2007 Infiniti QX56

Infiniti QX56: Is somebody missing a tank?

Sun, Jul 30th 2006

I’m going to wrap up my week with the Infiniti QX56 by saying that having it did accomplish one thing: I now understand the appeal of a massive and luxurious SUV. Before, I looked at people driving them and thought: Are you nuts? What do you see in that lumbering pile of gas-guzzling steel?

Now I know. I still wouldn’t go for a vehicle this large — even before contemplating a future of higher gas prices — but it was extremely pleasant to drive for a week. I’m surprised that after driving this one a few days, I wasn’t having much problem maneuvering it or parking it. I just got used to it.

It’s easy to get used to. The seats wrap around you like a mother’s embrace, and all the gadgetry helps but never gets in the way. (Maybe someone who knows more about navigation systems can tell me why it got me to San Jose on one set of freeways, and took me home on another. Interesting!) Sitting up so high surrounded by three tons of metal does make you feel pretty safe, even if studies suggest that’s mostly an illusion (plus, you’re not exactly giving the sub-compacts much of a chance in an accident.)

The bottom line on the QX56 is that although it has enough cargo room to haul multiple dogs, crates and people in all kinds of configurations, it’s simply too well-appointed to put all that gear and dogs into. As far as animals go, I see this as the perfect vehicle for people who are into show jumping. In that big-money game, this is just the ticket to get a pair of six-figure horses to a high-end venue in high-end style. It could pull the trailer with ease, fit English saddles in the back if you wanted and still provide all the luxury someone with enough money to compete on that circuit is certainly accustomed to.

But for those of us with more moderate incomes and a pair of damp retrievers … no go.

In the future, I think I’ll be turning down high-end large SUVs for review. They’re just not a good fit with the Dogmobile theme -- although I sure as heck enjoyed driving it.

Pictured above right is my retriever Heather. She’s not a miniature retriever, to give you an idea of just how big the QX56 is. There’s a car for everyone, but this is not the car for me and my dogs. Even if I had $53,000 of disposable income floating around, which I don’t.

-- Gina Spadafori

Carguy Comments:The Infiniti QX56 is being redesigned for 2008, yet it still retains is 5.6-liter V8 engine producing 320 horsepower. Towing capacity is 9,000 pounds and total cargo volume is 61.2 cubic feet. The EPA emissions rating for the QX56 is LEV1.

-- Keith Turner, The Family Car

Infiniti QX56 is big, bold and beautiful

Barking Lot Banter: The Infiniti QX56 is so big that even large dog families will find more than enough room to roam in its vast frontier. With hearty towing capacity – and price to match -- the QX56 may be better suited for the competitive jumping set than for the canine crew.