2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD - Four Seasons Update - May 2011
By Phil Floraday
Months in Fleet: Seven
Miles to Date: 19,845
It’s inevitable that a big SUV like our 2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD will be put to the test towing and hauling a variety of objects over the course of its year with us, and we’ve done quite a lot of both in the past month. In other words, we put this big luxury vehicle to work.
“The QX may be a supple suburban cruiser, but lately, I’ve been grabbing the keys more for its cargo capacity and less for its fantastic cabin,” said associate web editor Evan McCausland, who has been using the QX to move. “When you’re moving from house to house, 95.1 cubic feet of cargo space is far more important than heated seats, burlwood trim, or any other interior amenity that typically wins buyers over.” What can one fit into the QX’s cargo area? Try an assortment of books, clothing, and even a disassembled Honda S90 motorcycle all in the same trip. Not bad for an SUV that doesn’t look out of place in a valet line.
There are still some objects that are too big or heavy to fit inside the QX’s cargo area. Luckily there’s a V-8 with 416 lb-ft of torque and a trailer hitch out back, which means we can pull up to 8500 pounds behind the Infiniti. Frankly, though, it’s been tough to find a trailer big enough to really test our QX. Copy editor Rusty Blackwell towed a Wheel Horse lawn tractor on a single axle trailer, which of course was far below the Infiniti’s maximum towing capacity. Another editor needed to take his race car to the shop and that car and trailer combination weighed about 4600 pounds, which was barely more than half the QX’s maximum rating. With 4600 pounds in tow, we did wish for an integrated trailer brake controller.
When there’s nothing hitched to the back, we’re frequently surprised by how quick the QX56 is. Several logbook commenters reported finding themselves travelling 10 or 20 mph faster than they expected because the 400-hp V-8 and seven-speed automatic work so well together. Open it up to hear some exhaust burble, and you can easily find yourself hitting triple digits on highway on-ramps. Luckily Infiniti’s hydraulic body-motion control system does an admirable job of keeping the QX under control during these high speed bursts.Our more frequent hauling and regular speeding have put added stress on the brakes so we’ll need to have the pads and rotors inspected the next time our SUV heads in for service. Our last service visit, a regularly scheduled 18,750 mile checkup, was performed slightly early at 18,398 miles and included an oil change and multipoint inspection. The service, which rang in at reasonable $51.90, inexplicably didn’t include an inspection of the brakes. Everything else checked out just fine.
2011 Infiniti QX56 4WD
Base price (with dest.): $60,750
Price as tested: $72,560
Overview
Body Style: SUV
Accommodation: 7-passenger
Construction: body-on-frame
Powertrain
Engine: DOHC 32-valve V-8
Displacement: 5.6 liters
Power: 400 hp @ 5800 rpm
Torque: 413 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic
Drive: Four-wheel
Fuel economy: 14 / 20 / 16 mpg (city/hwy/combined)
Chassis
Steering: Vehicle-speed-sensitive power steering
Turning Circle: 41.6 ft
Suspension, Front: Hydraulic Body Motion Control System
Suspension, Rear: Hydraulic Body Motion Control System
Brakes F/R: Power-assisted ventilated disc; ABS
Wheels: 22 x 8.0-inch forged-aluminum
Tires: Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684II
Tire Size: 275/50R22 111H
Measurements
Headroom F/2R/3R: 39.9 / 40.0 / 36.8 in
Legroom F/2R/3R: 39.6 / 41.0 / 28.8 in
Shoulder Room F/2R/3R: 63.8 / 63.5 / 60.5 in
Wheelbase: 121.1 in
Track F/R: 67.5 / 67.9 in
L x W x H: 208.3 x 79.9 x 75.8 in
Cargo Capacity: 49.6 / 95.1 cu ft (3R seats down / with 2R & 3R seats down)
Weight: 5850 lb
Fuel Capacity: 26.0 gal
Est. Range: 416 miles
Fuel Grade: 89 octane
Standard Equipment
5.6-liter V-8 engine
7-speed automatic transmission
Four-wheel drive
Snow and tow modes
Hill start assist
4-wheel disc brakes with ABS
Vehicle dynamic control
Traction control system
Tire pressure monitoring system
8-way driver/6-way passenger power/heated front seat
Power lumbar support
Leather-appointed seats
Second row captains chairs
Power 60/40 split and fold third row seats
Power tilt/telescoping steering column
Heated steering wheel with multi-function controls
Bose 13-speaker premium audio system
Single in-dash CD/DVD player with MP3 playback
9.3 GB Music Box hard drive
XM satellite radio
USB/iPod adapter
Bluetooth connectivity
Infiniti hard drive navigation system
8-inch color touch-screen display
Voice recognition for audio
Around view monitor with front and rear sonar system
Tri-zone automatic climate control
Intelligent key with push button ignition
Power sliding tinted glass sunroof
Options
Deluxe touring package -- $5800
22-inch forged-aluminum wheels
Hydraulic body motion control system
Climate-controlled front seats
Heated second row seats
Remote tie up second row seats
Advanced climate control system
Headlight washers
Technology package -- $2850
Intelligent cruise control
Blind spot warning
Land departure warning
Land departure prevention
Intelligent brake assist
Forward collision warning
Adaptive front lighting system with auto leveling
Theater package -- $2450
Dual 7-inch color rear monitors
Two wireless headphones
Wireless remote control
Auxiliary audio/video input jacks
120V power outlet
Illuminated kick plates -- $390
Roof rail crossbars -- $320
Credit: Automobile Magazine (www.automobilemag.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment