Gallery: 2016 Infiniti Q70 AWD
If there’s one thing Infiniti/Nissan seems to nail consistently, it’s powertrains: The Q70 is as smooth as it is quick.
If there’s one thing the company seems to struggle with, though, it’s the steering -- the wheel starts off numb and never seems to build weight no matter how far you turn it. Is this something I was hyper-attuned to because my prior ride was a Lancer Evolution? Maybe.
Interiors haven’t progressed much in the past few years. The swoopy, flowing shapes still hold up respectably, but the aluminum interior trim (part of a pricey $3,300 package) frankly looks cheap.
Overall, the Q70 is something of a mixed bag. All the right luxury/performance elements are there, except for steering feel, but they’re not well integrated into a distinctive, passion-inducing package. How to fix it? Not sure. But another confusing nomenclature shake-up is definitely not the answer.
-- Graham Kozak, associate editor
OTHER VOICES:
I agree with Graham, this is definitely a mixed bag.
The powertrain in the Q70 is super smooth except when trying to take off quickly from a stop. There has to be some happy medium between the Mercedes split-second lag, and this Infiniti, which flicks off the line like a mousetrap, tossing your body back into the seat. It happens more in sport mode, but with these luxury full-sizers, I like to be able to take off fast, but smoothly.
Once it gets going, the Q70 is fast and shifts have just the right amount of shove. Using the gear selector to shift, changes crack off just slower than a dual-clutch transmission. It is in the wrong, "up-is-upshift" format, though. Normal downshifts are quick and come with a half-press of the throttle, making passing maneuvers easy. This Nissan/Infiniti V8 sounds good, too.
The Q70 is sprung softly, and absorbs almost all bumps with soft thud in the cabin, but there was a little shake, or something, in the steering wheel. By the seat of your pants though, no problems.
The steering has a decent weight to it, but there’s not very much feel, especially with that shimmy. And that’s fine -- this is a sedan that’s made to eat up expressway miles, not carve corners. It doesn’t seem to bounce around on bumps either -- it just plows through them.
On the other hand, it does have double wishbones in front, so maybe it should feel a little sportier.
I liked the cabin, and the patterned aluminum trim. It looks a little 3-D too. The flowing lines and curves, like Graham said, continue to look good. I thought the metal bits set it off nicely. The seats are cool looking, a little firm for my tastes in a luxury vehicle, but just barely. The white piping looks good on the black leather, and the seats heat up well before the car gets warm. The Nissan/Infiniti infotainment setup has been problem-free for years now -- I feel like others are just catching up.
The seating position is a little high for me. And since visibility is so good, you really feel like you’re in a fishbowl in traffic. I like to hunker down in the Mercs, Audis, and BMWs of the world, and feel like I’m in a cocoon. Can’t do that here.
As far as the nomenclature goes, it’s annoying, yes, but not difficult to understand. If it’s got an X in it, it’s an SUV or crossover, if it doesn’t, then it’s a sedan or coupe. The bigger the number, the bigger the size.
The $70K price tag seems a little steep. Interior dimensions are a little bigger than the E-Class and about the same size as the Acura RLX. Looking at the lineup, though, the base model starts right at $50,000 with the 330-hp V6; all-wheel drive adds about $2,000. I think this car would be plenty quick with that engine, and possibly smoother off the line, as well. At that price point, it seems like a good deal.
-- Jake Lingeman, road test editor
Options: Premium select edition package including dark chrome exterior trim, darkened lower rear bumper, rear decklid spoiler, unique design and color 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels with all-season tires, sport brakes with four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers, suede-like headliner, aluminum interior trim, graphite semi-aniline leather seating with contrast seat piping and floor mats with contrast piping ($3,300)
Vehicle Model Information
ON SALE: Now
BASE PRICE: $66,255
AS TESTED PRICE: $69,555
POWERTRAIN: 5.6-liter DOHC V8, AWD seven-speed automatic
OUTPUT: 420 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 417 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm
CURB WEIGHT: 4,248 lb
FUEL ECONOMY: 16/23/18 mpg
PROS: Engine/trans combination near perfect
CONS: Hefty price point for premium trims
