10 Things You Need To Know About The 2015 Infiniti Q70

2015 infiniti q70

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 fills a unique role for the Japanese luxury brand.  In the absence of a true full-size sedan, the mid-size Infiniti Q70 has long sat at the apex of the automaker's line-up, and with its latest 2015 refresh the car has been allowed to fill out a bit in the form of a new long-wheelbase edition dubbed the Q70L.  Both versions of the automobile - the Q70 and the Q70L - continue to feature Infiniti's strong focus on technology, as well as a high standard of safety and comfort tied in with a sportier than average driving experience.

Let's take a look at 10 things you need to know about the 2015 Infiniti Q70.

01. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Has Been Lightly Re-Styled

Unless you look closely - and are a fan of the brand - it's going to be tough to see any major differences between the 2015 Infiniti Q70 and the previous year's model.  Infiniti has been careful not to mess too much with the Q70's visual DNA, preferring instead to focus on the details: a restyled front mesh grille, LED headlights, new fog lights snugged into the redesigned bumper, and a line that snakes its way from the front of the car to the rear along the side, where it meets a less bulky bumper was well as a trunk lid that loses some of the past car's bulbous look.

02. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Now Offers A Long-Wheelbase Option

Much bigger news comes in the form of the 2015 Infiniti Q70L, which stands in as the long-wheelbase model.  What do you get when you order the Infiniti Q70L instead of its standard Q70 counterpart?  How about 5.6 inches of additional legroom at the rear of the vehicle (for a total of 41.8 inches), a generous helping made possible by the almost six-inch wheelbase stretch that has been afforded the L version of the car.  There's 5.9 inches of extra knee room to had out back as well.  All of this has been accomplished while adding a mere 100 lbs to the Infiniti Q70L's curb weight.

03. The 2015 Infiniti Q70L Is A Rare Bargain

Go ahead and count the number of long-wheelbase mid-size sedans on the luxury market - we'll wait.  If the answer you came up with is 'zero,' then you are correct: the 2015 Infiniti Q70L is a rare vehicle indeed, which puts it in an interesting position compared to other segment-sharing models like the Cadillac CTS, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the BMW 5 Series.  In fact, the Infiniti Q70L is within almost an inch of the full-size Mercedes-Benz S-Class when it comes to rear seat leg room, which shows how it dwarfs its similarly-priced competition.  Speaking of sticker price, the long-wheelbase version commands a mere $1,500 on top of the Q70's $51,350 starting MSRP, which makes it a relative bargain for those in dire need of a larger cabin.

04. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Provides Two Engine Options

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 and Q70L are initially outfitted with a 3.7-liter V-6 engine that has been tuned to produce 330 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque, numbers that put it above the turbocharged four-cylinder entry-level edition of the BMW 5 Series as well as the six-cylinder Mercedes-Benz E350.  The next-step-up for the Infiniti Q70 is a 5.6-liter V-8 that churns out 420 horsepower and 417 lb-ft of torque, numbers that are achieved without the use of forced induction and which compare favorably to rivals like the Cadillac CTS Vsport but which fall short of the BMW 550i.

05. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Comes With A Seven-Speed Automatic

All versions of the 2015 Infiniti Q70 come with a seven-speed automatic transmission.  Seven gears is almost de rigueur in the modern luxury segment, especially considering BMW and Cadillac have moved to eight-speed autoboxes, leaving the Infiniti Q70 in the company of stalwarts like Mercedes-Benz.  There aren't any paddle shifters by default offered with the sedan, which saps a little bit of fun out of the overall driving experience, especially considering that the chassis of the Q70 has been setup to offer more engaging handling than one would expect from such a large car.

06. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Can Be Had With All-Wheel Drive

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 presents buyers with a rear-wheel drive design that delivers the traditional performance and dynamics that have become a calling card of the premium sedan segment.  For those looking for an extra edge when it comes to traction, however, the Infiniti Q70 can also be ordered with the brand's 'Intelligent All-Wheel Drive,' a feature that can respond automatically to changing road conditions in order to send torque to either the front or the rear axles.  Up to 50 percent of power can be shuttled to the front wheels on an as-needed basis, but during normal driving the system keeps 100 percent of output channeled to the rear to reduce understeer and improve steering feel.

07. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Features Competitive Fuel Mileage

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 might offer the size of a full-size sedan when ordered in long-wheelbase form, but fuel mileage for the car remains the same as its standard-wheelbase sibling.  This means that six-cylinder editions of the Infiniti Q70 return 18-mpg in stop and go driving and 26-mpg on the highway, while the 5.6-liter V-8 model posts 16-mpg around town and 24-mpg during highway cruising.  Ordering all-wheel drive subtracts about one mile per gallon from the highway figure.  This makes the Q70 roughly average in its segment, given that so many turbocharged four-cylinder engine options are now offered by rivals.

08. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Carries Over Last Year's Interior

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 doesn't see the same level of attention given to revising its interior as compared to the nips and tucks performed on its body work.  While the rear of the Infiniti Q70L is obviously markedly larger than that of the regular Q70, there's no extra equipment back there to help backseat riders get snug - meaning no separate climate or environmental controls or even USB charging ports for them to access.  Up front, the dashboard is almost identical to the one that appeared in 2014, which means a handsome collection of useful controls offset by wood trim.

09. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Can Be Customized Via Several Options Packages

As with most Infiniti products, the 2015 Infiniti Q70 is designed to be customized via a variety of options packages.  The Sport package offers a racier look with unique front and rear bumpers as well as 20-inch rims and a stiffer suspension system, while the Deluxe Touring package provides a Bose entertainment system, an air purification system, nicer leather upholstery, and a power rear sunshade.  The Performance Tire & Wheel package is fairly self-explanatory, giving drivers 20 inch rims and bigger brakes should they want style and stopping power over the full-on Sport package's tighter ride.

10. The 2015 Infiniti Q70 Keeps Safety At The Forefront

The 2015 Infiniti Q70 continues to present a long list of safety equipment that reflects the focus on technology that has always marked the automaker's models.  In particular, the Infiniti Q70 provides features such as blind spot and lane departure monitoring systems that also offer the extra dimension of being able to intervene and steer the car out of harm's way if necessary.  There's also a forward collision warning system that maintains a constant eye on traffic ahead and alert drivers of the Q70 should an impact be deemed imminent.