Infiniti QX70 2013-2018 review

The steering is a touch quick and a little light off centre but weights up consistently thereafter, while the QX70's squat stance and huge rubber helps it remain upright and grip nicely. It isn't particularly fun, nor adjustable, but you quickly learn to trust it, which tempts you to push harder. Stiffening the dampers in Sport mode improves things further still.

However, holding the QX70 back is its inconsistent seven-speed automatic gearbox. Stamping on the throttle will sometimes see the transmission hook up instantly, propelling you up the road. At other times you have a second's pause, a big inhalation and then a hefty kick up the backside.

It extinguishes the QX70's otherwise predictable nature. Once you've enjoyed barrelling and settling into a bend, you want all that torque at a moment's notice when it's time to feed in the throttle, but often the gearbox doesn't play ball.

The ride needs work, too. With the dampers set to Normal, large bumps are well cushioned but sharp-edged potholes crash into the cabin and the body is allowed to move about too much. Sport mode brings the body under more control but makes it too firm the rest of the time. We mostly plumped for the latter.

Those after a luxury SUV might find the QX70's refinement a struggle to put up with. At idle there's a constant buzz through the controls made worse with acceleration, while those big wheels cause quite a bit of roar at a steady motorway cruise.

The QX70 still suffers from a deficit of rear space and a wide but shallow boot, while its interior quality isn't up there with the best in this class. Spending £50,000 on an SUV and looking at a Nissan Qashqai steering wheel and switchgear would hurt after a while.

Infiniti has thoroughly raided the Nissan parts bin for the infotainment system's control buttons, too, with seemingly one for every function, but the rotary dial you use most often, combined with decent menu design, helps you navigate the system easily enough.

You can't deny that the QX70's looks are a refreshing change from the usual boxy SUV shape, and in S Design guise the Infiniti will help you stand out even further. It's also well equipped, handles decently and packs a punch in the performance department.

However, it's off the pace in just about every other area. Ride, refinement, interior quality, infotainment, space and visibility are all some way behind those of the competition.

If you're after an agile SUV, both the Porsche Macan and Audi SQ5 are cheaper and faster, plus they handle better, have higher-quality interiors, are cleaner, more frugal and, in the Audi's case at least, more spacious and similarly well equipped.