Infiniti QX65 Becomes Key Model for U.S. Revival in 2026

Detroit — The all-new Infiniti QX65 is officially positioned as the 'opening salvo' in the brand's 2026 U.S. strategic revival — and serves as the cornerstone of its product-line expansion and dealer-network revitalization.

"This January, we had only two models on showroom floors; by the end of this decade, that number will grow to seven," said Eric Ledieu, CEO of Infiniti Americas, in an interview in Detroit. "We're re-entering a highly popular segment."

June marked QX65's first full sales month since launch, with over 1,000 units sold — roughly 25% above internal forecasts — and surpassing the combined sales of the QX50 and QX55 during the same month last year. Infiniti expects QX65's monthly retail volume to stabilize between 1,500 and 1,800 units by this fall.

"The sales scale delivered by QX65 — and the gross margin it generates for dealers — is central to Infiniti's growth trajectory in the second half of 2026," Ledieu emphasized.

As Infiniti's flagship model for winning new customers in the U.S., early QX65 buyers are evenly split: roughly half are existing Infiniti owners, while the other half come from competing luxury brands. Ledieu projects that new-customer share will rise to 60% by end-2026. To accelerate adoption, the brand launched a six-month integrated marketing campaign on May 12 — the day deliveries began — with online inquiry volume, lead generation, and purchase intent all showing sustained upward momentum. "Every QX65 sold is a 'rolling billboard on four wheels,'" he remarked.

Product strategy centers on a streamlined three-trim lineup — Lux, Sport, and Autograph — widely praised by dealers as "easy to order, easy to stock, and easy to sell." Positioned distinctly from the best-selling three-row QX60, the QX65 emphasizes sportier styling and cutting-edge cabin technology — precisely targeting empty-nester households and luxury buyers who reject third-row seating and prioritize driving dynamics and digital experience.

The QX65 shares its platform and production line with the QX60 at INFINITI's Smyrna, Tennessee plant — giving the brand flexible capacity allocation. Powertrain-wise, the QX65 currently features the same 2.0L variable-compression-ratio turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the QX60, producing 268 hp. A V6-powered variant is slated for summer 2027; management believes this addition could lift series sales by more than 10%. According to Edmunds data, 41% of luxury midsize SUVs sold in the U.S. in 2025 were equipped with six-cylinder engines.