As the snow started falling, staffers scurried to grab the QX keys. "Winter in Detroit is the most SUV time of year," mused senior editor Joe Lorio after a night in the QX. He's on to something there. With the reduced traction available on snowy streets, the temperatures dip below freezing, and everyone looking for a warm, comfortable place to pass the time, our QX seems like the perfect ride for the winter months.
Still, our hyper critical drivers did manage to find a few chinks in the QX's armor. Copyeditor Rusty Blackwell initially praised the cavernous cargo area's ability to swallow an end table, coffee table, and some folding chairs without folding down the second row of seats, but also pointed out that the high load floor and 22.4-inch stepover height don't make for convenient loading or boarding procedures. He also complained that lane departure warning and blind spot warning can't operate independently, which conflicts with his desire to clip apexes and still know when there's something in his blind spot.
Deputy editor Joe DeMatio, however, doesn't mind the fact that the lane departure warning system and blind spot detection systems work in tandem: "I'll take any electronic assistance I can have, thank you very much, for the task of keeping this big beast in its lane." DeMatio especially appreciates the electronic aides when it's time to "fiddle with any of the many controls on the center stack." Joe is apparently the first staffer to fill the QX with six adults and he decided to test the third row for himself: "Plenty of headroom, but legroom was tight and overall the accommodations were not as good as you'd get in a minivan or in the Ford Flex."
Despite our love for the QX's heated seats, steering wheel, and overall great cold weather comfort, we're already dreaming of warmer weather and more adventurous trips for the QX once the snow starts melting. Be sure to check back next month to find out where the QX goes and what we think of it during its fourth month at 120 East Liberty Street.