Infiniti QX70 Rental Review

[Hokiefyd]

I reserved a minivan to carry three people and luggage up to DC and back on business a few weeks ago, and all they had were: Chrysler 300, Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti QX70. I've had a 300 before, so I passed on that. Thinking the QX70 was the Infiniti version of the Pathfinder, I signed for that one. All paperwork done, I went out to find the car (Hertz doesn't do a walk-around like Enterprise does), and discovered it was the small SUV, the current name of the FX35. Infiniti's naming scheme is bonkers...apparently, the Infiniti I wanted was the JX35...who'd have guessed?

So I cranked the QX70 and drove away. Some observations:

Engine. On the plus side, it's appropriately powerful for its segment. I think the 3.7L engine makes something like 330 horsepower. It'll scoot. On the negative side, it's embarassingly coarse. I've read this in a number of reviews of the 3.7L, though I share the same opinion (but to a lesser degree) of Nissan's 3.5L. I've just never been a fan of the VQ engines.

Transmission. On the plus side, shifts are quick and without any hesitation whatsoever. On the negative side, it's not programmed very well (I used the manumatic mode a lot). More reinforcement for me that more speeds aren't better. I don't like the ZF 8 speed in Chryslers and didn't like this 7 speed in this Infiniti. The highest number of speeds I've been happy with so far is 6. I've rented a 6-speed Dodge Journey that I enjoyed and my Toyota Camry had a 6-speed that worked well.

Interior. On the plus side, it has some age to the design, but I think it has aged well. Controls were fairly logical and I felt quickly at home. On the negative side, I felt very "enveloped" by the car -- it has a very high door sill common to some modern designs and I really don't like that. I feel like I don't have any "leverage" on the car if it's entombing me like that. I think it makes people feel safer.

Ride. On the plus side, it handles very tight, and steering wheel movements translate into RIGHT NOW reactions from the car. You can tell that there's very little wheel travel. On the negative side, it was pretty firm for 14 hours combined on the interstate. It reminded me a lot of my Honda CR-V, actually. Handled great, but there's no free lunch. I've begun to prefer a bit more compliance and wheel travel.

Exterior. On the plus side, I think the styling works well, and the high swooping bonnet looks cool from the driver's seat. On the negative side, the 360 degree camera thing is pretty hokey (I didn't find it useful), and the rear view camera is exceptionally grainy. Our 2005 MDX has a much better rear view camera than this QX70.

Overall, I thought it was a classy ride. Very sporty, very connected to the road. It's not a cheap car (I think sticker is around $50k for an AWD model), but it's a nice car. I thought I was getting a Pathfinder variant and, in hindsight, I wish I would have taken the Pathfinder. I'm far more comfortable in a more upright and "classic" SUV shape like the Pathfinder than I am in the QX70. I'd have preferred a Grand Caravan over either, but Hertz dropped the ball on that reservation... Oh well...it was fun to toss an Infiniti around for minivan coin.

We're driving up again on Sunday afternoon for a meeting on Monday, and I think I'm going to reserve a mid-size or large car this time. I look forward to seeing what awaits me in the Hertz lot on Sunday. I wouldn't mind a 300 again. Last time I had one as a rental, I was more into the small-and-sporty segment than I am lately, and I think the 300 would be more to my liking this time.

 

[wemay]

Good write up.

We leased a 2012 version when it was called the M37 (Sport). I can see where some find the engine note to be coarse, especially at start-up and considering this is the brands luxury flagship sedan.

My wife and i were fond of the engine though, and loved the flexibility and reliability of the VQ.

 

[JHZR2]

Good review.

Our friends have the one you were looking for - the infiniti version of the new pathfinder. Its nice inside, but the cargo area, like any three row suv short (ha, ha) of the suburban is more or less worthless when the third row is in use. And access to the third row is difficult and tight for anyone older than about nine.

Look at the tahoe vs suburban, the length of the rear door. Now look at any of these SUVs with multi rows. Their utility is marginal.

But like any tool, the right tool for the job can make things great, while not having it can make things tough. Those SUVs are the right tool for some, and they will sell for those who need them.

 

[Andrew1972]

I never got the excitement over the VQ engines except maybe early 2000's.

Not trying to sound like a Honda fan boy but the J series from Honda has evolved into an incredibly smooth engine and currently quite efficient even in modern iterations and into the Honda/Acura lineup.

Nissan missed the boat on smoothing the engine and getting fuel efficiency.

 

[BearZDefect]

IMO, the Nissan VQ engine had a great start with the VQ30 but apparently it didn't progress upward very well from there.

