Description Of The Car

2006 Infiniti QX56 Reviews Specs

If you have three kids and want to travel in style, this is your car. We looked at other cars like Navigators, LXS, Escalades the price of the QX beat them all. I really would not recommend the the split-bench second row seat. It makes access to the third row a bit akward while, if you had the second row captains chairs you could remove the center console and getting to the third row is much easier.



The only thing I find negative is the mpg. But, hey for the powerful 315 hp engine, its worth it!! Again I highly recommend this car if you are in the market for a premium large SUV.

Ride, Handling, Power. Is very comfortable, even on long rides. Leg room is extremely good in all three rolls. Interior is is very nice. Like the back-up camera and alarm.

News

QX56 will reportedly carry on with little or no change for the immediate future. The same holds for Nissan Armada.

New for 2006

This SUV is a luxury version of the Armada from Infinitis parent company, Nissan. They share a 5.6-liter V8, though the QX56 has 315 hp vs. Armadas 305. The transmission is a 5-speed automatic with tow/haul mode. QX56 comes with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive with low-range gearing. ABS, traction/antiskid control, and load-leveling suspension are standard. So are front side airbags and curtain side airbags for all three seating rows that include rollover deployment. QX56 seats seven with 2nd-row buckets, eight with a no-extra-cost 2nd-row bench.

The 3rd-row bench is now split 60/40 instead being a one-piece. All rear seats fold flat. Also newly standard are power folding automatic-dimming door mirrors with turn-signal lights and, wireless cell phone link. Also standard are xenon headlights, power liftgate, wood/leather interior trim, heated front and 2nd-row seats, and power-adjustable pedals. QX56 also comes with a navigation system, rear obstacle detection, and a rearview camera. Options include DVD entertainment and adaptive cruise control. QX56 performance and accommodations mirror those of comparably equipped Armadas.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Infiniti QX56 interior is swathed in leather and thick carpeting. The steering wheel is trimmed in wood and aluminum, and the console features a generous plank of either dark Macore or blonde Apaya wood trim. Unfortunately, hard plastics on the dash and doors somewhat detract from the upscale ambience. Second-row captains chairs are standard, along with a removable center console and third-row split fold-flat bench seat. A fold-flat second-row bench seat is optional. Big as it feels on the inside, the QX56 has less maximum cargo capacity than an Escalade or Navigator, with just over 97 cubic feet of space. But if youre planning to seat passengers in all three rows, the Infiniti SUV has the advantage, with a generous 20 cubic feet behind the third row.

Safety

Side curtain airbags offer protection to all three rows of passengers, and seat-mounted side-impact airbags protect front-seat passengers. A reverse-sensing system is standard, and a useful rear video camera is optional. All QX56s include four-wheel antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control and a tire-pressure monitor. Power-adjustable pedals help owners find an ideal driving position and are linked to the standard memory system. In NHTSA front-impact crash tests, the Infiniti QX56 earned a top five-star rating for its protection of front occupants.

Powertrains and Performance

Power comes by way of a 5.6-liter V8 with 315 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. A five-speed automatic handles the shifting duties, sending the power to either the rear wheels or all four wheels via Infinitis All-Mode all-wheel-drive system. Maximum towing capacity is 9,000 pounds with 2WD and 8,900 with 4WD.

Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The Infiniti QX56 is a full-size luxury SUV that comes in one trim level with either two- or four-wheel drive. As expected, standard features are plentiful, including 18-inch chrome wheels, HID headlights, Bluetooth connectivity, leather seating for seven, real wood trim, a DVD-based navigation system, a 10-speaker Bose audio system, dual-zone automatic climate control, a separate rear air conditioner, one-touch power windows and a power rear liftgate. The short list of options includes a bench seat for the second row (increasing capacity to eight), satellite radio, a power sunroof and a very handy rear backup camera system packaged with adaptive cruse control.

