If you love sports cars, you will love this crossover. Bear in mind that the sports-tuned suspension will nail every rugged bump in the road, and that you won’t have nearly as much room for cargo and passengers. Those caveats aside, the QX70 is a sports crossover, and not a typical SUV. This five-passenger sports-luxury crossover comes in two trims that offer two engines: V6 and V8. With the base model, you will get 18” wheels, powered and heated mirrors, power liftgate, powered front seats, keyless ignition, a sunroof, two-zone climate control that’s automatic, 7” touchscreen command console that links to the backup camera and an 11-speaker Bose audio system. Upgrade to the Premium package and get a larger engine, all-wheel drive, roof rails and an 8” touchscreen command console with voice commands and Bluetooth. The base model is powered by a 3.7-liter V6 engine that makes 325 horsepower at 267 pound-feet of torque, while the upgraded and sportier model features a bodacious 5.0-liter V8 engine that makes 390 horsepower at 369 pound-feet of torque. The 4-year/60,000 mile warranty offered is decent and can be upgraded for added peace of mind for scrupulous buyers.
2015 model year changes
The QX70 enters into 2015 mostly unchanged. However, Nissan is no longer giving buyers the option of having a V8. For 2015 all QX70's are powered by the more efficient 3.7L V6 engine.
The 2015 QX70 manages to package sport-sedan performance into a crossover utility vehicle package. But what really separates them from the rest of the performance-SUV crowd is that they really look the part, with curvy sheet metal and an aggressive stance. Both of these models handle far better than most other so-called performance utility vehicles.
The other aspect that truly distinguishes the QX70 models is available technology. A long list of optional items are available that otherwise might only be offered in big sedan flagships, such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW 5-Series -- including items such as lane-departure warning, collision-avoidance braking and intelligent cruise control.