 

[razel]

Big VQ fan. Owned the early 90's 3.0 VQ, late 90's 3.0 VQ and now an early 2000's 3.0 VQ but I agree about the 3.5L and up. They began to get coarse, but boy is the 3.7 330hp a [censored] of an engine. My current 3.0 VQ at 155k is fantastic. Next car, regardless of it's coarseness will have the 3.7L in it.

 

[Xeno]

Nissan is still on top when it comes to performance and durability of their V6 engines.

I wish Acura would actually make a true FR luxury/sport sedan/coupe, and not just bloated AWD/FWD cars.

 

[Garak]

The 3.7 is supposed to be noisy. If someone really wants a quiet car, there are plenty of old Town Cars out there. Those were some of the quietest cars in history.

 

[Andrew1972]

Originally Posted By: Garak
The 3.7 is supposed to be noisy. If someone really wants a quiet car, there are plenty of old Town Cars out there. Those were some of the quietest cars in history.


Or just buy the Lexus or Acura like 9 out of 10 buyers do......to Infinity's dismay.

 

[Garak]

That is certainly true, but I do like something with a few quirks. It isn't a sin (yet) to make a RWD car with a decent amount of power with two doors that has no Chevy or Ford badges on it. The G37 just needs to be reduced to two seats like the 370Z, or perhaps that's what I'll get next time.

If 9 out of 10 buyers buy something, there's a good chance I'll be getting something else. I use Linux. I have a G37, and not just a G37, but a G37 with Delvac 1 in it. And, I have an old F-150 with a straight-six, yet true dual exhaust. So, I might be a little bit, um, eccentric.

 

[wemay]

Originally Posted By: Garak
That is certainly true, but I do like something with a few quirks. It isn't a sin (yet) to make a RWD car with a decent amount of power with two doors that has no Chevy or Ford badges on it. The G37 just needs to be reduced to two seats like the 370Z, or perhaps that's what I'll get next time.

If 9 out of 10 buyers buy something, there's a good chance I'll be getting something else. I use Linux. I have a G37, and not just a G37, but a G37 with Delvac 1 in it. And, I have an old F-150 with a straight-six, yet true dual exhaust. So, I might be a little bit, um, eccentric.


I couldn't have said it any better. I know i'm in the minority when it comes to my fondness for the coarseness and raw characteristics of the VQ in whats supposed to be a luxury sports vehicle, but that's what it is folks, a luxury sports sedan, not a yacht. I really enjoyed the VQ in both wrappings it came in with Infiniti (EX35 and M37) more so than the 350Z i owned prior to getting married. The slight vibration of the gear nob and pedals, the loud bark of the engine and exhaust when you want it.... it was a great experience. Plus, it could be quiet enough when needed.

 

[Garak]

Yep, it's not THAT noisy. No, it's not my old Town Car, which was, at the time, the quietest vehicle on the road. But, it's certainly not my old F-150 with no fabric headliner, no door insulation, no hood insulation, and so forth.

Plus, I can change oil in the G37 in a few minutes, which isn't always the case with the competition, and a lot of repairs aren't too bad to deal with. As you say, it can be very quiet. You're on the highway tooling along, and you won't notice it.

It reminds me of years back when I gave my dad heck when he was grumbling about buying a diesel (keep in mind he spent years as a trucker and a farmer, so he wasn't a novice when it comes to diesels). He wanted a lot of torque for towing, but wished the 7.3 L was as quiet as a gasser.

 

[Hokiefyd]

It wasn't noisy so much that it was coarse. It felt like they used solid engine mounts instead of rubber ones. I'm 100% certain that this is the way it was intended and was a conscious design decision.

 

[Garak]

I believe it would be, too. The engine is supposed to be heard and felt. Note that they're not bad for vibration or balance, though.

 

[Hokiefyd]

No, it had fine balance. No dull or soft spots all the way to over 6,500 rpm. It also had a pretty growly intake note that wasn't offensive. I was just very surprised to feel the grittiness of the engine that much. It just demonstrates how much isolation some engine mounting systems offer. There's a slight-but-perceivable difference in isolation between our MDX and Ridgeline. Same Honda J35 engine, but you can feel it just a little more in the Ridgeline. It has a louder intake note and a bit more "feel" to the engine in the chassis. The MDX is tuned for more isolation and they nailed it -- you can hardly hear the engine at less than about 3,000 rpm and you just can't feel it at all.

This is what's so enjoyable to me about trying and renting different cars -- seeing how different ones feel and finding out what I like and don't like. The Infiniti was a hoot to drive for a couple of days.

 

[Garak]

There are a few I'd like to rent and try out, that's for sure!

 

[wemay]

We should have bought the EX35 and to a lesser extent, the M.

 

[Garak]

The G37 is still reasonably affordable, so that's important.

 

[wemay]

...and thankfully, they don't constantly carry out substantial redesigns. A slight pet-peeve of mine.