2004 Infiniti QX56: can a monster engine overcome ass-like styling?

Yes. AutoWeek is quite happy with the gargantuan QX56, which is a more luxurious and stylized version of the Nissan Armada. It's all about the motor here, as the 315-hp V8 engine is somehow (white magic, perhaps?) capable of pulling the brute to 60 mph in under 7.5 seconds. That raw power, combined with a nearly silent cabin dripping with standard features, makes for a capable family hauler, especially when equipped with the Entertainment package. A vehicle of this size does suffer from vague steering and handling, but that's not really why you'd buy a truck like this anyway. The QX56's tested price is just over $52,000, less than a comparably-equipped Escalade.