While some may enjoy the perception of safety they feel when driving a large SUV that can plow over anything and everything it may encounter, I found the QX56 to have some disconnection from the road. Its driving quality was refined, but the ride felt floaty. I had to simply trust that it was doing what it was supposed to while driving over icy roads; I was so far away from having any direct road feedback.

Acceleration in the QX, which sports a 5.6-liter V-8 engine with 400 horsepower, is light and easy, but moving such a behemoth that quickly comes at a cost. In this case, it's fuel consumption: The QX56 gets an EPA-estimated 14/20 mpg city/highway with either rear- or four-wheel drive. Ouch.