Compared to 2022, Infiniti actually had a pretty good year last year, at least in terms of sales. A year-over-year increase of nearly 40 percent sounds incredible until you realize it only sold about 65,000 vehicles. For comparison, Acura moved more than 145,000 units in 2023. Apparently, a dated, uncompetitive lineup will do that to you, and as Automotive News reports, dealers are desperate for Infiniti to actually give them some good cars to sell.
They’re not exactly being quiet about it, either. As Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board chairman Steve Lapin told Automotive News, “Product is king. Infiniti doesn’t have the right products right now to compete in the marketplace.” He also added, “The model portfolio is long in the tooth. It will be tough, unless Infiniti decides to increase marketing and incentive spending,” and that “these dealerships were built on promises made to us of 150,000 units.”
Lapin definitely has a point about age. The Q50 is a decade old at this point, and the body-on-frame QX80 is even older. The QX50 that was redesigned for the 2019 model year, on the other hand, gets absolutely stomped by most of the competition. The QX60 was redesigned for 2022, though, and is actually fairly competitive among three-row luxury SUVs.
Infiniti insists that’ll change by the end of 2027, as it plans to introduce four new or redesigned vehicles. The first will be a redesigned QX80, followed by a coupe-like QX65 crossover. After that, Infiniti plans to go electric, adding a battery-powered sedan and crossover to the lineup.
According to Lapin, though, Infiniti is making a mistake by jumping straight to making EVs. “Infiniti missed the mark by not bringing hybrid vehicles to the U.S. The technology is a good compromise. It delivers electric drive performance without range anxiety,” he told Automotive News.
We’re inclined to agree, although we would also argue that, hybrid or not, at least offering vehicles that more people want to buy would also be a good idea.