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The Infiniti QX56 is big and roomy. It offers comparable interior space as the 2006 Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, its most direct competition. The Infiniti's second row is particularly roomy, beating the Cadillac and Lincoln by more than three inches in second-row legroom. Indeed, the second row of the QX56 feels like sitting in first class. Expansive window glass adds to the feeling of spaciousness in the QX56.Leather is used just as expansively throughout the cabin. The leather-trimmed front seats are almost plush, nicely bolstered with adjustable inboard armrests, and heated. Second-row bucket seats are less plush, but still adequately bolstered with adjustable inboard armrests, and heated. The shift knob is gloved and the steering wheel is wrapped in leather accented with wood inserts. Grab handles on the inside of the A-pillars and above the rear side doors offer assistance to shorter and less agile passengers getting in and out. Second-row seats tilt forward with little effort for access to the third row, which is more bench-like with barely adequate bottom cushions. Step-in height is comfortable, imparting a feeling of climbing up into the Infiniti. The dashboard is uncluttered, with broad expanses of pleasantly textured surfaces. There's no seam for the passenger SRS airbag, no Infiniti logo or label, elegant by their absence. The hood over the instrument cluster is topped with a satin finish, minimizing glare. In other words, nothing looks cheap; in fact, quite the contrary. Buttons and knobs return the expected quality tactile feel. The center stack, with the stereo, climate and navigation system controls, is inset in a metallic-looking frame housing large, adjustable airflow vents. Unfortunately, these center vents cannot be closed, always allowing some air to flow any time the climate control system is running; same for the vents at the ends of the dash. Inset in the top is the navigation system display, which also reports vital data about audio and climate control settings; watch for dust and other detritus to collect in the front of the opening. Unfortunately, the clock, an Infiniti-signature analog unit and a classic visual, is tucked away down at the bottom of the center stack, almost out of sight and therefore almost out of mind. Instruments are of the floating luminescence type and they're very pretty. However, the always-lighted gauges can lead even an attentive driver into thinking the exterior lights are on when they are not. This is a good argument for leaving the headlights in automatic mode. The ignition key slot is in the dash, where we like for it to be. Real-looking, light-colored wood covers the center console. The front windows have one-touch, auto-up/down power; a plus is that the rear door windows do, too. Another plus are power rear quarter windows. The brake and accelerator pedals are power-adjustable, especially useful for shorter drivers, allowing them to place themselves farther from the steering wheel where the airbag is housed. The memory for the driver's seat memory includes placement of the adjustable pedals and heated outside mirrors. Separate dual-zone temperature settings are provided for driver and front-seat passenger. Rear passengers have their own thermostat as well. The 265-watt stereo includes a subwoofer among its 10 speakers. Storage is plentiful, with fixed map pockets in the front and rear doors. The back of the driver's seat boasts a hinged magazine holder. Eight cup holders are provided. A modest amount of hidden storage space resides beneath the cargo floor behind the rear seat. Ordering the entertainment system parks a DVD player in the front center console, slashing that space by about one-third. Collapsing the rear and middle seats and folding the front passenger seat back down makes enough room for an eight-foot ladder. If the rear captain's chairs have been installed, however, a console between them obstruct
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