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Premium midsize SUV; Built in Japan
  • 4-door wagon
  • longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive
Good condition price range: $5,500 – $9,000*


2001 Infiniti QX4


2001 Infiniti QX4


2001 Infiniti QX4 interior


2002 Infiniti QX4


2003 Infiniti QX4

Pros:
  • Build quality
  • Passenger and cargo room
Cons:
  • Fuel economy
  • Rear-seat entry/exit

Infiniti has offered its new-vehicle owners “red carpet” customer service, and the QX4’s all-wheel-drive system is a bonus. All told, though, neither the QX4 nor the Pathfinder has what it takes to be a compelling value against the competition.

Overview

In its second generation, the QX4 served as essentially an upscale Nissan Pathfinder. Updated for a debut in spring of 2000, as an early 2001 model, the QX4 gained a new twincam 3.5-liter V6 engine that produced 240 horsepower. That was quite a contrast to the prior single-cam 3.3-liter V6, which delivered only 170 hp. The same 3.5-liter powertrain went into the latest Pathfinder.

Exterior styling was revised, and a new dashboard was installed, with electro-luminescent gauges and an analog clock. Dimensions were largely unchanged. For the first time, a lower-cost two-wheel-drive version was offered.

The new QX4 had subtly rounded lines, along with a fresh grille and bumpers. Brighter high-intensity-discharge headlamps replaced the previous halogen units. Interior revisions included standard front side airbags. New options included a leather/simulated-wood steering wheel, heated rear seats, and a navigation system. Antilock braking was standard.

Nissan’s All-Mode four-wheel drive system could be used on dry pavement, and had separate low-range gearing. Rivals included the Acura MDX, Lexus RX 300, and Mercedes-Benz M-Class. Infiniti is Nissan’s luxury division.

Yearly Updates

2002 QX4
Cruise control designed to maintain a set distance from other traffic was the main addition for 2002. The QX4 shared Nissan’s Intelligent Cruise Control with Infiniti’s flagship Q45 sedan. Employing laser sensors, the system was designed to automatically speed or slow the QX4 to keep it a constant distance from cars ahead.
Also new for 2002 was a revised audio system, plus audio controls for the available leather/wood steering wheel. The optional rear-seat video entertainment system offered a choice of VCR or DVD player.
2003 QX4
Additional standard equipment for 2003 included curtain-type side airbags, available for the first time. Several new standard features had previously been part of the Premium Package, including 17-inch wheels, a driver-seat memory system, and a leather/woodgrain steering wheel with audio controls. Options included heated front/rear seats and a videotape or DVD rear-seat entertainment system, as well as a power moonroof.

Engines

longitudinal front-engine/rear- or 4-wheel drive

Sole powertrain for the QX4 was a 3.5-liter dual-overhead-cam V6 that produced 240 horsepower, driving a four-speed automatic transmission. Either rear-drive or four-wheel drive could be installed.

dohc V6
Engine Size (liters/cubic inches) 3.5/214
Engine HP 240
Engine Torque (lb-ft) 265
Avail. Trans. EPA MPG (city/hwy) MPG avg. as tested
4-speed automatic

 15/18

EPA rating with 2WD is 15/19 mpg.

Road Test

In performance and accommodations, the QX4 is similar to Nissan’s Pathfinder, which costs less. Test models did 0-60 mph in 9 seconds, which is good for a midsize six-cylinder SUV. Calling on full power requires a determined throttle foot though, and the automatic transmission can be slow to downshift for passing.

As for economy, test QX4s and Pathfinders have averaged 14.2-16.5 mpg, depending on conditions. That’s about par for this class, but premium-grade fuel is required.

Both the QX4 and the Pathfinder ride firmly, though the QX4 is acceptably comfortable over bumps and ridges that feel jarring in a Pathfinder. A taut suspension aids control, keeping body lean in turns moderate. Steering feels properly weighted in turns, but suffers vague on-center feel at highway speeds. The turning radius is larger than on most rivals. The QX4’s all-surface four-wheel-drive system performs well.

Wind and road noise are well-muffled. The V6 emits a throaty roar in hard acceleration, but cruises quietly enough.

A functionally sound dashboard goes on both the QX4 and Pathfinder. The nicely integrated navigation system works well, once you master its programming. Cabin decor is classy in the QX4.

Room and comfort are ample for adults up front. The driving position is good, and sufficiently adjustable, but thick roof pillars impede visibility.

