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Infiniti's new compact crossover stands out from the competition with its surprising balance of luxury and practicality.

The Infiniti QX55 is a brand-new fastback from the Japanese luxury car manufacturer based on the luxurious and classy-looking QX50. Launched at a base MSRP of $49,150, this Infiniti strikes a perfect balance for the folks who are looking for a comfortable daily driver that also looks handsome inside out. Coming with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine mated to a CVT and AWD drivetrain, the acceleration times are identical to the QX50.

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 can be had in three trim configurations, with rivals the likes of the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Coupe. The decent fuel efficiency for the segment and the torquey powertrain makes it a comfortable daily driver. The cabin comes filled with premium materials for the most part and the coupe-like roofline doesn't cut out too much in terms of interior space. Before making the purchase decision, here are 10 things you need to know about the 2022 Infiniti QX55.

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Unlike some of its rivals in the luxury fastback SUV segment, the 2022 Infiniti QX55 doesn't turn out to be a disappointment in terms of safety and driver-assistance techs. The standard driver-assistance techs include forward collision warning, automated emergency braking, blindspot monitoring, and a rear cross-traffic alert system.

However, the adaptive cruise control with the semi-autonomous driving mode is part of the optional packages. Nevertheless, they are reasonably priced even when considering the segment it competes in. In terms of the crash safety rating, the 2022 Infiniti QX55 received a front crash safety rating of 5-stars. The side and rollover crash test ratings haven't been revealed by the NHTSA yet.

Even though the headroom of the QX55 turned out to be slightly lesser than the QX50, we found it to be more spacious and comfortable than the rivals like the BMW X4 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Coupe. The front row occupants get the best in class legroom and shoulder room, making it a comfortable daily driver.

The features like semi-aniline leather upholstery, heated seats, and wide and well-bolstered seats are other plus points of the QX55. Get into the rear seats of the QX55 and you are looking at the best headroom, legroom, and shoulder room in the segment. However, the cargo capacity of 26.9 cu ft could have been better.

Ever since the launch of the VC-Turbo engine with variable compression ratio, it has been criticized for its lack of refinement. The same issue has been carried forward to the 2022 QX55, and that does make the driving experience slightly mediocre.

Coming with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine producing 268 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque mated to a CVT automatic and AWD drivetrain, it is neither the most powerful nor the smoothest offering of the lot. The 0-60 MPH comes in 6.4 seconds, and that makes the 2022 QX55 slower than both the segment rivals.

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The cabin of the 2022 Infiniti QX55 does look much more premium than some regular compact crossover SUVs out there. It comes fitted with leather inserts, aluminum accents, and premium-feeling switchgear. The leather upholstery feels very plush as well. However, it is nowhere as opulent as the BMWs and Mercs of the segment.

Open-pore wooden trim is abundant on the inside, improving the look and feel of the cabin considerably. Even the chunky leather-wrapped steering wheel, sunroof, and clean center console design are some other plus points. Nevertheless, it still feels a notch below the Germans, both in terms of design and material quality.

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 comes fitted with a dual touchscreen infotainment system with the upper screen displaying Android Auto and Apple CarPlay screens and the lower display showcasing seat heating settings, radio settings, and air conditioning controls. The interface isn't the smoothest out there and the display quality could have been better.

This luxury fastback also misses out on a digital gauge cluster display as an option, which is a huge miss. However, all the features like wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, SiriusXM radio, navigation, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and AUX connectivity are standard. You can also opt for the Bose audio system.

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You would be surprised with the long list of standard interior, exterior, and infotainment features onboard the 2022 Infiniti QX55. Even the base Luxe trim of the QX55 comes loaded with features like wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 20" alloy wheels, ProPilot Assist, faux leather upholstery, an AWD drivetrain, and heated and powered seats.

However, the mid-spec Essential trim is the one we would recommend the most as it is turned out to be the most bang for the buck of the lot. Offered for a base MSRP of $54,250, it gets climate-controlled front seats, an around-view monitor, navigation, and Bose audio system. The top-spec Sensory trim gets Monaco red semi-aniline leather seats, wooden accents, and a graphite shadow color palette.

The 2022 Infiniti QX55 manages to stand out from the bland-looking compact crossovers, mainly due to the massive 20" alloy wheels and the beautiful coupe-like roofline. The exterior dimensions of the QX55 triumph over most of the rivals, and that translates to better cabin space.

The six exterior color palettes, multiple optional styling elements, and the dark metallic grille design help it to look ravishing from all the right angles. The LED headlights and taillights make the QX55 quite timeless to look at, and the blacked-out pillars and subtle chrome accents on the side profile only add to its elegance.

Coming with a turbocharged inline-4 engine under the hood coupled with a reasonably low curb weight of 4,150 lbs, many would expect the 2022 Infiniti QX55 to be an impressive offering in terms of gas mileage. However, the fuel efficiency numbers aren't as good as the rivals.

Even though the EPA numbers haven't been revealed yet, we expect the QX55 to do 22 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. The combined gas mileage of 25 MPG makes it less fuel efficient than the X4 and GLC 300 Coupe. The 16-gallon fuel tank capacity provides a combined range of 379 miles.

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The warranty coverage provided by Infiniti is better than the segment rivals from Volvo, BMW, and Mercedes, and that does sweeten the deal quite a bit. The limited warranty is covered for 4 years or 60,000 miles and the powertrain warranty is covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles.

The only downside of the warranty coverage of the 2022 Infiniti QX55 is the lack of complimentary maintenance coverage, unlike the Volvo XC60. When it comes to the recall history, the 2022 Infiniti QX55 hasn't received any. However, it received a customer complaint related to the dashboard rattling at highway speeds, according to the NHTSA.

The braking hardware is identical to the 2022 Infiniti QX50, and the braking performance sees no compromises. The 13" front rotors and 12.1" rear rotors coupled with many braking features like ABS with EBD, ventilated front rotors, hill hold control, and electric parking brakes are standard for all the trims.

Forward collision warning and automated emergency braking remains standard too. The 2022 Infiniti QX55 offered a sharp initial bite and the braking progression is spot on for an SUV that crosses the 4,000 lbs mark.

Mohith is our in-house motorcycle mechanic and automotive geek. He loves riding and driving at the limits, and you would frequently notice him on racetracks at the weekends. Mohith is someone who would redline anything that comes with a motor - even our office lawnmower. He often does cross-country road trips in his trusted 300ZX and you could find him riding his CB750 quite often through the streets of Pasadena as well as on the Moore Motorsports racetrack.