What We Like
Modern, award-winning design
Pretty lush interior with extremely comfortable seats
Sporty but forgiving suspension setup
What We Dislike
Dual-screen infotainment system is distracting
Not particularly engaging to drive
This is the new Infiniti Q60. Based on the Q50 sedan, it replaces the Infiniti's G37 Coupe. The luxury manufacturer has two engine options for the Q60; a turbocharged 2.0-litre and a hot, indent-only twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 Red Sport version.
Here, the Q60 rivals cars like the Audi A5 Coupe, the BMW 4 Series Coupe, the Lexus RC Turbo and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. At face value, the Infinti is imposing, but under the skin, does this Japanese coupe truly have the substance to hang alongside the competition?
Style is draw
For most buyers, a coupe's design makes or breaks a sale and Infiniti's styling decisions have created a drop-dead gorgeous work of art.
Lower and wider than previous Infiniti coupes, the company terms the Q60's design language as 'Powerful Elegance', a mix of musclar bulges highlighted by chrome hockey stick-shaped trims, a feral front fascia and a sharp, slick rear-end.
However, it's a sort of styling that's going to divide opinions. While it drips character, some buyers may prefer the simpler sheet metal proportions of the Germans.
Here, the Q60 rivals cars like the Audi A5 Coupe, the BMW 4 Series Coupe, the Lexus RC Turbo and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. At face value, the Infinti is imposing, but under the skin, does this Japanese coupe truly have the substance to hang alongside the competition?
Style is draw
For most buyers, a coupe's design makes or breaks a sale and Infiniti's styling decisions have created a drop-dead gorgeous work of art.
Lower and wider than previous Infiniti coupes, the company terms the Q60's design language as 'Powerful Elegance', a mix of musclar bulges highlighted by chrome hockey stick-shaped trims, a feral front fascia and a sharp, slick rear-end.
However, it's a sort of styling that's going to divide opinions. While it drips character, some buyers may prefer the simpler sheet metal proportions of the Germans.
If you love it, you're likely to ignore its several flaws, but hate it, and no amount of dynamics and technology is going to have you signing a hire purchase on one.
Comfort and confusion
Inside, the Q60's snug, plushy seats mean high levels of comfort over long drives, making for a great grand tourer. You can also get nice and low thanks to the plenty of adjustment from the standard electric seats.
Most of the cabin is draped in high-quality, double-stitched leather and there's great use of metal bits to liven things up a fair bit.
For the most part, the car's interior fascia is quite expensively hewn, but some of its minor switchgear is a touch flimsy and tacky.
Comfort and confusion
Inside, the Q60's snug, plushy seats mean high levels of comfort over long drives, making for a great grand tourer. You can also get nice and low thanks to the plenty of adjustment from the standard electric seats.
Most of the cabin is draped in high-quality, double-stitched leather and there's great use of metal bits to liven things up a fair bit.
For the most part, the car's interior fascia is quite expensively hewn, but some of its minor switchgear is a touch flimsy and tacky.
What seriously dumbfounds us is Infiniti's infotainment system. Like its Q50 sibling, the Q60 employs two displays, mounted on top of one another high up in the dash. The top one takes care of navigation, while the lower one presents infotainment features.
Though relatively modern, they aren't particularly intuitive, are dated compared to the systems used by Audi and BMW, and don't quite strike as though they belong on the same dashboard. Neither are angled towards the driver.
A Mercedes heart in Japanese art
The Mercedes-donated turbo 2.0-litre four-pot, which powers the Q60 may only produce a modest 208bhp and 350Nm of torque, but it's enough to deliver brisk, though not outstanding pace.
You are required to work the engine hard to get peak performance, but its rorty soundtrack encourages you to do so most of the time. The seven-geared autobox, which rounds up the powertrain, is creamy during regular, sane usage but can be slow to respond when you're driving hard and expecting more.
That said, it makes up for this with its rev-matching downshifts, allowing for smooth transition between gears, and preventing shock loads through the transmission.
Though relatively modern, they aren't particularly intuitive, are dated compared to the systems used by Audi and BMW, and don't quite strike as though they belong on the same dashboard. Neither are angled towards the driver.
A Mercedes heart in Japanese art
The Mercedes-donated turbo 2.0-litre four-pot, which powers the Q60 may only produce a modest 208bhp and 350Nm of torque, but it's enough to deliver brisk, though not outstanding pace.
You are required to work the engine hard to get peak performance, but its rorty soundtrack encourages you to do so most of the time. The seven-geared autobox, which rounds up the powertrain, is creamy during regular, sane usage but can be slow to respond when you're driving hard and expecting more.
That said, it makes up for this with its rev-matching downshifts, allowing for smooth transition between gears, and preventing shock loads through the transmission.
One downside we experienced is the car's numb and detached helm, which denies Infiniti the sporty heroics the BMW 4 Series Coupe boasts. Fortunately, the Q60 sports a wonderful suspension setup and chassis, which makes it a competent corner-carver. It rides on the firmer side of things; you do experience some road imperfections, but it's never outright uncomfortable.
That said, the Q60 surely isn't the car for you if you're hot for driver engagement. But driving enjoyment can be had in many forms and the one best granted by this is a calm night cruise.
Night prowling
The Q60's saving grace is relaxed cruising. The catalysts? Windows down, refreshing post-rain winds, house beats and long, empty stretches of highways. When the stars align and present such driving conditions, the Q60 showed this writer that as a long-distance operator, it comes close to perfect.
It's a car that wants you to take life easy, enjoy what's around you and looks like a million bucks doing so; breathing hot down the neck of its Mercedes rival.
That said, the Q60 surely isn't the car for you if you're hot for driver engagement. But driving enjoyment can be had in many forms and the one best granted by this is a calm night cruise.
Night prowling
The Q60's saving grace is relaxed cruising. The catalysts? Windows down, refreshing post-rain winds, house beats and long, empty stretches of highways. When the stars align and present such driving conditions, the Q60 showed this writer that as a long-distance operator, it comes close to perfect.
It's a car that wants you to take life easy, enjoy what's around you and looks like a million bucks doing so; breathing hot down the neck of its Mercedes rival.
