From the driver's seat, the Infiniti QX56 doesn't feel as large as it is. Without a regular check in the rearview mirror, a driver might forget just how much there is back there. No, it's clearly not a car, but neither does it drive like the big body-on-frame truck that it is.There's a modicum of body lean in corners. Understeer, where the QX wants to go straight when the driver wants it to turn, is the default dynamic when a corner is entered at too high a rate of speed. But until understeer arrives, steering feels precise, with good variable assist.
Acceleration, given the almost 3 tons of vehicle, passengers and cargo, is less than sparkling, but at least it's accompanied by appropriate, big-V8 exhaust sounds.
Braking is solid and linear, with good, manageable pedal feel. The antilock brake system (ABS) is barely felt when called upon, and knowing electronic brake-force distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist are standing by is comforting. Only when the Q is seriously pushed or the road conditions turn slushy does the electronic stability control system intervene, and then with little excitement or imbalance.