Infiniti unwraps the QX55, the FX Series’ ideological successor

Infiniti essentially invented the whole ‘Coupe/SUV’ vehicle category with the launch of its first FX model 18 years ago – even though no such term existed back then. Three years ago, the final FX – the QX70 – retired without leaving a successor. The new QX55 revealed today isn’t a full substitute, but it comes close enough.

The newcomer sports side windows that vividly remind one of the departed FX line, but it comes based on the compact QX50 architecture. It rocks a front-wheel-drive chassis with a transversely mounted engine and an AWD coupling on the rear axle (the FX was RWD by design). The wheelbase amounts to 2.8 meters (9.2 feet), the length to 4,732 mm (14.34 ft.), and the height to 1,622 mm (5.32 ft.). The road clearance is as high as 219 mm (8.55 inches).

A new bumper and radiator grille can be found at the front end, while the rear clip is brand new. Each of the brake lights houses as many as 45 LEDs, the license plate now sits on the rear bumper rather than the tailgate, and the trunk opening button now resides straight under the Infiniti badge. 20-inch wheels come standard, and the interior with its non-digital dash and a pair of central displays is largely identical to that of the QX50.

The suspension gains a few sports-friendly tweaks, and the car comes powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine worth 272 PS (268 hp / 200 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft). The transmission is continuously variable, and the on-demand AWD is included in all trims (unlike the QX50, which also ships in a pure FWD form).

Lower trim levels offer standard power steering, while higher ones benefit from the steer-by-wire tech known as the Direct Adaptive Steering. The ProPilot Assist package is optional.

Customers in North America will be getting the Infiniti QX55 next spring, while other countries will have to wait a bit longer. One out, the SUV will have to compete against the likes of the Audi Q5 Sportback, BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe.