Despite a high load-in height and a protruding bumper you'll have to lift items over, the cargo opening isn't as bad as it could be. Other big luxury SUVs, like the Lexus LX 570 and some Land Rovers, use a clamshell-type cargo gate. That means there's a bottom segment that folds down like a tailgate, leaving an extra obstacle between you and the cargo floor. The QX uses a power liftgate that opens upward and closes with the touch of a button.

For the towing crowd, the QX's maximum towing capacity is 8,500 pounds with both front- and all-wheel drive. A class IV trailer hitch and seven-pin wiring harness come standard, and a bumper fill plate hides the hitch's opening when you're not towing. The Q7 can tow a maximum of 6,600 pounds, and the GX 460 can tow 6,500 pounds. The more-expensive Lexus LX 570 starts at $79,455 and is rated to tow 7,000 pounds.