"you can't tow 8,500 pounds with a Toyota Prius."

Inside, however, there's no comparison. This is as first-rate an interior as you'll find on any vehicle, thanks to an optional semi-aniline leather that makes the Escalade feel like the Chevrolet Tahoe lurking underneath. Even the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class doesn't have as many soft-touch surfaces and stitched leather upholstery as the QX, which not only looks and feels nicer, but has a better layout to its dashboard and instrument panel.

Honestly, there's not a luxury brand on earth that couldn't stand to eliminate a good 10 percent of the buttons and dials and other various interface controls in its vehicles across the board,

The only thing that spoils the spoiling is a ride that can tend to the harsh side on the worst pavement, something to blame, at least initially, on those 22-inch wheels. With a nice smooth stretch of road, however, the big 275mm-wide tires merely provide extra grip, which surprisingly enough turns out to be an attribute you could actually exercise. The QX has a fairly buttoned up chassis, with an optional Hydraulic Body Motion Control system that keeps the big boat from listing in the turns. It does wonders for keeping the big truck riding flat, but it seems like cheating physics in this way contributes to the QX's dislike for the rough stuff. A little more body movement might be nice if that could help soak up some of the jarring you experience on washboard or deeply pot-holed roads.