Infiniti QX80 2025: a new opportunity?
The Cadillac Escalade and Mercedes-Benz GLS are the leaders of the full-size SUV segment in La Belle Province. Less popular, the Infiniti QX80 is a kind of underdog, trying as best it can to carve out a place in the sun in this lucrative niche where anything goes when it comes to outfitting and eye-catching.
Cousin to the Nissan Armada (also in the shadows), the QX80 hasn't polished its physique since 2017. Unveiled at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, the 2025 model has taken a giant step forward, with a hefty dose of exterior styling and quite a bit of all the technology available in the Nissan/Infiniti arsenal. A new powertrain also came to the rescue of the aging V8 that had taken its place under the hood.
The Car Guide travelled to California's Napa wine region to discover the new, redesigned QX80.
A more efficient engine, a less rough ride
Technically, the QX80 is almost entirely redesigned, as it retains its current ladder chassis, but to which engineers have made iterations for greater rigidity. The biggest non-cosmetic change is under the hood, with the new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine developing 450 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. This is a good improvement over the outgoing engine, with an additional 50 hp and 103 lb-ft. Infiniti has also swapped the 7-speed gearbox for a new 9-speed transmission. The new hardware also enables the QX80 to retain its attractive towing capacity of 8,500 lbs.
In addition to its improved chassis, the QX80 is also armed with a new air suspension that works in tandem with it to reduce the effect of roll on this leggy behemoth. Our first impressions of the powertrain were convincing, with good performance at all engine speeds and a transmission that delivers the goods in most situations. In terms of driving dynamics, the QX80's chassis and suspension have been successfully upgraded to deliver a driving experience worthy of its price category.
The experience behind the wheel is smoother, with less of the "truck-like" dynamics of the outgoing model. The new air suspension has a lot to do with this. In normal conditions, ground clearance is 254 mm; in off-road mode, the QX80 can gain an additional 53 mm thanks to this adjustable suspension. It can also be lowered by 70 mm at a standstill to facilitate loading and unloading.
A cabin that goes for everything
The interior of a luxury full-size SUV inevitably has to look like an Ali Baba's cave, not only in terms of finish and materials but also in terms of technology. In this respect, German and American manufacturers are taking the lead generation after generation, with ever more screens, gadgets and conveniences in every row.
For 2025, the designers have followed suit, installing a pair of 14.3-inch screens brimming with functionality. For example, the QX80 offers a complex system of cameras, including a 170-degree camera at the front to help the driver see what's going on in front of the vehicle's big hood. This camera can be broadcast on the central screen, but can even extend onto the instrument cluster. It's a useful piece of equipment, but with full view, the steering wheel in front of the instrument cluster can impede vision.
A third screen joins the duo, positioned at an angle in the lower part of the dashboard and incorporating the air-conditioning controls. Although well placed, this monitor with digital controls and haptic feedback seemed unnecessarily complex at first glance. It will take some getting used to. Rear passengers won't have to worry about this, because the QX80 is now available with second-row biometric climate control, which can assess the occupants' body temperature and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Otherwise, the QX80 offers more space than ever before, with cargo volume behind the third row increasing by 28%. This third row is also generous (relatively speaking) in terms of space.
The QX80 sold 157 units in Quebec in 2023, well below the Cadillac Escalade, which sold 534 units over the same period. However, Infiniti did better than Lincoln and its Navigator, which found only 119 takers. The pricing strategy adopted for the QX80 is more aggressive than its rivals, with a starting price of $104,995 for the entry-level Luxe variant, and up to $124,995 for the fully equipped Autograph model we tested.
Will this strategy, combined with the technological, mechanical and stylistic additions of the QX80 2025, be enough to steal market share in its segment, where mores are still firmly entrenched? Only time will tell.
