Driving the 2025 Infiniti QX80 across the roads of Napa Valley, Calif., I preserve noticing new particulars. Between the massive SUV’s cool tech devices, luxurious cabin, quite a few facilities, and new design, I discover quite a bit to love. That’s essential as a result of few individuals want a giant, lumbering, thirsty SUV like this. They need to need it, and people enjoyable options give patrons purpose to contemplate it over section leaders such because the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.
2025 Infiniti QX80: Daring new design, greater cabin
All of it begins with the best way the 2025 QX80 seems. It’s nonetheless massive and blocky like its opponents, but it surely incorporates some extra natural shapes and takes Infiniti in a brand new design route. Up entrance, the chrome or black mesh grille of the previous is changed by a black grille with angled vertical slats impressed by the shapes of a bamboo forest. Daytime operating lights flare out from its high edges like piano keys. The profile maintains a barely rounded, slab-sided form, however the home windows change to a blacked-out look that extends all the best way to the rear. On the rear, a full-width taillight echoes the piano key look of the entrance. In all, it’s imposing but trendy, like an NFL linebacker dressed up for the ESPYs.
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80
The cabin modifications much more. Upholstered in tan and black or purple and black, it comes commonplace with artificial leather-based however the true factor turns into commonplace only one rung up the mannequin ladder from Pure to Luxe. The principle change inside entails screens, although. New 14.3-inch screens sit side-by-side to behave because the instrument cluster and middle touchscreen. The infotainment system contains Google built-in, Amazon Alexa, and wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In my restricted time with the system, it really works effectively, with fast reactions to inputs and an easy-to-follow interface.
One other display sits beneath the sprint for touch-style local weather controls and yet one more display is obtainable on the second-row middle conole for seat controls and local weather settings. All of the screens combine effectively with the rigorously assembled mushy surfaces to supply the look of an upscale workplace.
The upholstery is obtainable with softer semi-aniline leather-based and diamond-pattern stitching, and it’s complemented by steel and wooden trim, together with open-pore wooden, and an obtainable suede headliner. All of it makes for a wealthy, inviting cabin that additionally provides loads of toys to play with.
Occupants and cargo even have extra room this yr because the QX80 grows barely in dimension. At 211.2 inches lengthy, it grows an inch however rides on the identical 121.0-inch wheelbase. Nonetheless, it’s 3.4 inches wider at 83.3 inches and it rises 2.1 inches greater to 77.9 inches tall. That offers it 22.0 cubic toes of cargo area behind the third row (up from 15.0 cubic toes), 59.0 cubic toes behind the second row, and a cavernous 101.0 cubic toes behind the primary row. These numbers path the brief model of the Escalade by 3.5, 13.9, and 21.0 cubic toes, respectively, which is odd as a result of they’re inside an inch of one another in total size.
Infiniti offers commonplace seating for seven with second-row captain’s chairs, however a second-row bench is an choice to seat eight complete. At 5-foot-9, I can set the seats to present me room to sit down in each row. The third row has good headroom and first rate legroom, however low seat bottoms imply I’ve to sit down knees up. Three adults additionally wouldn’t match again there, however three tweens most likely would.
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80: Luxurious and particulars
Greater than the design, the QX80 appeals for its goodies. Priced from $84,445, the bottom Pure mannequin comes commonplace with heated 10-way power-adjustable entrance seats, driver’s seat reminiscence, power-folding third-row seats, heated second-row captain’s chairs an influence tilt/telescoping steering wheel, distant beginning, a wi-fi telephone charger, and a 14-speaker Klipsch audio system.
Consumers shifting up the chain can get semi-aniline leather-based, massaging first- and second-row seats, power-folding second-row seats, heated third-row seats, a entrance middle console cool field, cameras that allow occupants take selfies (extremely wanted, proper?) within the car and file crashes exterior of it, and a few celebration methods, one in its local weather management system and one other with the high-end 24-speaker Klipsch audio system.
Two of the Klipsch system’s further audio system are positioned within the entrance headrests, and so they let the motive force and entrance passenger hear navigation instructions or a telephone name even whereas the music continues to play over the audio system so the occupants can proceed to rock out. On the opposite finish of the road, the music is filtered out for the caller.
The opposite celebration trick is biometric cooling, which routinely detects if second-row occupants are getting heat and routinely directs the air towards them. Infiniti says it may well make these passengers comfy in half the time of a typical local weather management system.
