Infiniti recently showed off the new QX at an unveiling event in Louisville, Ky., at which it acknowledged that the large luxury SUV market isn't so, well, large anymore. However, Infiniti officials said, it is still somewhat substantial and probably pretty lucrative.
The officials said that it's common now for this segment to produce sales of around 105,000 vehicles per year, compared with the peak year of 2006, when more than 290,000 vehicles were sold.
Remember those days, when we really didn't give the price of gas much of a second thought?
Well, most folks do think about it twice, maybe even three times now. So back then, when everyone who wanted to sport a little bling was buying a Cadillac Escalade, other manufacturers wanted to, shall we say, enrich their big SUV offerings.
But Escalade remained the market king, and still does.
But there is room for other players in the segment, Infiniti officials say, because the market has changed.
The bling isn't the thing anymore, they say. Meaning that those buyers who just wanted big and gaudy are gone from this segment.
The segment now, Infiniti says, is made of high-income family buyers, who have two, three, maybe even four kids, possibly a pet or two, and maybe a boat to haul around on weekends.
They need the functionality of a big SUV, but also want the niceties that come from a luxury brand.
If that's true (it probably is), then those buyers will find a nice piece of machinery in the QX. The sleeker looks are very appealing, the inside is designed well (check out the huge legroom in the second row) and it drives smoothly.
The QX56 comes with a base price of $56,700 for a two-wheel drive model and $59,800 for a four-wheel drive.
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