Car and Driver - USA (2020-04)

68 APRIL 2020 ~ CAR AND DRIVER

The reorientation of the interior space in
this generation of QX into a more upright, tra-
ditional-SUV silhouette pays dividends in both
passenger and cargo volume. The second-row
RNaYVQRS\_RN[QNSaa\\ßR_N[fdUR_RS_\Z b¦PVR[aa\V[QbYTR[aRNRNaYRT_\\ZAUR QX50’s driver-assistance suite is among the best we’ve encountered, allowing for hourslong slogs with just an occasional tug of the wheel to acknowledge that we’re still paying attention. Many lane-centering systems’ late and abrupt reactions betray their nearsightedness, but the 6[¼[VaVμZ\\aU[R``bTTRaVaVY\\XV[TSN_ down the road, anticipating and reacting to Pb_cRN[Qa_N¦PdVaU\baWN__V[TV[]ba DRS\b[Q\ZRaUV[Ta\QVYVXRV[6[¼[VaVμ application of more familiar technolog y, though. The dual-screen infotainment setup makes little sense. If just about every other vehicle \[aURZN_XRaZNXRQ\dVaU[RaUR[6[¼[VaV
better have some awfully impressive additional
function to need a second. But it doesn’t. What
it does have are twice as many screen bright-
nesses and lusters. And then there’s the means
by which these screens are controlled. There’s
a knob to manage one of the center screens,
which can also be controlled from the steering
wheel via the driver’s left thumb. The driver’s
right thumb handles the information screen to
the left of that, in the middle of the instrument
cluster, while the lower center unit is a touch-
screen. Confused? So were we—ever y time we
drove the car. “Right hand controls thing on
right, left hand controls thing on left” seems like
pretty fundamental user-experience doctrine.

This sor t of thing is par ticularly frustrat-

ing because the parts of the QX that aren’t

a_fV[T`\UN_QN_RY\cRYf6[¼[VaVQR`VT[`

can be overwrought, but the QX50 dials the

brand’s look back. The color and material

selections look rich, and the attention to

detail is remarkable. The double stitching

on the seats and windowsills, for example,

is done with one row in silver and one in

brown. The band of silver wood trim has its

own band of satin-chrome trim and was our

favorite touch, although the natural color

variations in the open-pore wood meant

that we had bluish-silver trim on the doors

but a yellowish piece on the dash.

Toward the end of the QX50’s tenure,

the vehicle began to imagine threats during

parking maneuvers, its sensors sounding

alarms when there was nothing around

the car. It even yanked the steering wheel

\ba\S\[R`aNßR_μ`UN[Q`N[Qd_R[PURQVa

the other way. Thankfully, she was merely

parallel parking, but the thought of the car

doing it on the highway is terrifying. Luck-

VYfS\_b`aUR6[¼[VaV_Rab_[RQa\Va`ZNXR_

before a repeat performance.

We walk away from the QX50 impressed

by the engine’s inconspicuousness but

b[QR_dURYZRQOfVa`R¦PVR[PfN[QaUR

vehicle surrounding it. By our count, there

are about 20 vehicles that could be consid-

ered competitors to the QX50. T he VC-T is

a true one-of-a-kind thing, but even it can’t

QV`aV[TbV`UaUR6[¼[VaVS_\ZaURNZ\_]U\b`

brawlers in this crowded segment.

Though handsome
and sized just right,
the QX50 loses its
appeal the more
time you spend
behind the wheel.

Rants

and

Raves

I love the design

inside and out.

It’s distinctive

and rich, and the

cabin materials

are well worth the

asking price.

—JOEY CAPPARELLA

I appreciate the

communication of

the ProPilot system.

It will say, “steering

unavailable, bad

weather,” or “can’t

find lane lines,” or

“radar sensor

blocked,” whereas

many such systems

just stop working

with no explanation.

—DAVE VANDERWERP

Is the powertrain

nonlinear because

of the CVT or the

VC-T? Or a combina-

tion of both?

—EDDIE ALTERMAN