Feeling good is never overrated. Safe, warm, cozy, relaxed — we are hard-wired to seek out those things that make up our version of Heaven.
Comfort always finds its way onto lists of criteria when people shop for new cars. Be it in the first or fifth position, no one weeds through cars looking for the one that will break their back, blow out their eardrums or want them to amputate a leg. That is, unless they're in the market for a race car. Good for you if you are!
Nearly every manufacturer offers up a champion in this department, including BMW's 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class and Lexus' LS. At Infiniti, the title of Most Cossetting goes to the QX56. You'd never believe it to look at it, but this gargantuan SUV is the Bentley Mulsanne of trucks.
Rough brush-stroke
Yes, the 2012 Infiniti QX56 resembles an elephant that has had its trunk cut off and its face and rear-end beaten in with an ugly stick. The front end of the QX has all the charm of a French bulldog and the rear, of a moping duckbill platypus. But beauty is far more than skin-deep.
I will give kudos to Infiniti for the 22” alloy wheels as they properly fill the Bag End front-door sized wheel wells. I would, however, suggest they drop the Harley Earle-inspired fender portholes.
Palatial cabin
Once hoisted aboard, occupants of the QX find acres of room, leather and other tasteful, luxurious materials. Stitched leather and soft-touch materials fill every nook and cranny and all of it looks very rich.
The giant seats are comfy; however, in the piloting position, I was never able to find a perfect driving position despite the 10-way power adjustable perch. The plethora of controls is fairly simple to adopt and their size permits decent ease of use.
These days, satellite radio has become a must with its commercial–free, uncensored goodness. The QX’s XM radio antennae is the most powerful I've ever encountered. Unlike all of the others I've experienced over the years, it maintained its signal in most tunnels. This amazing reception was coupled to the Bose audio system's great sound quality.
On the topic of sound, one of the most sought-after qualities in a luxury car is insulation, or the car's ability to isolate the in from the out. The 2012 Infiniti QX56 is one of the quietest vehicles I've driven in a long time. On a long road trip, occasionally cruising north of 120 km/h, passengers could still whisper to each other.
Custodian of the road
The QX56 displaces quite a bit of air as it travels on the highway. In order to get around swiftly, the vehicle depends on a 5.6L V8. At 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, this road train gets up to speed at a mind-blowing rate. A key factor in the quick acceleration is Infiniti's uber-competent seven-speed automatic transmission.
Despite the fact that the V8 hums at a tic over idle while cruising on the freeway, I managed a fuel consumption average of no better than 16 L/100 km. Ouch. I travelled 1,500 over the course of one week and even if 1,100 of those kilometres were on the highway, I could not get the figures to drop.
If the looks don't turn you off and the fuel consumption numbers don't frighten the fur off your Canada Goose jacket's hood, you're in for a treat: this thing is a good drive, for a 2,656 kg (5,855 lb) truck.
The 2012 Infiniti QX56 offers up surprising handling, strong brakes, generally responsive steering and a firm and comfy ride. Perhaps most rewarding after the V8's roar at wide-open-throttle is the incredibly involved and involving transmission. This truck’s box rev-matches when downshifting, up-shifts are instantaneous and gears 1 and 2 are snug, enabling massively quick street-light take-offs.
The dark side of the beast
Besides thirst and styling, another niggle is the trunk's high liftover and non-flat rear load floor; the bulbous rear bumper guarantees messy cargo transitions, especially in the winter.
As well, and this is far more personal, I've a real hard time with all of the big Infiniti's safety features — it's just too much — like Distance Control Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention systems and Forward Collision Warning and more. Cripes! If you need all of these aids, please do not get behind the wheel of any vehicle! Thankfully, they can be deactivated, at least until the next time you start it up.
A bargain?
Then, we get to the price. In fact, it's not much of an issue. Remember, the 2012 Infiniti QX56 includes the bells and whistles' bell's and whistle's. At $81,250 as tested with the Technology Package, it's still considerably less expensive than a Mercedes-Benz GL 550 at $93,900 and more or less in the Audi Q7 3.0 TFSI's range. These prices take into consideration gas powered and not diesel-gulping engines for the Germans.
Therein lies the principal advantage of the QX's competition. Otherwise, the Infiniti is quite nearly a bargain and, not to mention, a far more original choice. When was the last time you spotted a QX on the road?
