2012 INFINITI QX56 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

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$60,000 to $63,100

Original MSRP

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expert review

4.3

avg user rating

(19 reviews)
2012 INFINITI QX56 Preview summaryImage

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and perhaps that’s the case with Infiniti's QX56, its top-of-the-line luxury large SUV. Trouble is, you may have a hard time finding anyone outside of Infiniti's design team to agree with you. Most reports agree that on the outside it is unconventional-looking at best, and flat-out ugly at worst.

But this is a monster, and monsters are often not so appealing on the outside—it’s what its guts are made of that counts. The car comes in essentially 2 trim levels: Base and 4WD. Both are equipped with a massive 5.6-liter 32-valve V8 with 400 hp, 413 lb-ft of torque and a 7-speed manual transmission (with rear-wheel drive in the Base). Standard for both are 20-inch alloy wheels, with 22-inchers as an option; this beast can tow up to 8,500 pounds.

And sometimes, even though they are big, ugly brutes, they are softies inside—the QX56 is no exception. The luxury interior is stylish and functional. And exceptionally roomy. Three rows of comfortable captain's-chair-type seats are designed to hold up to 7 adults; with the split-bench option for the second row, you can squeeze in an additional body, totaling 8. All 3 rows are surprisingly accessible, although shorter people may need a hand up to get inside.

The cockpit feels commanding, and offers plenty of pickup and power—that, of course, is its saving grace. The QX56 has been clocked at 0 to 60 in a respectable 6.3 seconds. But it is thirsty: It gets an estimated 14 mpg city/20 highway, which is better than last year, but still not great.

Packaged options include the Deluxe Touring, which has climate-controlled front seats and a Bose surround system with 15 speakers, and the Theater, which adds a couple of 7-inch color monitors and wireless headphones for your rear-seat passengers to enjoy something other than the scenery.

The other package is the Technology, which adds a ton of high-tech safety features such as lane departure warning, blind-spot warning and intelligent brake assist with forward collision warning. These sensors are not infallible and have been known to give false alarms; sometimes there’s a difference between safe and overbearing.

The QX comes standard with Infiniti’s advanced airbag system, which adjusts inflation basing on severity of impact. All three rows have roof-mounted side-impact supplemental airbags. Also featured is a program called Snug Kids, which evaluated hundreds of child seat restraints to find the best fit for each model; a list is available online. Braking is never a problem with brake assist, 4-wheel antilock brakes and electronic brakeforce distribution.

So before you get out the torches and run the beast out of town, you might want to consider that the 2012 Infiniti QX56 may just have a heart of gold.

CarGurus Editorial Team
Published May 31, 2022 by CarGurus Editorial Team
While we highlight specific author bylines where possible, sometimes our content results from the combined efforts of several members of the CarGurus editorial team. As with all our editorial content, you can expect high levels of automotive insight and expertise delivered in a style that is approachable and free from jargon.

User reviews for 2012 INFINITI QX56

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User rating:
by Alonzo R
Apr 05, 2024
Great features, Good value for the year, its missing AWD options for this year. Other models are Escalade and Lexus RX 460Apr 05, 2024
by Kandy G
Jun 29, 2023
Since looking at this vehicle, I have decided this is my next SUV I’m getting. The looks of this ride just made me want it more. Jun 29, 2023
by Jason S
Jun 23, 2023
This is the most underrated luxury full size SUV, Jun 23, 2023

2012 INFINITI QX56 Pricing

Original MSRP
$60,000 to $63,100
Price range
$9,691 to $11,123
Average price on CG
$9,981
YoY price change
$11,027 to $9,981

Trims & specs

Air Conditioning

Polyphenol air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Automatic climate control rear air conditioning · Single rear air conditioning zones

Airbags

Dual front airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Front side curtain airbags

Audio System

Antenna Type: element · USB auxiliary audio input · Hard Drive: 9.3GB · Wireless headphones · In-Dash CD: DVD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · 2 subwoofers · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 13

Brakes

ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 13.8 · Front brake width: 1.18 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.8 · Rear brake width: 0.79 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc

Comfort Features

Door sill trim: illuminated scuff plate · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cruise control: adaptive · Cupholders: front, rear and third row · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power steering wheel · Memorized settings: driver seat · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): two 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: front · Rear power outlet: 12V · Rear view camera: multi-view · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: cruise controls · Storage: sunglasses holder · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating

Driver Seat

Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10

Drivetrain

Axle ratio: 2.94

Engine

Alternator: 150 amps

Exterior Features

Door handle color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome · Mirror color: body-color · Mudguards: front · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: liftgate · Running boards: body color · Window trim: chrome

Headrests

Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2 · Number of third row headrests: 3

In Car Entertainment

Infotainment screen size: 8 in. · Video monitor size: 7 · Video system: auxiliary audio/video input

Instrumentation

Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: low fuel level

Lights

Exterior entry lights: puddle lamps · Headlights: self-leveling · Tail and brake lights: LED

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: heated

Passenger Seat

Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8

Rear Seats

Type: 60-40 split bench

Roof

Moonroof: anti-trapping feature · Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rails: black

Safety

Active head restraints: driver · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: rear · Parking sensors: front · Rearview monitor: in dash

Seatbelts

Emergency locking retractors: front · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point · Third row seatbelts: 3-point

Seats

Driver seat power adjustments: height · Front seat type: bucket · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: flat · Third row headrests: adjustable · Third row seat folding: flat · Upholstery: leather-trimmed

