Well, I finally picked her up on Friday afternoon -- '08 Platinum 4x4, Arctic Frost & Sand Beige interior. Put 400 miles on her this weekend!
I will post a thorough review after a few days, along with some pictures (once I get her all cleaned up...its been raining a good bit here). For now, I'll say that she is everything I hoped for....and then some. Drives like an absolute dream and really conceals her weight very well. I am still in awe that a 6000 lbs body on frame SUV can drive like this. I always knew all along that the powertrain and drivetrain were why I was buying this SUV. Well....in hindsight, how little I knew at the time about how true that would be. The 5.7L V8 moves this SUV effortlessly. It simply says "6000 lbs, whatever!!". The 6 speed tranny is a dream as well. Super smooth to where the shifts are almost imperceptible. I played a game with my wife where I made her close her eyes and while under light throttle, I asked her to tell me when she felt a shift.....she couldn't
I'm also very glad I made the stretch from Limited to Platinum. The adaptive suspension alone is worth the cost. Beside the drivetrain & powertrain, the suspension does a great job in controlling the weight of the vehicle. The adaptive suspension goes one step further. With the suspension set to sport, the truck does a great job of limiting body roll and eradicating the minor float sensation in Comfort mode -- with minimal impact on ride quality. The differences between settings are not that dramatic, but are definitely perceptible from behind the wheel. The reason the changes don't feel as dramatic (especially on short test drives) is because there isn't a dramatic deterioration in ride quality between Comfort and Sport. I think people tend to equate sport with harsh ride quality, in this case the word "controlled" is more befitting of the sport setting.
The Platinum has the 20" wheels and the ride quality is, honestly, excellent. Would the 18" wheel/tires drive even smoother? I'm sure they would, but I can tell you that if you are on the fence, don't hesistate on the 20" wheels. The ride quality is well above just acceptable. (guess I should caveat that by saying the Platinum has the adjustable suspension)
For anyone who needs the space and is on the fence due to factors such as interior quality etc. you really need to drive this rig to get a sense for how sophisticated it really is. What ultimately matters is utility and drive and this vehicle absolutely excels at both....period.
This thing really has a serious no. of gizmos. The owners manual is like a novel and that doesn't even include the supplemental NAV manual.
JBL Sound system is nice and sound quality is nicely weighted. Since the mids and center channel are on the dash, the soundstage is high....a lot higher than in most cars. I felt that the system had a tad bit more forward bias than I like....a bit more rear fill would be nice. The mid range is also slightly harsh, but will probably tame itself over time (or my ears will get used to them.....depending on which camp you fall under in the speaker break-in debate).
Sonar system is great and really makes a huge difference when parking in the garage.
Used the Laser Cruise control and it works very well. Drove 90 miles on the interstate without pressing the brake or gas pedal even once. I was on the fence on this option as I felt is was "unnecessary excess". Boy was I wrong, for $600, this option is an absolute steal. If you're stepping up to the Platinum don't sign your buyers order until you've checked this option box.
Only real complaint would be that the plastics (less so on the dash and more on the doors, pillars, hatch etc.) are too hard. They need a softer textured feel in order to be befitting of a $55k vehicle. Am I going to let that bother me? Not at all, the superiority of this vehicle in all other aspects simply relegates this issue to being an after thought for me.
The NAV system is definitely more difficult to use than in my Infiniti. That being said, with some patience and the owners manual, it can be mastered. Love the blue tooth integration as well. The SET RES system does look factory and did well in keeping my toddler engrossed for an hour (really trying to limit this activity, but it is a lifesaver when your child is screaming away). Sound quality is decent from the FM modulator. Didn't have any static issues. As I said on a previous thread, Factory RES would have been nice, but this one serves its purpose. I'll admit that the bigger screen is nice.
Had been reading all the
edmunds reviews with the overall rating of 9.3 and felt that owners were just rating this vehicle positively because they owned one. I can now say with confidence that I am dead wrong. This vehicle does deserve a >9 rating.
Thats all at this juncture folks. More to come over the next few days.