If front seats are more than halfway back, rear leg space is barely adequate for adults. The rear bench is low to the floor and deficient in back support. Step-in height is relatively high. Narrow door openings further impede entry/exit. Cargo room is good and flip-up back glass is useful, but the folding rear seat is somewhat complicated.

Ratings

Model Tested: 2001 Infiniti QX4 Base 2WD

Ratings values are on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the best. With the exception of Value, these numbers reflect how the vehicle compares against the universe of vehicles, not just against rivals in its class.

Performance

Acceleration - 6
60%
Fuel Economy - 4
40%
Ride Quality - 5
50%
Steering/Handling - 4
40%
Quietness - 5
50%

Accommodations

Controls/Materials - 7
70%
Room/Comfort Front - 5
50%
Room/Comfort Rear - 3
30%
Cargo Room - 8
80%

Other

Value - 3
30%

Total: 50

Specifications

4-door wagon
Wheelbase (in.) Length (in.) Width (in.) Height (in.) Weight (lbs)
106.3 183.1 72.4 70.7
Cargo Volume (cu/ft) Payload Capacity (cu/ft) Fuel Capacity (gal.) Seating Capacity
85.5 21.1 5
Headroom Legroom
Front Rear Front Rear
39.5 37.5 41.7 31.8
Safety Ratings

Model Tested: 2001 QX4 4-door wagon

NHTSA

(5 is the highest rating)

Front Impact Test

Driver Injury - 4
80%
Front Passenger Injury - 4
80%

Side Impact Test

Driver Injury - N/A
N/A0%
Rear Passenger Injury - N/A
N/A0%

HLDI

(A score of 100 is average. Lower is better)

Collision N/A
Injury N/A
Theft N/A

Trouble Spots

Blower motor
Description: Humming and/or ticking noises from the blower are corrected with a revised insulator cover. (2001)
Dashboard lights
Description: The check engine light will come on if a servicing technician uses anything but Texaco Canopus 13 mineral oil to lube vacuum hoses for reinstallation after servicing the 3.5-liter V6 engine. (2002)
Audio system
Description: Radio static that follows the engine speed requires replacement of the ignition coil resistors. (2002)
Transmission noise
Description: The front universal joint in the driveshaft causes a clunking noise when shifting from reverse to drive or from drive to reverse. (2001-03)
Hood/trunk
Description: On some early production vehicles, the rear hatch may pop open to the secondary latch position when driving over bumps or on rough roads causing the warning light to come on. (2001)

Recall History

1997-01 QX4 in certain states
Description: The fuel filler tube may rust due to an incomplete coating process. In areas where road salt is used, the rust may perforate the tube, causing fuel leakage, increasing risk of fire.
1997-2003 QX4 in certain states
Description: In areas of the country in which heavy concentrations of road salt are used, a mixture of snow/water and salt may enter an assembly location hole in the upper strut housing, causing water to and may result in corrosion of the strut tower housing in some subject vehicles. This may lead to grinding noises, increased steering effort, and possibly the steering column to break, resulting in the loss of steering control, which could result in a crash.
2001 QX4
Description: Defective ignition-lock assembly could cause key-cylinder cap to disengage, possibly locking the steering wheel while vehicle is in motion.
2001 QX4
Description: Some brackets used to attach the two gas struts to the rear hatch may have been improperly made, resulting in the struts detaching from the bracket(s) when opening or closing the rear door.
2002 QX4
Description: The air bag inflator contains propellant wafers that are required to properly deploy the front passenger air bag. Due to improper propellant wafer installation, some air bag inflators may be missing one of the wafers. As a result, the remaining wafers in the inflator used for the deployment of the front passenger air bag may, over time, break up into powder due to normal vibration experienced while driving. This causes the combustion rate of the propellant to increase inside the inflator, which can lead to internal pressure rising suddenly during air bag deployment. The inflator housing may rupture, causing an irregular deployment and some possibility of producing loose metal fragments, increasing a risk of injury to the front passenger.
2002-2003 QX4
Description: Passenger-side frontal airbag inflator may rupture upon deployment and spray metal fragments at the passenger.

Equipment Lists

Equipment lists are only viewable on larger screen sizes.

Pricing

Used-car pricing varies widely depending on local market conditions. Therefore, we recommend visiting websites that list used cars for sale to get a better idea of what a specific model is selling for in your area.

More about Tom Appel
Written by: Tom Appel on July 16, 2014.
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