The 2022 Infiniti QX60 Takes an Appallingly Long Time to Brake to a Stop on Wet Roads
Freshly redesigned for 2022, the Infiniti QX60 is a powerful midsize SUV with a 295-hp V6 engine. It’s even capable of pulling small trailers thanks to its 6,000-pound towing capacity. It’s also easily one of the best luxury SUVs for families because of its cavernous interior, safety features, and general reliability.
Consumer Reports was also impressed with the QX60’s interior design and handling. However, CR found one major flaw: this SUV’s braking distance. The QX60 is one of the worst cars you can drive on wet roads.
What is braking distance?
The University of Idaho defines braking distance as how long it takes for a car to stop completely after applying the brakes. During Consumer Reports testing, a car’s braking distance is tested on a straight line in both wet and dry conditions. However, it’s not always that simple to judge a vehicle’s braking distance.
As UI points out, a car’s stopping distance can also be influenced by uphill and downhill driving. If you’re already driving at highway speeds, it will naturally take you longer to brake.
Aceable reminds us that a car’s braking distance can also be affected by the individual driver behind the wheel. Some people have faster reaction times than others when they see obstacles on the road. That extra “thinking distance” can add several feet to a car’s stopping distance.
The faster you’re traveling, the greater your thinking distance will be. If you’re driving at 60 mph, Aceable says it’s a good idea to add 60 feet to your estimated braking distance. Taking Consumer Reports’ data into account, that might make the QX60’s stopping distance over 200 feet on a wet highway.
It takes too much time to stop an Infiniti QX60
When coming to a halt from 60 mph on dry pavement, the 2022 Infiniti QX60 needs 138 feet of braking distance. When CR testers tried to bring the SUV to a stop on a wet surface, they needed 150 feet.
Keep in mind that these cars are tested on a closed track, so the thinking distance would obviously be shorter. During everyday driving, you also have to worry about pedestrians, animals, and other cars on the road.
The Infiniti QX60 managed just 53 mph during its avoidance maneuver test, but that’s expected for a vehicle in its weight class. During this evaluation, testers determine how fast a vehicle can go and still swerve away from an obstacle without hitting it. Consumer Reports did notice body lean during the SUV’s road test, but it’s still secure around most turns.
Despite those issues, Consumer Reports gave the QX60 high ratings in other categories. It’s one of the fastest midsize SUVs you can buy, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in less than seven seconds. The new nine-speed transmission is also smoother than the outgoing continuously variable transmission.
In addition, this SUV has a comfortable, quiet ride. CR was also impressed with all of the detailed stitching and soft-touch surfaces throughout the interior.
Other luxury midsize SUVs with worrying braking distances
Consumer Reports notes that the Infiniti QX60’s stopping distance on dry roads is still within an average range for its class. The Lincoln Navigator is worse, needing 144 feet to come to a halt. If you’re driving on wet pavement, you’ll need at least 162 feet to stop.
Consumer Reports also says the Navigator definitely isn’t confident around corners and suffers from vague steering. Its avoidance maneuvering speed was also quite low (47 mph).
The Land Rover Defender’s braking speed on wet pavement is just as bad as the Infiniti QX60’s. Still, Consumer Reports discovered that this car takes much longer to stop on dry pavement (147 feet). Though the Infiniti QX60 is clumsy on wet roads, it’s definitely not the most terrible option.
