2021 INFINITI Q60

While consumers continue to gravitate towards trucks, SUVs, and crossovers in a quest for maximum interior volume above all else, there remains a niche for style-conscious consumers who also love to drive. This is where the 2021 Infiniti Q60 fits in. 

The Infiniti Q60 first appeared in 2014, when then-CEO Johan de Nysschen, formerly of Audi, decided to shuffle the Infiniti nomenclature. All of the company’s cars became “Qs” and its SUVs “QXs.” It renamed the aging G37 as the Q60. Redesigned in 2017, it’s now four years into its second generation and poised for a refresh. 

The midsize Q60 luxury sport coupe shares many of the same systems with the roomier four-door Q50 sedan sibling but has two fewer doors, tighter rear-seating and more available power.  It competes for a shrinking market of performance coupe buyers with the Audi A5 Coupe, BMW 430i Coupe, and the Lexus RC, but arguably the Q60 has the edge on design and power.

At the heart of the 2021 Infiniti Q60 beats a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine rated for 300-horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque in the base Pure and midgrade Luxe models. That’s more than enough power to get some thrills out of your daily drive, but performance junkies can opt for the top-of-the-line Red Sport model. With 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque on tap from a tuned version of the twin-turbo V6, it has no problem keeping up with competitors like the Audi A5 and S5 and BMW 430i coupes. However, the tables turn when the Audi RS5 and BMW M models enter the fray, as those models offer increased performance commensurate with their price increase. 

Both engines pair with a seven-speed automatic transmission with a manual shift mode and rev-matching capability for when you are feeling racy. Paddle-shifters are standard on the Red Sport trim. All Q60s are standard-equipped with rear-wheel-drive, and to temper the fishtails, all-wheel-drive is a $2,000 upcharge across all models.

With 19-inch wheels and a fluid, sinewy body, the 2021 Q60’s exterior is impressive and simply stunning. However, its interior may leave buyers wanting. The headroom for the front passengers, measuring 37.4 inches with a sunroof and 37.9 inches without, is on par with the A5 coupe but tighter than that offered by the Lexus RC and BMW 430i Coupe. Admittedly, a midsize coupe of any marque is unlikely to need five seats, but not having that rarely-used middle seat in the rear may be a limiting factor for some buyers.

Although the base Pure’s ($42,775 including destination) leatherette-appointed cabin is sophisticated and checks most of the tech feature boxes, it has a slightly dated aura. But for some, that can be a good thing. It still uses an analog speedometer and tachometer with a digital display nestled in between rather than a single, large configurable digital instrument panel as found in competitor cockpits. Still, it’s a holdover that feels classically sporty and more connected to the vehicle.

Rather than using touch-based controls and touchscreen menu trees, physical buttons are readily accessible and make it easy to keep eyes on the road. The standard stacked dual seven- and eight-inch touchscreens are a Nissan/Infiniti trademark of sorts and include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. On a positive note, it’s an under-rated convenience to have the navigation static on the upper screen while messing with the audio display below it. An interesting mashup of old and new technology, the electronics system also contains a USB-C port and CD player.

Upgrading to the Luxe ($51,325 including destination) trim improves the interior with a moonroof, leather-appointed seating, heated seats and steering wheel and 13-speaker Bose audio system. It also adds a handful of increasingly common advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), such as adaptive cruise control, forward and reverse emergency braking with pedestrian detection and surround-view camera and sensors. It also unlocks the $2,050 Essential Package, which includes navigation with lane guidance, power-folding mirrors, power tilt and telescoping steering wheel and other convenience and connectivity features.

Performance aficionados with deep pockets will want the top-of-the-line Red Sport model ($59,225 including delivery fee). It includes everything in the Luxe trim and adds 20-inch wheels and more performance-oriented features, including an adaptive suspension and paddle-shifters. However, rounding out the ADAS with lane-keeping assistance, blind spot warning with emergency steering assistance and more requires adding the optional $1,700 Proactive package; it also includes Infiniti’s adaptive steering, which though accurate, can feel unnatural and over boosted. 

Overall, power, performance and style in a reasonably-priced package that is thousand’s less than the competition is the Q60’s $42,675 Base MSRP value proposition. The BMW 430i Coupe starts at $46,595 (including destination) and delivers only 255 horsepower but offers more advanced electronics. Opening the door to the 2021 Audi A5 Coupe will cost you $45,045 but gives you only 261-horsepower and significantly less eye-candy. The 241-hp 2.0-liter Lexus RC 300 is closer in design and price, starting at $42,725 (including destination), but you need to step up to the 311-horsepower RC 350 ($46,175 including destination) to reach an apples-to-apples comparison. 

Buyers who rank curb appeal, power and performance over the latest cabin technology will find what they’re looking for with the 2021 Infiniti Q60—an elegant luxury sports coupe that doesn’t have to break the bank.