The term buyer beware should only be used in extreme cases. The 2014 Infiniti QX60 might just warrant such a cautionary label.

Many car shoppers might consider a used Infiniti QX60 to be an excellent luxury family vehicle. This may be the case for more recent model years, but the further back you go, the dicier it gets.

Critics and owners alike have harped on the unreliability of the 2014 Infiniti QX60, pointing to considerable system failings under the hood. If you’re looking for a used midsize SUV, you would do well to steer clear of this obvious flop for the Infiniti brand.

All it takes is a closer look to uncover what went startlingly wrong with this earlier luxury SUV.

A few good features

Beauty is alluring, but in the 2014 Infiniti QX60, beauty is only skin deep. It has the sophisticated style you’d expect from a midsize luxury SUV. Inside, you’ll find spacious seating, even in its third row – a rarity for SUVs in this class.

It comes standard with Bluetooth hands-free phone capability and tri-zone climate control. However, there’s only one standard USB port, so everyone will have to fight over who gets to charge their phone. Navigation and a 15-speaker audio system are premium available features found on higher trims.

The 2014 QX60 shines brightest with its safety features. It comes standard with a rearview camera, and a wide range of driving-assistance technologies are available. These high-tech features include a 360-degree view camera, a blind spot monitoring system, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. 

However, other rival luxury SUVs have similar amenities and safety systems, so these aren’t only selling points for the 2014 QX60.

The meat of the issues for the 2014 Infiniti QX60

With a decent interior and roomy seating, it may seem tempting to pack the family up for a road trip in the QX60. However, a quick check of the transmission history in the 2014 iteration will have you thinking twice before making your vacation plans. 

Consumer Reports noted a 1/5 reliability rating and a 1/5 ownership satisfaction rating for the 2014 Infiniti QX60. Most of the vehicle’s negative feedback was due to its CVT transmission, which also scored 1/5 in minor and major issues.

One 2014 QX60 owner left a review on Consumer Reports stating, “The CVT on the QX60 has already been repaired once and is starting to exhibit the same problems (less than) 10000 miles later. This is a noted problem with notification by Infiniti of an extension to the warranty. This is just unacceptable quality in a $50,000+ vehicle.”

The 2014 QX60’s transmission isn’t its only problem. The NHTSA has issued seven recalls for the 2014 Infiniti QX60 in addition to conducting two investigations and receiving 122 complaints. The SUV’s airbags were the source of three of its recalls, as well as the two investigations. On the positive side, the organization did give the SUV a five-star safety rating.

Going to Infiniti? Go beyond the 2014 model year

Thankfully, Infiniti seems to have learned from its mistakes. In 2019 Consumer Reports scored the QX60 significantly higher, and it showed that the 2017 model years and beyond were much more reliable than previous entries.

If you are hard-pressed to own an Infiniti QX60, it would be wise to exercise caution by going after model years between 2017-2020 or newer.