Infiniti to Release Lexus RX Competitor in 2026 and Push for Electrified Vehicles
The Lexus RX has been a force to be reckoned with in the luxury SUV world for almost three decades. Competitors have come and gone, but the long-running Lexus has remained a solid contender. Infiniti has something to say about that, announcing a new two-row SUV to compete with the RX as part of its push to revamp its product line.
Infiniti said the new QX65 would land in 2026 as a smaller, sportier version of the three-row QX60 SUV. It will use the QX60’s platform and carry the same four-cylinder engine, but it diverges from the QX60’s design with a sleeker, curvier shape.
The automaker is also eying its first electrified vehicle, saying that it’s considering a hybrid crossover based on the Nissan Rogue. Infiniti’s catalog is stale compared to those of competitors like Lexus, leading it to announce a shift to focus on EVs in 2023. Part of that plan involves cutting some nameplates from its lineup, including the QX50 and QX55 in 2026.
Infiniti will also temporarily step out of the sedan segment, as it ended production of the Q50 earlier this year and will discontinue the car after this model year. Its EV push comes as it falls further behind its rivals, many of which have multiple electrified vehicles. That said, Lexus only has one EV on sale now, but its hybrid catalog is extensive.
[Images: Infiniti]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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