QX80 Is Luxury Four Wheeling

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass. – It’s big. It’s bold. It’s substantial. The new 2025 INFINITI QX80 makes a statement within the world of large, luxury sport-utility vehicles.

As when I review full-size pickup trucks, I have to sharpen my driving and parking skills when assessing large SUVs, and the QX80 provides assistance with its visibility (thanks to a high perch with excellent sightlines), responsive steering and comprehensive roster of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS).

I sampled a 2025 INFINITI QX80 Autograph model, the top-of-the-range, fully equipped seven-passenger SUV which not only provided heating and ventilation for the four first-and-second-row occupants, but heat, as well, for the ones in row three!

Power worthy of a flagship

The QX80’s 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 internal-combustion engine featuring four valves per cylinder in a double-overhead-camshaft configuration produces 450 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque.

This power flows through a nine-speed automatic transmission (with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters) into the INFINITI All-ModeÒ 4WD system. The driver can select amongst three settings – Auto, 4Hi and 4Lo – for the system, primarily to maximize the vehicle’s off-road capabilities in low-traction situations. In Auto, the QX80 is an all-wheel-drive SUV, perfect for everyday driving.

Performance wise, the QX80 managed a 0-60 miles-per-hour dash in 6.1 seconds (for Car and Driver), very quick considering the 6,491 pounds of large, less-than-aerodynamic SUV being timed. And driving the QX80, I felt the angry horses were always looking to be let loose; anytime I needed power, such as entering a highway, passing traffic or accelerating away from a stop sign, it was there for the asking.

This capability came at a cost: the QX80 returned approximately 20 miles per gallon during my period behind the wheel, much of it highway travel at speeds ranging from 60-70 miles per hour. The number might not be impressive, but it bettered the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s rating of 17 mpg in overall activity (16 urban, 19 highway) and was not terrible for a vehicle of this size, weight and performance.

The standard, integrated Class IV tow hitch (and seven-pin wiring-harness connector) can handle a trailer of up to 8,500 pounds.

Luxury on and off road

INFINITI engineered the QX80 as a luxury vehicle AND an off-roader, with a platform offering comfort regardless of the surface. It begins with 10-inch ground clearance, Electronic Air Suspension (which can lower the SUV by three inches to simplify ingress/egress and loading/unloading) and a Dynamic Digital Suspension system which evaluates road “surfaces and the vehicle’s behavior to regulate body motions for a more controlled driving experience and more comfortable ride experience,” according to INFINITI.

The suspension hardware includes an independent double-wishbone with shock absorber setup (air spring) front and rear.

The four-wheel, power-assisted disc-brake system features twin-piston, swing-calipers and 13.78×1.18-inch vented rotors up front and single-piston, swing-calipers with 13.78×0.79- inch vented rotors in the rear.

The 22×8-inch cast aluminum-alloy wheels wear P275/50R22 all-season tires.

The pieces combine for riding comfort and solid handling, though this is not a vehicle to be pushed at speed through tight corners or excessively aggressive mountain roads. Over time, I developed more and more confidence in the QX80 and its abilities to handle the road. It is a powerful, well controlled vehicle, and, as I mentioned, very maneuverable thanks to excellent visibility, good ADAS and power matching the vehicle’s bulk.

ADAS of a luxury SUV

The long list of standard ADAS begins with ProPILOT Assist 2.1 (a hands-free-driving system); traffic-sign recognition; [monitor] front wide view, invisible hood (look below the front end); front and rear sonar; head-up display; predictive-forward-collision warning; forward automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection; rear automatic emergency braking; rear cross-traffic alert; blind-spot warning; lane-departure prevention, and 3D around-view monitor.

Interior filled with luxury and technology

A pair of 14.3-inch screens – one behind the steering wheel with the information cluster and the infotainment/vehicle-control touchscreen at the upper-center of the dash – as well as a nine-inch touchscreen at the front of the console – displaying the controls for the tri-zone automatic climate-control system – greeted me when I entered the large, airy and roomy cabin of the QX80.

The infotainment system is based on the Google (with Alexa) operating system with standard navigation. Features include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; wireless mobile-device charging; wifi hotspot; eight USB-C ports; SiriusXM satellite radio, and a KlipschÒ Reference Premiere 24-speaker audio system with 14-channel amplifier, subwoofer and individual audio via headrest speakers. A lot of words, but the system delivered a lot of high-quality sound, something I really appreciated during my lengthy travels in the QX80.

Semi-aniline seats fill all three rows, and all are either power adjustable or power folding, befitting a true luxury vehicle. The mirror converts from a traditional glass reflector to a digital display of a rear camera offering a wider field of view; there are eight cupholders and four bottle holders as well as a 120-Volt outlet in the cargo area (which has a power liftgate for access).

The price of big luxury

The INFINITI QX80 competes in the large, luxury segment thanks to its 211.2-inch length, 121-inch wheelbase and room for seven. The range features four models, the first two available in either two-wheel (2WD) or four-wheel drive (4WD). Prices begin at $82,450 for a 2WD Pure, increasing to $109,900 as the base price of the top-of-the-range Autograph version like I drove.

The specific review unit also included four options (though all of the systems and features described above were standard on the Autograph model): the Interior Lighting Package ($1,020), Premium Cargo Package ($650), umbrella holder ($355), and premium paint ($695). These options plus the $1,995 destination charge, brought the as-reviewed total to $114,815.

This is a lot of money for a sport utility, but it is quite competitive within the luxury large SUV segment where six-figure price tags are common. Driving the QX80 is distinctive with a definite, individual presence on the road or in a driveway.