2012 INFINITI QX56

Fit, finish, tolerances and materials are at the top of the class. The first- and second-row bucket seats are some of the thickest, most comfortable we've ever tried. Underway, the QX56 is quiet, plush, luxurious, and very easy to drive. It comes loaded with equipment, including a vast array of electronic entertainment and information available to its family users.

The Infiniti QX56 offers seven or eight seats and 8500-pound towing capability. It comes in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions, with a five-mode all-wheel-drive system controlled by a wheel on the console.

The Infiniti QX56 was totally redesigned for 2011 and is unchanged for the 2012 model year. The QX56 is lower and wider and more stylish than the pre-2011 models. The Infiniti QX56 competes with the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX 570, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Audi Q7, and Range Rover.

The 2011 redesign eliminated a lot of the oddball design touches that characterized the original QX. It's much more aerodynamic than before, and third-row headroom was increased. The frame underneath was all-new for 2011 also, with a new fully independent suspension, automatic rear load-leveling, and an available active suspension.

A 5.6-liter V8 benefits from 32 valves and double overhead-camshafts with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing and lift to generate 400 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque.

The QX56 powertrain also features a 7-speed transmission designed for first-gear acceleration for the 5600-pound truck and its cargo or trailer, while the top two gears are both overdrive for good highway fuel economy. The 7-speed automatic transmission has adaptive shifting to match each driver's driving style, with manual shift override, including a sporty throttle-blip provided on manual downshifts.

Four-wheel-drive versions of the QX56 have a selector switch on the console offering automatic, four-wheel-drive high, four-wheel-drive low, low lock, tow mode and snow modes. The auto mode moves engine torque back and forth between front and rear axles up to 100 percent rear, but no higher than 50 percent front.

Compared to 2010 and older models, this latest QX56 is 2.1 inches shorter in wheelbase (at 121.1 inches) for sharper handling, and the front and rear tracks are wider. Body width has increased by 1.1 inches, and length by 1.4-inches while overall height has been lowered by a huge 3.2 inches. Yet despite all the body, chassis and interior changes, the 2012 QX56 is about the same weight as the old truck.

Like every modern luxury SUV, the 2012 QX56 carries plenty of electronic technology onboard to make driving safer and more enjoyable. A tire pressure inflation indicator system honks the horn and flashes the hazard flashers when correct tire inflation pressure is reached, thus eliminating the fill-and-check, fill-and-check ritual with a tire pressure gauge. This may surprise you …
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