The QX45 is not even worth considering including the Armada. If you look at this history of quality issues and problems owners have had in the first 90 days of ownership, you will see why.

 

Don't count on taking a FX off-road though.

 

& have limited cargo space too.
I'm not a big fan of SUV's, but I agree the FX looks cool & if I were to get a SUV, the FX45 would be on top of my list.

 

You guys forget that he is in Texas. I've been down there, riding in both a Malibu and then a Passat. Scary I tell ya -these guys in their F150s and Chevy 1500s are mad men - they drive like they don't care what they hit. If I were to ever move there, I would get a Texas Cadillac, and that's a Suburban. You want something REALLY big down there and REALLY heavy because if you have your wife and kids in a car, you want a chance at living. I'm serious, it is frightening down there.

 

There may be parts of the state that are like that, but I've seen the Austin-San Antonio areas and I thought that the drivers were quite courteous....much better than on the Washington, D.C. Beltway.

Also, read my earlier post on the Suburban's brakes (and similiar GM truck-based products).

 

Nothing that can't be upgraded..Which most guys do anyway.

 

I'm not saying they are not courteous, I'm saying they are driving BIG trucks VERY fast and as you pointed out, those trucks can NOT stop quickly. That's why I would want something big - very big if I lived down there.

 

I suggest throwing the X5 out of the list ...

Its a good sporty SUV.... but I think its time has passed... too many on the road.
I've driven and being driven on a X5 very often, and their ride is very hard ... well, like a normal
BMW sporty handling

So, do get it..... But BUT .... if you are getting a 4.8is, its a different matter altogether.

Do you guys think a 4.8is can keep up or even kill a GS430 in a race?

 

I've had a number of Suburbans and similar domestic SUVs, usually 4WD, 3/4-ton vehicles. In the mid 70's I switched to International Harvester. At least the IH boasted the 401 AMC engine that produced 330hp in the AMX. It would move the relatively lightweight SUV with . . .ummmm . . . authority! Emissions controls had detuned small block Chevys to about 170hp in truck trim - totally inadequate for a 6000-lb truck with a 14,000 GCVR. It wouldn't go, and worse, it would not STOP. As mmarshall says, the brakes were spongy and poorly proportioned.

With BOTH feet on the brake you could initiate a panic stop, but the rear drums would lock up almost immediately as the weight shifted forward, leaving the inadequate front discs and two very narrow contact patches to stop the truck. At 60 or 70 mph it only took a few seconds before these began to fade, and you were left with only the steering wheel to get you out of trouble.

Since humans are incapable of the leg power required to lock the fronts, I assume the underpowered booster was an early attempt at anti-lock braking - although I did manage to break the seat back while executing a max effort stop in one Suburban. Somehow I never had a collision in any of these vehicles, but I probably shortened my life expectancy by a few years . . .

I was reminded of this coming home last night when a pair of sheltie pups lept out of the ditch alongside the road. While playing, they missed the fact that they'd just landed in the roadway in front of my RX. Slamming on the brakes at about 30 mph, the "panic brake" took over, the anti-locks juddered a few times and executed an amazing stop within a few feet . . . I missed the dogs, but I sure rearranged the contents of the car. This morning, two cute little guys owe their doggie lives to Mr. Toyoda and his friends putting good brakes and intelligent electronics in their little wagon!

 

The Full Size Domestics do have weak brakes but their are many companies that offer sports car stopping distance with aftermarket up grades about $3-$5k for the brakes and new wheels larger then 18 or 19 will be needed but you can also just get new pads, rotors and steel brake lines to improve stopping distance.

The Nissan Armada & Titan and Infiniti QX56 are suppost to be getting upgraded brakes, Nissan supposedly sent out a TSB for a Big Brake Kit since so many owners have been complaining of pad replacement anywhere from every 4000-8000 miles, newer build models will already have the BBK

I test drove a QX56, stopped on a dime but was probably burning through the pads like a kid licking the cream off an oreo, truck was nice, handle like it was smaller but I read to many owner just having way to many problems and I looked at all the Nissan/Infiniti related problems and figured that the future for this vehicle could get expensive, for 55k I passed, it was not what I expected from that class of vehicle, to many things I could point out that gave a new definition to the word cheap,

Armada is the same way, it's not worth the money, just things on it that just look like flat out cost saving efforts, loaded their upper 40's, truck is worth nomore then 35 tops.

 

It's Texas, get an F250 diesel, chip it, hook up some propane like NOS, put an exhaust on it pull up to a GS430 and pull away like the guy is standing still

Quad Super Crew Cabs, whatever it is 4door long or short beds, truck is like 55k new, thats Luxury

 

YEa i wanted the qx56 but after reading about it in infinitihelp.com man this truck gots problems worst than the tundra i bought my tundra just had brake problems but damn the qx56 is a road disaster. and the price you pay for a cheap car man. But i dont know are they in process of fixing up the new qx56 i might want one though

 

I'd buy the QX56 now, a year or 2 years ago hell no, most of all the problems where minor and fixed, the worst problem was the brakes which Nissan has put a Big Brake Kit on the large Nissans

 

Was recently in a major wreck myself and felt very fortunate to have been in large and heavy SUV, the LX 470, although totalled, my vehicle held up amazingly well and the first thing I noticed was how little plastic the interior of my car has, as opposed to the 2008 Chevy Tahoe that happened to be the other vehicle. It is a sad way to figure this out in such a traumatic way, but it convinced me to purchase another LX470..... it is a great and safe SUV.

 

I thought the OP asked about luxury SUV's and specifically inquired about the driving experience?

Since driving experience matters, the RR Sport, X5, Cayenne and newly redesigned ML all are solid drives. We shopped them all early this year and each has its own strengths and weaknesses. I would also suggest that the new RX F-sport might be worth a look even though I have yet to drive it.

Good luck in your search.