LOOKS
In terms of space, there’s some things to like, and some that disappoint.
You’ll get roomy front seats and seating for five in the QX70, but the back seat is pretty tight and there is also limited cargo space due to the design of the vehicle. Compare the QX70 to others in its class in the interior size department, and you’re going to be disappointed.
But on the positive side, the space you do get is on par with the best you’ll find in a luxury vehicle in terms of materials used and comfort/quality. And all efforts are made to make you feel luxurious in the vehicle.
You get leather appointed seats, heated front seats, very helpful HID headlights, a tinted glass moonroof, dual zone temperature control, welcome lighting, a power liftgate, an analog clock for a little classy touch, black lacquer interior trim, power folding and heated outside mirrors.
You can also spice things up with the optional Sport package ($3,550).
Highlights of this package include: 21-inch 6-spoke dark finish wheels; dark finish front grille; aluminum roof rails, fog lamp surrounds, outside mirror housing, side air vents, lower side molding, aluminum pedals and solid magnesium paddle shifters. Be aware that with the larger wheels, the quality of your ride can be affected and not necessarily for the better.
ENGINE, HORSEPOWER, RIDE QUALITY
There is one option for the power plant, a 3.7-liter V6 engine producing 325 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque. These are impressive numbers and produce a driving experience that is very enjoyable overall. There also used to be a 5.0-liter, V8 option on this vehicle, but that is gone for 2015. (Not a huge loss as the remaining option does a solid job)
The QX70 comes with either rear-wheel drive or you can upgrade to all-wheel drive, something I would recommend regardless of where you live.
The all-wheel-drive features Snow Mode for those living in winter climates.
The vehicle’s 7-speed automatic transmission features a manual shift mode.
One area where a drive in the QX70 shines is the handling, which is quite responsive and delivers a sporty drive -- you won’t feel like you’re driving a crossover at times (more of a sedan feel), and I would urge drivers to get off the city streets and head out on an open road somewhere with a few twists and turns -- it will be a fun time, trust me. The QX70’s Independent front and multi-link rear suspension are built for this purpose.
TECHNOLOGY
There is no skimping on this vehicle when it comes to tech features.
First, you get your standard tech: RearView Monitor, 7-inch color display, Push-button ignition, Bluetooth connectivity for phone calls only, Bose 11-speaker Premium Sound System, AM/FM/CD/3 months of satellite radio, USB connection
Then you can start to boost your tech capability with packages:
The Technology Package ($2,950) comes with: Intelligent Cruise Control; Lane Departure Warning and prevention; Intelligent Brake Assist with Forward Collision warning; Distance Control assist; Rain sensing windshield wipers; front pre-crash seat belts
The Premium Package ($4,300) comes with: Navigation; 8-inch touchscreen display; Voice recognition; NavTraffic and NavWeather; AroundView monitor with Moving Object Detection and Front and rear Sonar; Streaming audio via Bluetooth; in-dash CD/DVD player; Memory system for driver’s seat and steering wheel; Telescopic steering column.
All of these optional tech features are focused on your safety and protecting yourself and the vehicle -- and you'll be happy you have them, particularly the AroundView monitor -- which is among the best backup systems you'll find in any vehicle on the road.
SAFETY
The QX70 got high marks across the board in government safety tests, so that’s not an issue to be concerned about.
Also, among standard safety features are: Advanced air bag system (including roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental airbags with rollover sensor for front and rear seat outboard occupant head protection); Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, Anti-lock brakes, Brake assist to help slow you down and prevent crashes, tire pressure monitoring.
MPG
Fuel mileage is nothing to brag about on the QX70. You’ll only get 16 mpg city/22 highway and 18 combined. This is behind its competition in the segment by a few miles per gallon, so that’s something to consider when shopping the segment.
PRICE
Base price on the 2015 Infiniti QX70 is $47,300, but as you may have noted in the technology section, options packages are pricey, so that will quickly raise the price of the vehicle. My decked-out test ride came in at a grand total of $59,535.
BOTTOM LINE
I can’t say the 2015 Infiniti QX70 is a hands-down favorite in its category of luxury crossover SUV, as there are areas where it’s topped by some of its competitors (namely interior space and mpg), but when you add up the Infiniti QX70’s attractive and unique look, a luxurious interior, the smooth handling and its engine’s powerful performance, you have the makings of a vehicle that should still attract a good number of buyers.
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Matt Myftiu can be foundon Twitter @MattMyftiu.