2008 Infiniti QX56 Review

Specifications

A quiet introduction would have to do for the 2008 Infiniti QX56, their biggest SUV. It was launched just a couple of days ago at the biggest motor show this year, but very little if any coverage was given to it. Rightly so, given that when placed next to the particularly odd Bevel concept and the very important car-based Rogue compact crossover vehicle at parent company Nissan’s display, the luxury division’s offering just didn’t stand out.

The 2008 QX56’s changes are purely to do with aesthetics and perceived quality. Mechanically, there are no differences to be found even in the minutest form; it’s still an XXL-sized body-on-frame vehicle with part-time four-wheel drive. Power still comes from a 320-horsepower 5.6-liter V8 that’s mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox delivering the typically abysmal fuel consumption of a large sport utility vehicle. No changes there.

Instead, you must look outward to find indicationof change, and it’ll have to be a long, hard look. The QX56 has always been a vehicle that divides opinions like oil and water, the bulk of which has to do with Infiniti’s approach to its nose. It’s no less bold for 2008; if anything the grille’s even bigger and chromier than before. New bumpers, fog lamps and roof racks accent the changes, as do standard chrome-plated 20-inch wheels. It’s quite tempting to call this an accessories update rather than a redesign, that is until you have a look at what they’ve done to the interior.

One of the biggest criticisms about the current vehicle is with regards to its cabin, specifically that some of the materials aren’t as good as they ought to be, given the rather lofty asking price. Aside from having a disorganized center stack, the use of hard plastics on the dash-top and door trims reduced the luxurious ambiance created by the soft leather seating surfaces and glossy wood trim. It’s widely established that the QX56 is a dressier version of the Nissan Armada, but the effort to take it to premium levels on Infiniti’s part seems to be lacking, given the high creativity and quality of the FX-series crossover and M-series luxury sedan.

Aside from completely new door panels that feature window controls in a more easily accessible location, the QX56’s dashboard was redesigned and made from much improved plastics. The tiller loses its wood rim but gains heating capabilities on the 4WD model, the third row electrically folds away, and there are new “Fine Vision” electroluminescent gauges. The QX56 also gets a console that’s better organized and a better navigation and entertainment system that are considerably more advanced than that in the existing model. Using XM satellite technology, the navigation system also has live updates to automatically re-route the vehicle around traffic hot spots. The audio system is courtesy of Burr-Brown and features a 9.5 gig hard drive for storing your favorite tunes on demand.

The new QX56 will be in Infiniti dealerships by April of this year.