Security

Power door locks: anti-lockout

Spare Tire

Mount Location: underbody · Size: full-size

Spare Wheel

Rim type: aluminum alloy

Steering

Steering ratio: 19.7 · Turns lock-to-lock: 3.5

Suspension

Air Suspension: rear · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Leveling: self leveling suspension · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: double wishbone · Stabilizer bar(s): front

Telematics

Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth

Third Row Seat

Type: 40-60 split bench

Tires

Type: all season

Tires and Rims

Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: alloy

Towing and Hauling

Trailer hitch: Class IV · Trailer wiring: 7-pin

Wheels

Wheel spokes: 9

Windows

Front wipers: rain sensing · Liftgate window: manual flip-up · Power windows: with safety reverse · Rear wiper: with washer · Solar-tinted glass: front

Air Conditioning

Polyphenol air filtration · Automatic climate control front air conditioning · Dual front air conditioning zones · Automatic climate control rear air conditioning · Single rear air conditioning zones

Airbags

Dual front airbags · Passenger airbag deactivation: occupant sensing deactivation · Front side airbags · Third row side curtain airbags

Audio System

Antenna Type: element · USB auxiliary audio input · Hard Drive: 9.3GB · Wireless headphones · In-Dash CD: DVD · MP3 player: CD MP3 Playback · Premium Brand: Bose · AM/FM radio · Satellite Radio: SiriusXM · 2 subwoofers · Surround audio: 5.1 · Total Number of Speakers: 13

Brakes

ABS: 4-wheel · Braking assist: hill start assist · Front brake diameter: 13.8 · Front brake width: 1.18 · Front brakes: ventilated disc · Rear brake diameter: 13.8 · Rear brake width: 0.79 · Rear brakes: ventilated disc

Comfort Features

Door sill trim: stainless steel · Floor Mat Material: carpet · Floor Mats: front · Shift knob trim: leather · Steering wheel trim: leather

Convenience Features

Cargo area power outlet: 12V · Center console: front console with armrest and storage · Cruise control: adaptive · Cupholders: front, rear and third row · Dimming rearview mirror: auto-dimming · Easy entry: power driver seat · Memorized settings: 2 driver · Multi-function remote: proximity entry system · One-touch windows: 4 · Power outlet(s): two 12V front · Power steering: speed-proportional · Power windows: lockout button · Reading lights: third row · Rear power outlet: 12V · Steering wheel: power tilt and telescopic · Steering wheel mounted controls: audio · Storage: front seatback · Universal garage door opener: Homelink · Vanity mirrors: dual illuminating

Driver Seat

Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 10

Drivetrain

4WD Type: on demand · Axle ratio: 2.94 · Transfer Case: electronic hi-lo gear selection

Engine

Alternator: 150 amps

Exterior Features

Door handle color: chrome · Front bumper color: body-color · Grille color: chrome · Mirror color: body-color · Mudguards: front · Rear bumper color: body-color · Rear spoiler: roofline spoiler · Rear spoiler color: body-color · Rear trunk/liftgate: power operated · Running boards: body color · Window trim: chrome

Headrests

Front headrests: adjustable · Number of front headrests: 2 · Number of rear headrests: 2 · Number of third row headrests: 3

In Car Entertainment

Infotainment screen size: 8 in. · Video monitor size: 7 · Video system: auxiliary audio/video input

Instrumentation

Fuel economy display: range · Warnings and reminders: coolant temperature warning

Lights

Exterior entry lights: puddle lamps · Headlights: HID · Tail and brake lights: LED

Mirrors

Exterior mirrors: power folding

Passenger Seat

Adjustable lumbar support: power · Power adjustments: 8

Rear Seats

Type: captains chairs

Roof

Moonroof: one-touch open/close · Roof rack: with crossbars · Roof rails: black

Safety

Active head restraints: driver · Camera system: rearview · Child seat anchors: LATCH system · Crumple zones: front · Parking sensors: front

Seatbelts

Emergency locking retractors: front and rear · Front seatbelts: 3-point · Seatbelt force limiters: front · Seatbelt pretensioners: front · Second row seatbelts: 3-point · Third row seatbelts: 3-point

Seats

Driver seat power adjustments: reclining · Front seat type: bucket · Rear headrests: adjustable · Rear seat folding: flat · Third row headrests: adjustable · Third row seat folding: flat · Upholstery: leather-trimmed

Security

Power door locks: anti-lockout

Spare Tire

Mount Location: underbody · Size: full-size

Spare Wheel

Rim type: aluminum alloy

Steering

Steering ratio: 19.7 · Turns lock-to-lock: 3.5

Suspension

Air Suspension: rear · Front Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Front Spring Type: coil springs · Front Suspension Classification: independent · Front Suspension Type: double wishbones · Leveling: self leveling suspension · Rear Shock Type: gas shock absorbers · Rear Spring Type: coil springs · Rear Suspension Classification: independent · Rear Suspension Type: double wishbone · Stabilizer bar(s): front

Telematics

Navigation system: with voice recognition · Phone wireless data link: Bluetooth

Third Row Seat

Type: 40-60 split bench

Tires

Type: all season

Tires and Rims

Wheel type: aluminum alloy · Wheels: alloy

Towing and Hauling

Trailer hitch: Class IV · Trailer wiring: 7-pin

Wheels

Wheel spokes: 7

Windows

Front wipers: variable intermittent · Liftgate window: manual flip-up · Power windows: with safety reverse · Rear wiper: with washer · Solar-tinted glass: front

See all trims (2)