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If the exterior of the Infiniti QX56 is a totem to mass, the interior says, roomy. In almost every measure by the tape, the QX bests the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, its most direct competition. The Infiniti beats the Cadillac and Lincoln by more than three inches in second-row legroom, and in most measurements it beats them by at least an inch. Only the Cadillac consistently betters the Infiniti in occupant space, and then generally by fractions of inch. Expansive window glass adds to the feeling of spaciousness in the QX56, even when it's not there. Be forewarned, though, that the optional sunroof reduces front seat headroom by more than an inch (as it does in most vehicles).All seats are trimmed in leather; the shift knob is so gloved and the steering wheel is wrapped in leather accented by wood rim-inserts. 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. 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. 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 tactile feel. The center stack, holding the stereo, climate and navigation system control heads, 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 LCD 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. The clock, an Infiniti-signature analog unit, is tucked away down at the bottom of the center stack, almost out of sight and therefore almost out of mind. Too bad, as it's a classic visual. Instruments are of the floating luminescence type, which militates for leaving headlights in automatic mode as the always-lighted gauges can lead even an attentive driver into thinking the lights are on when they are not. The ignition key slot is in the dash, where it by right ought 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, and their placement is included in the memories for driver's seat and heated outside mirrors settings. Each front seat occupant may choose an individual temperature setting, and rear seat passengers have their own rheostat. The 265-watt stereo includes a subwoofer among its 10 speakers. There's plentiful storage, with fixed map pockets in the doors, front and rear. The back of the driver's seat boasts a hinged magazine holder. Eight cup holders let everybody sip a latte on the way to the concert. 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 actually makes enough room for an eight-foot step ladder when the time comes to finish tha
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