With so much snow this (almost) past winter, it’s no wonder automakers are doing everything they can to address concerns about whether seriously bad weather will hamper their vehicles' abilities to perform optimally. Case in point, the latest teaser for the 2022 Infiniti QX60, which shows the camouflaged three-row crossover undeterred by any amount of snow.
It’s all thanks to the company’s decision to give the QX60 the latest evolution of the proprietary Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system when the model arrives in dealerships later this year (at a yet to be specified date). Naturally, it’s described as Infiniti's most advanced version to date, featuring innovations such as a direct coupling system to send power to the grippier wheels “instantly.”
According to the premium Japanese automaker, the new I-AWD occupies less space than before and should deliver enhanced driving capabilities in all types of conditions alongside the all-new nine-speed automatic transmission and the same 3.5-liter V6 as seen on the current version.
“The all-new QX60 is really designed to encounter a wide variety of situations with its all-wheel-drive system. Whether it's deep snow, sand … even packed snow where it's a bit slicker,” explained Chris Fischer, Vehicle Performance Development Manager for Infiniti. “If you're driving in one of these situations, the system will monitor the road surface and very quickly move the power from the wheels that don't have traction to the wheels that do.”
That is because the I-AWD used by the QX60 discards the traditional use of electromagnetic coupling for a direct mechanism that uses sensors to predict when additional grip might be needed. It can transfer up to 50% of power to the rear wheels, then it’s up to the Active Brake Limited Slip system to redirect the torque between the rear wheels.
Infiniti also promises its engineers gathered hundreds of thousands of miles during “years” of testing in North America, including cold-weather trials that brought them from Michigan to northern Quebec and even Alaska. So, the QX60 should be suitable for a snow outing if the next winter proves as challenging as this one.
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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