2008 Infiniti QX56
By Paul Borden

Infiniti put forth its first entry in the market when it introduced the QX56 for the 2004 model year. It offered up to eight-passenger seating (seven with captain’s chairs in the second row), standard luxury features such as leather seats and navigation system, and a 5.6-liter V8 engine that was the largest the company had produced. Since then, the company has made only minor changes; however, 2008 saw its fi rst major revision to the QX56. The QX56 that went on sale last spring has bolder exterior appointments (more befitting a vehicle of its size) than its predecessor with new front and rear fascias, new fog lights, a new roof rack, and standard 20-inch chrome aluminum alloy wheels.

Inside, the designers refi ned the cabin with generous use of wood, aluminum and stainless steel throughout, which results in a more luxurious feel augmented by the leather seats and the thick fl oor carpet.“We think of the QX56 as ‘an executive suite on wheels,’ ” says Mark Igo, vice president and general manager of Infi niti Division, “and the new model, with its technological refi nement and class-leading attributes, certainly fi ts the bill.” Infiniti also provided the QX56 with lots of little nooks for storing numerous small items in the front and second-row consoles, and there is an electric outlet for second-row passengers on the back of the front console. Third-row riders have surprising legroom—though shoulder room may be a bit cramped if three adults are crammed in—and the backs of front-row seats are concave to keep second-row passengers from bumping their knees.

Designers added grab handles both overhead and on the A and B pillars to ease the way out for front and rear passengers, a nice touch. Many models have one or the other—above the head or on the pillar— but not in both places. The driver will love the feel of the thick, leatherwrapped steering wheel, which, by the way, is heated for when you are in cold climes. A knob in the center of the dash panel operates many functions for the sound and climate systems, but not with the complexity found on many competitors in this class.

Many features for the standard navigation system—such as two of the most used, “zoom in” and “zoom out”—are operated by push buttons on the front center
stack. There are also push button controls on the steering wheel to operate the radio, cruise control and phone. Though the QX56 comes in only two trims, two wheel drive or four-wheel propulsion, the list of standard equipment is a long one. It includes a 12- speaker Bose Sound System with XM Satellite Radio; a navigation system and backup camera; dual zone climate control; 10-way power adjustable driver’s seat; power-folding third-row seats with a 60/40 split; rear power liftgate; running boards (to ease getting in and out of the tall vehicle); Infi niti’s lane guidance system and safety features that include side-curtain airbags for all three rows in case of a rollover.

It also has a power telescoping steering wheel and adjustable brake and accelerator pedals that are included in the memory system you activate upon getting in.
Infi niti’s Intelligent Key system allows you to keep the key in your purse or pocket while operating the vehicle. But oddly, you still have to turn a knob, rather than push a button, to start the QX56, so the purpose of the keyless operation would seem to be lost. The big plus in the QX56 is the power you get from the 5.6-liter V8. It is up slightly for 2008 to 320 horsepower and 393 pound-feet of torque from the original 315 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. Towing capacity is 9,000 pounds for two-wheel drive models, 8,900 for AWD.

A fi ve-speed automatic transmission with a gated shifter is standard. There’s no engine laboring when pulling away from an intersection, and despite its size—nearly 207 inches long, just under 80 inches wide and 77 or 78 inches tall, depending on whether it is two-wheel or all-wheel drive—the QX56 cruises comfortably on expressways. Four-wheel-drive models also feature a low-range transfer case for off-road challenges. A push of abutton allows the driver to switch from two-wheel high, four-wheel high or four-wheel low modes.

If there is a fl aw in the picture, however, it is that the QX56 is on the thirsty side. EPA fuel ratings are 13 miles-per-gallon city, 17 highway for AWD models, as was the case with our test vehicle. In addition, premium unleaded fuel is recommended for best efficiency, adding to the fuel cost. To state the obvious, this is not a good vehicle for everyday commutes. With a base price of $52,250 for two-wheel drive and $55,350 for AWD, the QX56 falls right in between its two chief domestic rivals, the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade.

It matches up well against both in pretty much every category but one, that being maximum cargo space. Maximum for the QX56 is 97 cubic feet while both the others are well over the 100-cubic feet mark. With all three rows of seats up, however, the QX56 offers about 20 cubic feet of space for luggage, which is a bit more than its competitors. For our test vehicle, an optional rear-seat entertainment system and “intelligent” cruise control, which adjusts your speed according to what vehicles are in front of you, plus a couple of other extras ran the fi nal tab to $58,810. We should mention here a word or two about“domestic” versus “foreign” vehicles. For though the Infi niti QX56’s parent company Nissan is Japanese, of course, the QX56 itself was the fi rst Infi niti built in the U.S. at the company’s plant in Canton, Mississippi, just north of Jackson. So, does that make the QX56 an import competitor or a domestic competitor? We’ll let you decide that. We’ll just say it’s a competitor and leave it at that.

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