Published on October 2nd, 2018 | by Subhash Nair

Why Hasn’t Anyone Looked at an Infiniti Q60?

I’ll be the first to admit that a Q60 is not something I ever dream of owning. But after a short test drive, I did find a handful of redeeming qualities. Here are some of the things I liked and disliked about the car.

Performance

In terms of performance, the Q60 feels more like a tourer than a ‘sports coupe’. I think there’s a whole group of people who have worked hard and want to enjoy their retirement in something flashy that doesn’t wreck their spines. The Q60 is one of those cars, it’s comfortable, quiet, and exceptionally easy to drive for what it is. I also liked that there IS power when you need it. 0-100km/h in 7.3 seconds, 350Nm of torque, 7-speed automatic. They’re all the right numbers for this price and category of car.

What was lacking was engagement and finesse. I think Infiniti knew that pursuing BMW directly would be a waste of resources. They’ve done their own thing and made a car that’s heavier and softer than its competitors. If you’re looking for the best, most engaging possible drive in the segment, you will have to look elsewhere.

Design

The Q60 is a car that needs to be experienced firsthand to be appreciated. There’s a lot of sensous detail and a real sense of flow to the design. I appreciate what they’ve done here, really it’s a marvel to behold.

The interior’s also quite a nice place to be in. Sure, it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but I for one think they did a good enough job with the parts they had to play with. You get very comfortable semi-aniline leather seats, a 13-speaker Bose sound system, and much more.

The being said, I think they really could have done more to differentiate their cars in the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Some buttons, switches and materials in the Q60 are clearly taken from a Nissan parts bin.

Yes, this means better longevity and availability of parts. It’s just that the game has changed, and Germans have shown that customers are willing to pay for the little things that create a ‘premium experience’ and that sometimes means focusing on seemingly trivial things.

Value

Starting at just RM291K, the Infiniti Q60 isn’t unreasonably priced considering it’s completely made in Japan. The 2 German alternatives: the BMW 430i (RM393K) and Mercedes-Benz C300 Coupe (RM369K) both have enormously larger price tags. Despite the price difference, the equipment levels are actually not far off. 19” rims are found on all three cars. They all sport 2-litre turbocharged petrol engines (in fact, the Q60 uses the same engine as the Benz!). If you squint, you will find differences in spec, but it’s not going to be as big and apparent a difference as the price suggests. We also feel that Edaran Tan Chong Motor’s experience with aftersales and might make the Infiniti easier to own in some regards, but this is something only owners can comment on.

However, it goes without saying that there are more C Coupes and 4-Series cars on Malaysian roads today in spite of the price advantage that Infiniti has. My theory is that premium shoppers are not always looking for value-buys. Sure, they want all the equipment you can give them, but once they’ve picked a brand or shape that they like, it’s difficult to convince them to look elsewhere. Is Infiniti a widely loved or even recognised brand in Malaysia? I would argue that most potential buyers in Malaysia aren’t even aware of Infiniti’s existence. It’s quite a shame. A little bit of a push would have definitely turned more heads towards this comfortable, beautiful and capable sports coupe.

Infiniti Q60 2.0T Specifications
Engine: inline four, turbocharged
Capacity: 1,991 cc
Power: 211 hp @ 5,500 rpm
Torque: 350 Nm @ 1,250 – 3,500 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 7.3 seconds
Top speed: 235 km/h
Price: RM291,361