us to keep 3 cars as neither me or my wife was going to use it as a daily driver.

But I'm sure I'll still be thinking if we made the right decision or not when we have to go on a road-trip with 7 passengers and I'll be struggling to fit their luggage in the QX60 (I know we'll have to put a roof box or something, but nothing beats just dumping your luggage inside the car).

Btw, I also have a Lexus GS (hybrid) but no BMWs yet. Still good to see someone with 2 same car choices .

 

[mahtx2]

I shopped for two years before I bought my 2014 QX60. I wanted something larger than my G35, that set up a little higher off the ground, and had a more luxurious feel. I started by looking at larger sedans, then started shopping SUV's. I wasn't impressed with the 2014 RX350, as I mentioned earlier, or with the salesperson who was helping me. True, Lexus always gets a better reliability rating, but with my experience I never understood this. I had numerous issues with the one Lexus owned. I looked at the MDX, but didn't like the way they lowered the vehicle, and to be honest I didn't like the looks of it. I almost bought the previous model, but it didn't have push button start (minor little thing, but when you're used to it, it was hard to take a step back) and the mpg was horrible. I loved the looks of the Buick Enclave, but after owning many General Motor's vehicles, I stayed away. I didn't buy my QX60 for the gas mileage, or the extra space, I bought it because of my past experience with Infiniti vehicles. Also, the comfortable ride, the appearance inside and out, the many options I was able to get, it was the best value for my money. I'm getting an average of 20.9 mpg overall between city and highway driving, and mine is AWD. I drove a 2008 G35 with the same engine in it as my QX60, and never got over 19.9 average mpg. I think this is pretty good for the QX60 considering it is a much heavier vehicle. I also drive in the standard mode, because I didn't like the way the sports mode seems to rev the motor before it shifts the gears. The standard mode is much smoother. Don't get me wrong, I loved driving my G35, it's meant to be driven as a sports car. The QX60 is not meant to be sporty, it's a touring vehicle. I attribute the better mileage due to the CVT transmission, and I've never had any problems with the CVT in my QX. Good luck and have fun shopping.

 

[lucioustheqx60]

I traded in a 2014 Odyssey for a 15 QX60 and have not looked back. While I liked my Ody (it was our 2nd Ody and 3rd minivan), for the price the interior was indeed.....cheap looking and laden with plastic and it did not always have the most refined handling. While I enjoyed the functionality of the van (ie. sliding doors, rear dvd, tons of cupholders), it was worth it to spend a bit more (not as much as I'd thought) for the more refined and fun to drive QX60. Additionally, my Ody stalled out on a multi lane freeway for no apparent reason (that Honda could diagnose) and almost got me and my daughter hit, as the Ody stopped accelerating in the middle of traffic, leaving us struggling to try to get to the shoulder.

I actually researched online the Merecedes GL 450 and the Audi Q7, just as a comparison, but only went to look at the QX60, as I've long admired it from afar. Once I test drove it, the decision was easy. As the owner of a 96 I 30, that still handles very well, even at almost 20 years old (and 231 k miles later) and has been pretty trouble free in terms of maintenance, there is nothing that drives like an Infiniti. For the person who is shopping, I say research, research, research, and then test drive and see how the vehicle fits your daily use and life. For a mom who never thought I'd part with my van (or at least for the next 10 years), I am loving the QX60 and it suits my family as well as my van did.