I’m reaching an age now when the thought of a nice comfortable armchair, a pair of cosy slippers, a large brandy and nice fat e-cigar while enjoying reruns of Midsummer Murders is gaining appeal.

That must be the reason I enjoyed my time at the wheel of Infiniti’s Q70. The interior seemed to hark back to the days of the classic Jags with polished wood veneers, sumptuous seats and a cosseting, refined ride.

The Q70 is a modern piece of machinery, of course, and it has to be, competing against the BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 and Mercedes E Class. It does have one weapon in its armoury that its rivals now lack, and that’s exclusivity.

In 2014 fewer than 40 left the forecourts in the UK which, according to my – probably unreliable calculations – makes them a rarer sight on our roads than Ferraris. Those sales figures were hampered by the lack of a small diesel engine, something that has been rectified with the addition of a 2.2-litre unit sourced from Mercedes.

You can also pick up a Q70 with a 3.7-litre V6 petrol or 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid.

There are two main trim levels – Premium and Sport – you can add Tech to those, quite literally, which increases the amount of equipment and safety kit. Prices start at £33,400 for the Premium and rise to £38,950 (excluding options) for the Sport Tech.

The 2.2 diesel under the bonnet of my test car proved to be a little intrusive at idle which didn’t bode well but the unwelcome clatter dissipated as the engine picked up speed and, cruising along the motorway, became inaudible.

Performance, while hardly electrifying, should enough to keep owners happy. This is not a small car, by any means, and getting it up to speed requires a substantial effort. Consequently, the sprint to 62mph takes a relatively modest 8.9 seconds.

The seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is best left in automatic mode as tardy manual changes proved to be a constant source of frustration. Automatic mode is equipped with a learning algorithm that adapts the shifting to suit the driving style.

I didn’t notice any differences over the week I spent with the car but that could be because either nothing changed or it worked so remarkably well that the gearbox adapted seamlessly to my driving style.

The ride is generally excellent, although more frequent bumps and holes can unsettle the Q70. There’s a not insignificant amount of body roll in corners thanks to the soft suspension but the tyres grip well and, while the steering can be a little light, there’s enough feedback to keep you on the black stuff.

There might not be a huge number of Q70s on the UK’s roads but the styling goes a long way to compensate. On streets jammed with German executive saloons this car will stand out. Its bold, chrome-bordered mesh grille flanked by swept-back LED lights gives the front end an imposing, unmistakeable look.

There’s hardly a straight line in sight and the flanks flow like liquid metal toward the similarly curvaceous rear which is dominated by large tail light clusters joined by a broad chrome strip while under the bumper sit two fat exhaust pipes.

The Q70, then, is no shrinking violet.

Inside the theme continues. The dashboard, front and rear door handles and wood veneer inlays all arc around the cabin in almost one continues wave. There’s a real fluidity to the cabin’s architecture. The multimedia screen sits atop the centre console which, you guessed it, then gently curves out to present the (numerous) physical controls within easy reach.

The screen is a little low-res and the sat nav maps a little dated, but overall the system worked well with the exception of Bluetooth audio streaming which meant no Abba Gold for the whole week.

Standard equipment is generous and all models come with rear-view camera, front and rear parking sensors, speed limiter and cruise control, and dual zone climate control.

The seats are, at least from my perspective, flawlessly comfortable. The seating position is quite high, which does give you an excellent view out of the cabin, but the controls aren’t easy to access because of the tiny gap between the seat base and the door trim. Once you’ve made the necessary adjustments you can store them in one of the memory presets to avoid any future inconvenience.

There’s ample head and leg room for passengers in the rear, even with a couple of six-footers riding up front. Cabin storage is excellent, with a large glovebox and two-tier centre console cubby hole. The door pockets are generous as well. The boot will hold 450 litres of your luggage.

The Q70 doesn’t possess the dynamic aptitude of the very best is its class but it’s not entirely incapable of raising a smile or two. It’s most at home on motorways where it can convey passengers in comfort with the minimum of fuss. It’s also well-equipped and good value.

In the end, of course, it’s a matter of choice: Pipe and slippers or shell suit and trainers? Hot cocoa and Downton Abbey or Jagerbombs and Mad Men.

Now, where did i leave my slippers?

Infiniti Q70 2.2d

Prices: from £33,400

Engine: 2.2-litre diesel

Transmission: 7-speed automatic

Max power: 168bhp @3,200rpm

Max torque: 295lbft @ 1,600rpm

Max speed: 137mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 8.9sec

Urban: 49.6mpg

Extra urban: 67.3mpg

Combined: 58.9mpg

Emissions (CO2): 124g/km

For more information visit www.infiniti.co.uk