Driving Impressions

From the drivers seat, the Infiniti QX56 doesnt feel as large as it is. Without checking the rearview mirror, its easy to forget just how much mass is back there. Thats not to say it drives like a car, but nor does it drive like the full-size body-on-frame truck that it is.

Infinitis full-size SUV handles quite well for such a big vehicle. Theres a modicum of body lean in corners. The steering feels precise, with good variable assist. The combination of comfortable ride and responsive handling comes from the four-wheel independent double-wishbone suspension with front and rear stabilizer bars. The independent rear suspension improves ride and handling on rough roads. It especially helps smooth the ride for those seated in the second and third rows.

An advanced rear auto-leveling air suspension (which comes standard) improves stability and ride comfort when towing or hauling cargo. The air suspension maintains a uniform ground clearance and departure angle by automatically adjusting the air pressure in the suspensions air bladders. The QX56 is rated to tow up to 9,000 pounds with 2WD or 8,900 pounds with all-wheel drive, more than the 2006 Cadillac Escalade (8,100 pounds) or Lincoln Navigator (8,600) or Toyota Sequoia (6,500).

Nissans 5.6-liter, 32-valve, double overhead-cam V8 offers impressive output, rated in the QX56 at 315 horsepower at 4900 rpm and 390 pound-feet of torque at 3600 rpm. That easily trumps the Sequoias 282 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. The Lincoln Navigator, impressively revised for 2005, offers 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The 2006 Cadillac Escalade has a 6.0-liter overhead-valve V8 that boasts 345 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 380 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm, but note the higher rpm. (An all-new Escalade is being introduced for 2007.) Towing demands high torque at low rpm and thats where the Infinitis power is concentrated.

Acceleration performance is strong, but less than sparkling. The most likely reason for this is weight: An Infiniti QX56 AWD tips the scales at 5,631 pounds. Thats slightly heavier than the Cadillac but a little lighter than the Lincoln. Nissans overhead-cam engine sounds good, though, producing the appropriate big-V8 exhaust tones when you mash the gas.

Braking is solid and linear, with good, manageable pedal feel. The QX56 features four-wheel disc brakes with ABS. The antilock brake system is barely felt when called upon and allows the driver to maintain steering control under hard braking. Electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) improves stability under braking, while Brake Assist helps the driver get maximum braking performance in an emergency stopping situation. The electronic stability control system intervenes when the QX is pushed beyond the limits of grip, driving too quickly into a slushy corner, for example, and corrects the imbalance with little excitement.

Perhaps Q stands for quiet. Very little tire and road noise invades the cabin, thanks mostly to abundant sound-deadening material. Some wind noise is unavoidable, given the roof rack complete with cross rails, but its reasonably muted.

The QX56 is available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The AWD system offers 2WD, 4HI and 4LO modes. A two-speed electronic transfer case allows the driver to select low ranges for 1st, 2nd and Reverse gears for seriously rugged terrain. The AWD system is designed to instantly distribute torque to all four wheels as road conditions warrant. Under normal driving conditions, the system operates in rear-wheel-drive mode for optimum fuel economy. But when conditions warrant, up to 50 percent of the power is transferred to the front wheels on demand, resulting in optimum traction. All AWD QX56s include heavy-duty skid plates for the oil pan, fuel tank and transfer case.

Favorite Features

Body styling, Interior styling & roominess, Color (Exterior & Interior), GPS, Sound and Entertainment system, BlueTooth Technology, Steering wheel controls, Sunroof, Liftgate, Engine Power, Heated seats (Driver, Passenger & 2nd row seats), Captain style Front seats, a lot of leg room, Leather seats.

MSRP Price Range $49,800 - $52,800
Invoice Price Range $45,750 - $48,501

Overall Review:

Overall this is the best Large suv for the money. Its competitors start at the price this suv costs with all the options. If your looking for a large luxury suv that most of america doesnt have this is the one.