Infiniti QX56

First generation (JA60; 2004–2010)

The Infiniti QX56 (JA60) was a full-size sport utility vehicle (SUV) sold under the Nissan-owned Infiniti luxury brand. It was based on the Nissan Armada full-size SUV, and shared the F-Alpha platform with the Nissan Titan pickup truck. The QX56 was unique to the United States, Canada, Russia, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia only. It was also the first Infiniti built in the United States. Development on the Infiniti JA60 began in early 2000 alongside the Nissan WA60. A final design by Masato Takahashi was reached in early 2001, with an August 2001 design freeze for early 2004 start of production.

The rear door handles were installed on the "C" pillar as a Nissan design tradition started with the 1986 Nissan Pathfinder. When the four-door Nissan Pathfinder was introduced, Nissan chose to conceal the door handles as a part of the "C" pillar trim to visually make it appear like a two-door truck with a camper shell, with conventional door handles on the front doors.

The JA60 was propelled by a 5.6 L VK56DE V8 engine (320 hp [227 kW] @ 4,900 rpm and 390 lb·ft (529 N·m) torque @ 3,600 rpm) and a 5-speed automatic transmission with an overdrive. As is common with aluminum blocks, each cylinder in the engine was lined with cast iron. The valvetrain was a DOHC design with four valves per cylinder. Infiniti designed the QX56's throttle responsiveness to correspond to specific drivetrain modes: when the driver selects all-wheel drive, the throttle becomes less sensitive, presumably to allow easier regulation of acceleration when off-road.

The Infiniti QX56 had around 9,000 lb (4082 kg) of towing capacity. Mileage at peak performance drain is 12 miles per US gallon (20 L/100 km; 14 mpg_‑imp). It comes in one trim level, with only key options such as: DVD entertainment system, 4WD/2WD, and a bench instead of captain chairs as the second row. Other features which came standard were a ten-speaker Bose system, DVD-based navigation system, leather trim for all seats, dual-climate control, 18-inch chrome alloy wheels, and an adaptive cruise control system. A Precrash system was a unique feature in the market as well.

Since the demise of the Q45 (which was priced above the QX56) after 2006, the QX56 was the most expensive Infiniti sold in North America, and was Infiniti's only full-size vehicle. In early 2007 for the 2008 model year, the Infiniti QX56 received a minor facelift which included a revised grille, a redesigned interior and new intelligent key system, more standard equipment and standard 20-inch chrome wheels. Introduced at the 2007 NAIAS in January 2007, the facelifted model went on sale in April 2007.

In 2008 the QX56 received updates to the braking system. For 2009 the QX56 received auto locking doors and deep garnet metallic was added as a new color. For 2010 the MSRP was increased by $1000, 4WD versions now cost $60,000 and some colors were deleted.

Although the Armada continued to be produced in the United States for the 2011 model year, after the 2010 model year the QX56 and Armada would no longer share the same platform.

Development

Z62 development began in 2006 following the concurrent Y62 program (since 2003), after Nissan management voted to move QX56 production back to Japan and separate from the Nissan Armada, after the JA60's production run concluded. By 2007, a styling proposal by Shinya Momokawa and Akihiro Sugita was approved by the board and frozen for production. In September 2009, spy photography of a 2011 QX56 (Z62) prototype, at a Las Vegas Infiniti national dealer conference, were published online.

2010–2013 (QX56)

On 31 March 2010, Infiniti debuted the 2011 QX56 at the New York International Auto Show. No longer sharing a platform with the Nissan Armada, the QX56 is now a luxury version of the Nissan Patrol, which also marks the first time that a Patrol-based vehicle is being sold in North America. The QX56 features a new 5.6L VK56VD V8 engine with direct injection and VVEL variable valve timing, also found in the Nissan Patrol, which is rated at 400 horsepower (300 kW) and 413 lb·ft (560 N·m) of torque. The more powerful engine helps give the QX an increased towing capacity of up to 8,500 pounds. The engine is tied to a seven-speed sequential-shift automatic transmission with an all-new 4WD system.

Compared to its predecessor, the new QX is 1.4 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider. Most of the frame's body mass is made from high-tensile steel, but the QX manages to be more rugged with its body-on-frame concept and it shares the same platform as the Nissan Patrol. Both the front and rear feature independent suspension double wishbone suspensions combined with the new Hydraulic Body Motion Control System. The QX comes standard with 22-inch wheels. 4WD versions have a four-setting terrain control which include rock, snow, sand and dirt modes. This generation abandoned the disguised rear door handles that were installed in the "C" pillar, a tradition started with the 1985 Nissan Pathfinder five-door, as the first generation QX was based on the second generation Pathfinder. This generation's appearance is more in line with other large luxury SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Audi Q7, Lexus LX, Land Rover Range Rover, Cadillac Escalade, and Lincoln Navigator.

The QX's interior design includes a number of the standard and optional luxury features in the 2010 Infiniti M, such as semi-aniline leather seats, tri-zone climate control, a Bose 2-channel, 13-speaker Premium Audio surround sound stereo system with hard drive memory storage, hard-drive based navigation system, XM satellite radio with NavTraffic is standard, a power liftgate/tailgate, and Infiniti Intuitive Park Assist, a parking assist feature which uses the around view monitor. Other features include climate-controlled front and rear seats, streaming audio via Bluetooth wireless technology, a center console, power sliding rear seats, power third row seats, and a 7-inch DVD rear-seat entertainment system. Curtain Vent, new for this generation, directs air flow from the air conditioning system from above each side window down towards the floor. A new Around View Monitor system uses a camera mounted on the grill, giving a 180-degree view in front, and another camera mounted on the passenger side of the vehicle's side mirror helps eliminate blind spots on the side at low speeds, such as when in parking lots or on off-road adventures.

The QX also features the updated Infiniti hard drive based navigation system with an eight-inch VGA display. Infiniti keyless SmartAccess with an "Intelligent Remote" key is standard along with 8 airbags including knee airbags for driver and front passenger as well as second-row side torso airbags, the Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) is standard, while the Pre-Collision System (PCS),Vehicle Dynamic Control (Electronic stability control) systems and lane departure warning system are available options.

2013–present (QX80)

In 2013 for the 2014 model year, Infiniti renamed their entire product line. As a result, the QX56 was rebadged as the QX80. The QX80 arrived with a revised makeover with new front and rear fascias, restyled bi-xenon HID projector headlamps with LED daytime running lights, front LED turn signals (located on front bumper with new LED fog lights), new wheel designs (including a new 22-inch forged-aluminum version), three new exterior colors, and a number of interior refinements for the 2015 model year. The new flagship trim level for 2015 is the QX80 Limited which features all the QX80 packages and optional equipment that is available on other QX80 trim levels, while its standard on the new QX80 Limited trim level, standard Intelligent All Wheel Drive (AWD), and restyled LED clear lens taillights instead of the pre-facelift LED red lens taillights, however the QX80 Limited trim level is not available with the second row bench seating which increases the passenger capability from 7 seats to 8 seats. It will still be offered with the same 5.6-liter V8 engine. Naoyuki Ohkoshi was responsible for exterior design work on the facelift QX80 in 2012.

As of 2015, the Infiniti QX80 is available in the United States (including all US territories), Canada, Mexico, China (including Macau and Hong Kong, excluding Taiwan), the GCC markets, Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, South Korea, Dominican Republic, Guam, Panama, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. An RHD version became in some markets as part of the facelift in late 2014.

Sales

Sales have been successful, with the new QX80 outselling Infiniti's other SUVs, the crossovers QX50 and QX70, as well as its Japanese full-size body-on-frame rival Lexus LX.