Inifiniti hopes new SUV can turn around fortunes in the U.S.

In this articleJapanese brand Infiniti on Thursday unveiled a new a midsize luxury SUV, called the QX65, as it tries to mount a comeback in the U.S.The vehicle will have a 268-horsepower VC-Turbo engine with 286 foot-pounds of torque, as well as dual 12.3-inch displays.The QX65 "accelerates INFINITI into its next era," Eric Ledieu, vice president of Infiniti Americas, said in a press release.Infiniti, Nissan's premium brand, sold a record 153,000 vehicles in 2017 in the U.S., one of the world's most important auto markets. Last year, it sold just a third of that, according to the company. After its record 2017, sales have declined nearly every year, according to a report from Haig Partners, a firm that facilitates dealer transactions. Infiniti sales fell 9% in 2025 over the previous year. "Now down 65.6% from its peak, and with only two nameplates on dealer lots, INFINITI sits in a tough position," the report said.Contrast that with Lexus, the luxury brand from Nissan's Japanese competitor, Toyota, which saw sales climb 7.1% in 2025, after an already record year in 2024, according to Haig Partners. Even Acura rose slightly in the same period, at just under 1%. Infinity has been in a "product lull" for a while, said Stephanie Brinley principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility. "They've changed, of course, a couple of times over the last few years," she said. "And Nissan, the parent company, has had a lot on its plate. While the intent to support Infiniti is there, it has faltered a little bit."Right now, Infiniti has two 2026 models in the U.S. The QX65 will make a third, and it will be a midsize SUV — hitting one of biggest single segments in the U.S. With a starting price of $53,990, it's less expensive than the average luxury midsize vehicle's manufacturer's suggested retail price of about $77,000, according to Cox Automotive.The brand touted its American ambitions with the vehicle's launch, choosing New York City's Grand Central Terminal to unveil the QX65 and, as it has in the past, enlisting NFL stars Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman as hosts for the event. Brinley also said the QX65 draws on Infiniti's old FX line of sport utility vehicles, which debuted in the U.S. in the early 2000s."[Those vehicles] were terrific," she said. "They were super stylish, they were performance oriented, and still just really cool and really vibrant."Infiniti said it is planning to release one vehicle annually over the next five years, as opposed to a more aggressive cadence."Hopefully they can they can turn this into a turnaround," Brinley said. But it's going to take some time."The QX65 is set to be manufactured in Smyrna, Tennessee, with vehicles arriving at retailers early summer. Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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