Nothing comes close to the pleasure of driving on the open road. That’s why I was excited when, courtesy of Arabian Automobiles Company, I was given the Infiniti QX50 to test-drive for an entire week! It was going to be ‘The Beast’ and me navigating the Dubai roads together; I had already started planning our adventure days in advance. With a city as interconnected as ours, maneuvering through the small residential lanes to the five- lane highways is seamless, but I must admit, it helps having the right car.
The first time I slid into the smooth seats of the Infiniti QX50, I was taken away by its comfort. I also liked the artistic use of colours that lend a unique character to the car, and brightened up my mood, too. True to its energetic, high-powered nature, the Infiniti QX50 crackles with energy through bold instrumentation and the double curve of the dash. Inspired by the legendary hand-stitched robes of Japan (fun fact), the seats feel contoured, and tailored to fit the driver and passengers. The graceful curve of the stitching at the back of the seat mirrors the elegant curvature of the back of a kimono, while the upper bolsters of the front seats wrap gently around the shoulders of those sitting in them.
I definitely wanted to see the Infiniti from all sides, and I was thrilled to find that the car has a unique Around View Monitor. This fancy terminology simply means that it uses not one, but four exterior cameras so you can enjoy a 360-degree view of everything around you and, by default, the fancy wheels you’re cruising in.
In addition, the car boasts a 180-degree rear view as well. This installs a bird’s-eye perspective that is displayed on the monitor to help you see the car from behind. Not content with being only a pretty face, the Infiniti is also geared towards optimal safety. If you get too close to another car, the beeping begins to warn you of this. This is also a great feature to help those that tend to be nervous while parking their cars.
Since I’m a bit of a multitasker myself, I often use navigation maps on my mobile while driving. Dangerous, I know- albeit, in a city like ours where new buildings are popping up overnight and construction is rife, Google Maps is a necessary evil. That being said, it can be difficult navigating the road with one eye on the mobile screen and another on the highway, which is why I’m extra- grateful for Infiniti’s touch-screen hard drive navigation system. Put simply, its 3D building graphics and high-resolution screen supports Birdview™ perspective control, which is a control system that enables the driver to have a round –the- clock view of interchanges or exits. As if all that isn’t enough, the lucky inhabitant of this super vehicle is spoilt for choice, with the feature being made available in Arabic and English, and polished off with a Qiblah compass.
I must admit that I was sad when the Infiniti QX50 and I parted ways after a week of epic adventures.
A smooth drive, beautiful interiors and a world class experience has me sold – there’s no doubt about it: I’m pretty much smitten!