A surround-view digital camera system additionally comes commonplace and it provides as much as 9 digital camera views. They embody a Entrance Broad View and an Invisible Hood View. Entrance Broad View initiatives a wide-angle view throughout each 14.3-inch screens and lets drivers see round objects that they couldn’t usually see from the motive force’s seat as a result of the wide-angle cameras are positioned on the entrance of the car. Invisible Hood View is usually self-explanatory, and it really works by remembering the view forward and calculating the car’s place because it strikes ahead. It’s nice for avoiding ruts or getting over off-road obstacles, however the QX80 isn’t actually meant as an off-roader.
The ultimate little bit of superior tech is the obtainable ProPilot Help model 2.1, which permits hands-free driving on an undisclosed variety of divided highways. On a freeway in Napa, I’m in a position to drive about 15 miles with out my arms on the wheel, although I’ve to concentrate to the street forward. The system performs lane modifications after I faucet the flip sign, but it surely doesn’t change lanes proactively to keep away from slow-moving site visitors, not like GM’s Tremendous Cruise. Whereas I’ve no downside utilizing the system, different journalists on the launch program can’t get it to work, indicating there could also be teething points within the early levels of the rollout.
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80 first drive, Napa Valley, June 2024
2025 Infiniti QX80: Higher bones
The QX80 can be higher at its core. Redesigned from the bottom up, it rides on a ladder body that has 57% extra torsional rigidity. It adopts a double-wishbone suspension entrance and rear, and all however the base Pure mannequin include adaptive dampers and an air suspension. The latter provides the car a typical 7.9 inches of floor clearance, however it may well elevate that to 10.0 inches within the Off-Street mode, and decrease it to five.1 inches when parked to ease ingress and egress.
Within the milieu of an Escalade or Navigator, the QX80 remains to be a giant body-on-frame beast. It weighs about three tons and covers a big footprint, so dealing with isn’t this monster’s forte. It leans notably in corners however feels higher managed than that American duo of extreme SUVs, thanks partially to direct, albeit sluggish, steering with some first rate heft. I’m driving solely the highest Autograph mannequin and whereas the massive 275/50R22 Bridgestone Alenza tires iron out most of Napa’s minor street imperfections and by no means crashes over bumps, rippled pavement causes some truck-like jiggle that rivals filter out higher.
A bigger enchancment has been made underneath the hood, the place Infiniti has retired the now-ancient 5.6-liter V-8 that gave the QX80’s progenitor, the QX56, its identify way back to 2004. As an alternative is a brand new twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 derived from the engines within the Q50 Pink Sport the place it displaces 3.0 liters and the GT-R sports activities coupe the place it’s punched out to three.8 liters.
The brand new engine will increase horsepower from 400 to 450 and raises torque from 413 to 516 lb-ft. The facility flows to the rear or all 4 wheels by way of a 9-speed computerized transmission that replaces a 7-speed.
The brand new V-6 bests the previous V-8 in virtually each means. It’s stronger from a cease, with a 0-60 mph time I’d estimate within the seven-second vary, and it has extra energy on the able to cross at freeway speeds. It could not sound pretty much as good, however its refined and muffled howl nonetheless pleases the ear. It really works effectively with the brand new transmission that shifts easily and retains the engine in its energy band when wanted. It additionally delivers the identical 8,500 kilos of towing capability whereas enhancing gasoline economic system by 2 mpg total to 16 mpg metropolis, 20 freeway, and 18 mixed with rear-wheel drive and 15/19/17 mpg with four-wheel drive.
Given the cumbersome dealing with and poor gasoline economic system, automobiles just like the QX80 are greatest used for households who tow trailers and haul individuals regularly. Those that do selected it must pay up. That $84,445 beginning value is $8,400 greater than final yr. Consumers need to pony up one other $3,150 for four-wheel drive within the base Pure and step-up Luxe fashions, and the latter begins at $91,445 whereas including leather-based, cooled entrance seats, energy sliding and reclining second-row seats, the air suspension and adaptive dampers, ventilated second-row seats, a head-up show, and 22-inch wheels.
Whereas the Luxe appeals as one of the best worth, patrons who need all of these goodies that I take pleasure in discovering in California must cough up $112,545 for the top-of-the-line Autograph mannequin. That will get into the excessive finish of Escalade territory and the low finish of Land Rover Vary Rover turf. Few individuals want a car like every of those, however the QX80’s cool new look and number of devices would possibly appeal to patrons away from these stalwarts.
Infiniti paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to deliver you this firsthand report.
