What's all this about?

This is the Infiniti QX50, the new mid-sized premium SUV from Nissan's luxury division that will debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. And it has a rather neat trick up its sleeve.

Which is?

According to Infiniti, it's the first production vehicle to feature variable compression. Hence the QX50 is powered by the neatly-named VC-Turbo 2.0-litre petrol engine, which optimises efficiency depending on what the driver asks of it. That means you've got power or parsimony, depending on how the car is running.

So how much power is there, and what are the economy/emissions numbers like?

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine delivers 272hp and 380Nm, and it delivers these outputs to the front wheels, with four-wheel drive available as an option. Infiniti says the front-wheel-drive QX50 is 35 per cent more efficient than the old V6 model, while the AWD is 30 per cent better on fuel, simply by varying compression from 8:1 when the car needs to go quickly and 14:1 when it needs to sip gas.

Sadly, as it has not yet been homologated under the European test cycles, we can't give you any specific mpg or CO₂ figures as yet. But we can say that the CVT-equipped QX50 can do 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds (AWD; 6.7 seconds FWD) and go on to 143mph flat out.

What else do we know of the new QX50?

The new platform the Infiniti sits on apparently allows for better packaging of the interior, while the QX50 will come with the brand's ProPilot Assist driving aids, which allow for semi-autonomous driving on two-lane roads. The QX50 is a rival for the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC, and it measures 4,693mm long with a 2,800mm wheelbase, while it's 1,679mm tall (with 218mm of ground clearance) and 1,903mm wide. Infiniti says the bodywork creates six per cent less drag, while within is a hand-crafted interior with 'unrivalled' space and a rear seat bench that can slide back and forth to increase boot space from 895 litres to 1,048 litres with five people on board. Fold those chairs away and the cargo capacity swells to 1,699 litres.

Anything else?

Christian Meunier, Infiniti's global VP, said: "The QX50 is the most important vehicle we have ever launched, and it embodies everything the brand stands for: beautiful design, advanced technology and empowering performance. As a premium, mid-size SUV, it's the right vehicle at the right time in one of the world's fastest growing segments."

He added: "Variable compression ratio technology represents a breakthrough in development. The QX50, powered by our VC-Turbo, is the first production vehicle ever to give drivers an engine that transforms on demand, setting a new benchmark for powertrain capability and refinement."

Matt Robinson - 24 Nov 2017