Well hello Infiniti. So glad to see you’re back. It’s been a while.
Fair to say that Nissan’s luxury division has been somewhat asleep at the wheel when it came delivering new offerings in recent years.
In fact, it has spent the last couple of summers quietly culling rather than creating. All those lovely Q50 sedans and sexy Q60 coupes? Gone. These days Infiniti is all about gently-aging SUVs and crossovers.
But that’s about to change. First up in the brand’s full-body makeover is the all new, XL-sized 2025 QX80 SUV.
After a week spent behind the wheel of the all-bells-and-whistles QX80 Autograph flagship, I have to say it’s one heckuva comeback.
With a huge focus on cool design, super-luxe interiors, and a whole lot of fresh tech, this new QX can truly butt heads with big-boy rivals, like Cadillac’s Escalade, the Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes’ GLS, Jeep’s Grand Wagoneer and the Lexus LX.
Just look at the thing. It’ll turn heads faster than a Taylor sighting at a Kansas City Chiefs game. Talk about visual drama.
I love that cascading grille – Infiniti says it was inspired by a bamboo forest – and those quite magical slivers-of-LED daytime running lights mounted high up. And that side body crease that runs front to back, looks sharp enough to slice fingers.
The designers didn’t run out of steam when they got to the rear either. Here there’s a horizontal LED light bar that spans the full 83-inch width of the truck. At night, it’s as cool as the shimmery lights on the Eiffel Tower.
And the design treats just keep coming. Like the flush door handles that pop out as you approach, and the set of towering 22-inch rims. This is one terrific-looking 4×4.
Just as mouth-watering is what’s beneath that curvy, big-as-Texas hood. Gone is the previous-gen’s 400-hp 5.6-liter V8 and seven-speed automatic. In its place is a Teflon-smooth 450-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 mated to a nine-speed auto.
Yes, I miss the ol’ V8 burble, but those 50 extra horseys, two extra speeds, zippier acceleration plus slightly improved fuel economy, make it a worthwhile sacrifice.
But it’s the sexy new interior that will likely have hearts all aflutter. This might be the coolest, classiest, most opulent cabin this side of a Range Rover or Bentley Bentayga.
All that diamond-quilted semi-aniline leather, open-pore wood, satin aluminum accents and soft-touch surfaces. And, in addition to heated and cooled front and second-row seats, each is available with a built-in massager.
There’s also room inside for up to eight in three, pretty-spacious rows. Even that third row way back can accommodate full-size people. There’s a ton of space for luggage too, with 22 cubic feet behind that third row.
The new dash is also a standout, with its wall-of-glass, dual 14-inch screens. And between the seats is perhaps the piece de resistance, a cooler big enough for a six-pack.
Out on the road, the big QX drives as good as it looks. Air suspension is standard which does a fine job of controlling body roll through the curves. And the steering is nicely-precise and well-weighted for confidence. But there’s no mistaking this for anything other than a portly, three-ton, truck-based SUV.
But that new twin-turbo V6 delivers surprisingly brisk acceleration – probably in the 0-to-60 in around 5.5 seconds range, which is speedy. But its forte is super-relaxed, mile-munching 75 mph cruising on I-75.
Take your pick from a quartet of QX80 offerings, starting with the Pure at $84,445. Step up to my choice, the well-equipped, mid-range Luxe from $91,545. Or go all out with the $102,640 Sensory or impressive, though pricey Autograph kicking off at 112,590.
So well done Infiniti. This new QX should do a nice job of reminding buyers that you’re back in the game.
