2016 Infiniti Q60 2.0T Premium Tech first drive

Put simply, this is the entry point for the Infiniti Q60 range – the two-door coupé version of the Q50 saloon. Instead of a 400bhp twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet, you get a more modest 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that also benefits from a bit of forced induction.

'A bit' is the right turn of phrase here; air isn’t so much forced into the cylinders as lightly persuaded. The result is a modest 208bhp, enough to propel nearly 1800kg of Infiniti to 62mph in a reasonable 7.3sec.

The pricier V6 may get four-wheel drive as standard, but you have to be content with rear-wheel drive in the 2.0T. What you can have is Infiniti’s drive-by-wire Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) system. This is standard on Sport models and an £800 option on other variants. This has had its software tweaked in an attempt to improve feel and feedback over the same system in the Q50. 

Although there are no doubt a few of you wondering why there’s no fleet-friendly diesel option, there are a number of advantages to having a petrol powerplant. The first is refinement; the Q60 may sound pleasingly rorty when worked hard, but it fires up and cruises with virtually no vibration and a subdued noise.

For general schlepping, you don’t need to push the engine too hard to get the required level of thrust. If you want to go faster, then you need to explore the upper reaches of the rev range, something that brings us to our first problem: the gearbox.

The seven-speed torque converter automatic is smooth in normal use but can be slow and clumsy when you flatten the throttle, pausing before it shuffles down a couple of ratios to get the engine spinning into the powerband. If you’re looking to pull off a finely timed overtaking manoeuvre, we’d advise manually selecting the cog you want.

Given the unspectacular power-to-weight ratio, it's a surprise to feel the traction control stepping in regularly. Switch it off (or as off as you can) and you'll soon find that the rear of the Q60 can be persuaded to follow a very different line from the front, especially on winter tyres and in damp conditions.