Is the 2013 JX Crossover Concept Infiniti’s Next Hybrid?
With an expected formal introduction at the LA Auto Show in November, Infiniti took its 2013 JX Crossover Concept out of a spin in early July. And from the reviews, the crossover seems like an ideal candidate to help meets Infiniti’s goal of making hybrids a larger part of its strategy.
Currently, Infiniti only offers the M35h sports sedan as a hybrid. The JX crossover Infiniti teased is believed to have Nissan’s commonly used 3.5-liter VQ V6 engine. But the buzz is that a hybrid version could be on the way after the crossover goes into production next year.
So why would Infiniti make a hybrid version of the JX and not one of its other SUVs or crossovers? The JX fits neatly into a category that has the potential to be a large market. Other Infiniti SUVs and crossover vehicles seem either too costly or too small. For example, the QX is considered “too huge, thirsty, and expensive,” according to one review. The EX35 is fairly small for a vehicle in this class. And the FX line, while offering drivers a sporty ride, has limited cargo space and lacks a third row of seats.
The JX seems to thread a fine line between all three lines resulting in a crossover that should have broad appeal to those looking for a hybrid SUV or crossover for the family. For instance, the JX Crossover Concept has three rows of seats and can easily fit seven passengers. And CarBuzz noted that the JX offers “class-leading interior space.”
The JX also provides owners with great flexibility to accommodate various combinations of passengers and loads. Specifically, the middle row of seats is highly movable. Passengers can slide them forward and back. This provides additional leg room for middle row passengers and allows people to easily get to the rear row. Additionally, this sliding capability means a middle row child seat can stay in place when people want to gain access to the last row.
So if Infiniti were to turn one of its gasoline SUVs or crossovers into a hybrid, the JX seems like it would have the broadest appeal and meet the demands of more people in the market for a family-sized hybrid vehicle.
Additional speculation that Infiniti might offer a hybrid version of the JX comes from multiple industry sources. One common thought is that instead of the 3.5-liter V6, a hybrid version would add an electric motor or motors and use a smaller V6 such as the 2.5-liter engine already in use in the Infiniti G25 sedan. This might be another clue that the JX is ripe for hybridization. According to several industry sources, Infiniti filed trademark applications last year for JX25h. In other words, the JX25h designation could be used as the model name for a JX hybrid with a 2.5-liter engine. Anyone care to take a guess here?
