Despite all its luxury features and adornments, the QX4 is still a sport-utility vehicle. Although much of the roughness normally associated with truck-based utility vehicles has been squelched and upholstered over, the QX4's center of gravity is immutably higher than a car's. So it leans more when turning, no matter the speed or road surface.But otherwise, the QX4 delivers a comfortable ride. It absorbs potholes and other bumps well. Very little wind noise intrudes, although the standard roof rack generates a modicum of whistle.
It's also capable, if not overwhelmingly competent, when driven off-road. It has an ultra-low transfer gear, essential not only for safe descents of unpaved tracks but also for walking-speed ascents of rock-strewn trails, which attests at least to an intent by its designers and engineers that the QX4 be perceived as more than merely a pretending dirt-tracker.
The QX4 comes with disc brakes in front and drum brakes in the rear, rather than the superior four-wheel disc brakes.
The new 24-valve 3.5-liter V6 is far more sophisticated than last year's 12-valve 3.3-liter V6 and power is up dramatically. This year's QX4 boasts a whopping 240 horsepower, compared with 170 last year. Torque has been raised from 200 foot-pounds to 265 foot-pounds at 3,200 rpm. This gives the QX4 the best horsepower in its class, and only the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the 4.7-liter engine tops the QX4's torque rating (with 295 foot-pounds). Anybody who drove an earlier QX4 will appreciate the improvement.