2004 Infiniti QX56 New Car Buyer's Guide

What's New for the 2004 Infiniti QX56?
Infiniti introduces its first full-size SUV, the QX56. Based on the Nissan Armada, the 2004 Infiniti QX56 employs a powerful 5.6-liter V8, provides space for as many as eight passengers, and contains a full load of the luxury features that buyers spending upwards of $50,000 have come to expect. Key competitors include the Cadillac Escalade and the Lincoln Navigator.

Advantages of the 2004 Infiniti QX56:

• Stylish and luxurious interior
• Comfortable front and rear seats
• Cavernous cargo area

Objections to the 2004 Infiniti QX56:

• Hefty weight
• Ponderous size
• Awful fuel economy

Editor's Advice:
Looking for a vehicle to carry all eight members of your clan and a few of their belongings, but can’t bear to step into the uncivilized environs of Detroit steel? Welcome to the 2004 Infiniti QX56, an SUV that combines the brawn and bulk of a full-size SUV with the refined sensibility and technological advancement of a luxury Japanese nameplate, fronted by styling that would do a Peterbilt proud. An upscale version of its equally massive corporate cousin, the Nissan Armada, the Infiniti QX56’s comfortable cabin is swathed in leather, wood and aluminum. A DVD navigation system, heated front and second-row seats, Xenon headlamps, adjustable pedals and a Bose audio system with an in-dash six-disc CD changer are included in the price of entry, while options such as a RearView monitor, intelligent cruise control and rear-seat DVD entertainment round out the goodies list. Moving this 5,631-pound vehicle is a 5.6-liter V8 churning 315 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque through a five-speed automatic transmission to the rear or all four wheels. The Infiniti QX56 is rated to tow a maximum of 8,900 pounds, and a standard rear self-leveling suspension stabilizes the hulking SUV when it’s called upon to lug or carry something heavy. A four-wheel double-wishbone independent suspension and a reasonably tight turning circle should help to make the driving experience more reminiscent of a car than a truck, though we doubt you’ll confuse this behemoth with the Infiniti Q45. Safety equipment includes a tire pressure monitor, ABS with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA), side curtain airbags with rollover protection for all three rows, stability control and a rear parking sensor. Facilitating cargo loading are a power rear liftgate and fold-flat second- (when equipped with the bench seats rather than the captain’s chairs) and third-row seats. If you’re in the market for a full-size luxury SUV, drive the 2004 Infiniti QX56 in addition to the Cadillac Escalade and the Lincoln Navigator.