Comfort always finds its way onto lists of criteria when people shop for new cars. Be it in the first or fifth position, no one weeds through cars looking for the one that will break their back, blow out their eardrums or want them to amputate a leg. That is, unless they're in the market for a race car. Good for you if you are!
Nearly every manufacturer offers up a champion in this department, including BMW's 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz’s S-Class and Lexus' LS. At Infiniti, the title of Most Cossetting goes to the QX56. You'd never believe it to look at it, but this gargantuan SUV is the Bentley Mulsanne of trucks.
Rough brush-stroke
Yes, the 2012 Infiniti QX56 resembles an elephant that has had its trunk cut off and its face and rear-end beaten in with an ugly stick. The front end of the QX has all the charm of a French bulldog and the rear, of a moping duckbill platypus. But beauty is far more than skin-deep.
I will give kudos to Infiniti for the 22” alloy wheels as they properly fill the Bag End front-door sized wheel wells. I would, however, suggest they drop the Harley Earle-inspired fender portholes.
Palatial cabin
Once hoisted aboard, occupants of the QX find acres of room, leather and other tasteful, luxurious materials. Stitched leather and soft-touch materials fill every nook and cranny and all of it looks very rich.
The giant seats are comfy; however, in the piloting position, I was never able to find a perfect driving position despite the 10-way power adjustable perch. The plethora of controls is fairly simple to adopt and their size permits decent ease of use.
These days, satellite radio has become a must with its commercial–free, uncensored goodness. The QX’s XM radio antennae is the most powerful I've ever encountered. Unlike all of the others I've experienced over the years, it maintained its signal in most tunnels. This amazing reception was coupled to the Bose audio system's great sound quality.
On the topic of sound, one of the most sought-after qualities in a luxury car is insulation, or the car's ability to isolate the in from the out. The 2012 Infiniti QX56 is one of the quietest vehicles I've driven in a long time. On a long road trip, occasionally cruising north of 120 km/h, passengers could still whisper to each other.
Custodian of the road
The QX56 displaces quite a bit of air as it travels on the highway. In order to get around swiftly, the vehicle depends on a 5.6L V8. At 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, this road train gets up to speed at a mind-blowing rate. A key factor in the quick acceleration is Infiniti's uber-competent seven-speed automatic transmission.
Despite the fact that the V8 hums at a tic over idle while cruising on the freeway, I managed a fuel consumption average of no better than 16 L/100 km. Ouch. I travelled 1,500 over the course of one week and even if 1,100 of those kilometres were on the highway, I could not get the figures to drop.
If the looks don't turn you off and the fuel consumption numbers don't frighten the fur off your Canada Goose jacket's hood, you're in for a treat: this thing is a good drive, for a 2,656 kg (5,855 lb) truck.
The 2012 Infiniti QX56 offers up surprising handling, strong brakes, generally responsive steering and a firm and comfy ride. Perhaps most rewarding after the V8's roar at wide-open-throttle is the incredibly involved and involving transmission. This truck’s box rev-matches when downshifting, up-shifts are instantaneous and gears 1 and 2 are snug, enabling massively quick street-light take-offs.
The dark side of the beast
Besides thirst and styling, another niggle is the trunk's high liftover and non-flat rear load floor; the bulbous rear bumper guarantees messy cargo transitions, especially in the winter.
As well, and this is far more personal, I've a real hard time with all of the big Infiniti's safety features — it's just too much — like Distance Control Assist, Lane Departure Warning and Prevention systems and Forward Collision Warning and more. Cripes! If you need all of these aids, please do not get behind the wheel of any vehicle! Thankfully, they can be deactivated, at least until the next time you start it up.
A bargain?
Then, we get to the price. In fact, it's not much of an issue. Remember, the 2012 Infiniti QX56 includes the bells and whistles' bell's and whistle's. At $81,250 as tested with the Technology Package, it's still considerably less expensive than a Mercedes-Benz GL 550 at $93,900 and more or less in the Audi Q7 3.0 TFSI's range. These prices take into consideration gas powered and not diesel-gulping engines for the Germans.
Therein lies the principal advantage of the QX's competition. Otherwise, the Infiniti is quite nearly a bargain and, not to mention, a far more original choice. When was the last time you spotted a QX on the road?
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