The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- New, finally
- Strong twin-turbo V-6
- Excellent tech
- 8,500-pound towing
- Loaded feature set…
Dislikes
- …comes at a cost
- Top Autograph exceeds $112,000
- Touch climate panel
- Thirst trap
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 gets a tech and powertrain overhaul to rival modern full-size SUVs, but it comes at a steep cost.
What kind of vehicle is the 2025 Infiniti QX80? What does it compare to?
Infiniti’s largest vehicle, the 2025 QX80 is a three-row SUV redesigned to compete with the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade, and Lexus LX 600.
Is the 2025 Infiniti QX80 a good SUV?
It coddles occupants in luxury while offering the ability to tow up to 8,500 pounds. It goes hard on gas, and doesn’t handle well, but it also has its own style. It earns a TCC Rating of 6.2 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2025 Infiniti QX80?
Once known as the QX56, the Infiniti QX80 hasn’t had a full redesign since 2010. A refresh for 2014 rebadged it the QX80, but however Infiniti’s largest vehicle is classified, this is the first redesign in over a decade, so it’s new.
That starts with its body-on-frame truck platform expected to be shared with the Nissan Armada, which will also be redesigned later this year. It’s an inch longer than its predecessor but has the same wheelbase, yet at 83.3 inches wide with the mirrors folded, the 2025 QX80 sits 3.4 inches wider and up to 2.1 inches taller.
It retains its boxy shape, but with more aero-minded and organic elements mixed in. It sports high shoulders that form a straight line from front to rear. Blacked out glass along the sides contrasts with the body and standard roof rails. Up front, a tall, blacked out grille with vertical slats is flanked along the top by a row of LEDs that serve as daytime running lights. The rear has a spoiler up top and a full-width line of LEDs that echo the nose. It all rests on big shoes, with either 20- or 22-inch wheels.
The inside marks a more substantive and overdue update that integrates technology with luxury. Soft-touch materials adorn the cabin, where synthetic leather or leather upholstery, available with a diamond pattern, blends with wood and metal trim pieces. But the tech showcase stretches the low dash horizontally, starring two 14.3-inch displays curved under a single pane of glass. Google built-in serves as the operating system for the infotainment, and an available color head-up display marks an Infiniti-first.
The screens don’t stop there. A separate 9.0-inch touchscreen below the infotainment screen handles the climate controls with haptic feedback on a panel that angles up like a bridge between the wide console and the digital stack. Below that bridge screen are houses electronic buttons for the gear selector. A screen is also available for the third row to control climate and seat settings.
Infiniti follows industry trends in downsizing from its V-8 and upsizing in power with a twin-turbo V-6. The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 makes 450 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, which is a big gain of 50 hp and 103 lb-ft over the outgoing 5.6-liter V-8. Infiniti says the new engine makes the most torque in the brand’s history. Tapping into that power is a 9-speed automatic transmission similar to what’s used in Nissan’s latest SUVs.
Rear-wheel drive is standard on Pure and Luxe grades, with all-wheel drive available, while AWD is standard on top Sensory and Autograph models. Six drive modes, Standard, Eco, Sport, Snow, Tow, and Personal, alter the adaptive damping (standard on all but Pure).
These changes, as well as a frame with more lateral stiffness and enhanced sound-deadening material, make the QX80 handle with more control than in the past, but it still suffers from some truck-like jiggle on rough pavement and a cumbersome overall feel appropriate for its size. The towing capacity remains the same despite the smaller displacement, at 8,500 pounds.
Crash testing on this big lug hasn’t been completed yet, but Infiniti loads it with standard driver-assist features designed to mitigate the impacts of or avoid a crash. That includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, active lane control, and blind-spot monitors that work with trailers up to 33 feet long.
How much does the 2025 Infiniti QX80 cost?
The newness comes at a cost. Starting at $84,445, including a whopping $1,995 destination fee, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 is $8,400 more expensive than the outgoing model. At least the all-wheel-drive system remains the same $3,150 upcharge.
For that price, Infiniti loads the QX80 with conveniences. The base Pure mode comes with all the screens mentioned above as well as eight USB ports, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto/Amazon Alexa, a wireless smartphone charger, a 14-speaker Klipsch sound system, a power-folding third-row seat, 10-way power front seats that are heated, synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and a hands-free tailgate.
The price ranges all the way up to $112,590 for the loaded Autograph model. That’s in the ballpark of top grades in the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, and the low end of the Land Rover Range Rover lineup.
Where is the 2025 Infiniti QX80 made?
In Japan.
—Senior Editor Robert Duffer contributed to this report.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Styling
Still bold and blocky, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 takes on a more organic, luxurious look.
Is the Infiniti QX80 a good-looking SUV?
The new QX80’s design leans more into its luxury mission while retaining the strong blocky look of a truck. We award it a point for its exterior and another for its well-crafted and smartly designed cabin. That brings the total to 7 out of 10.
High shoulder lines flank the otherwise flat hood, which dips down into a two-part grille with vertical slats that Infiniti says refer to the shapes of a bamboo forest. The strong nose still has a flat, truck-like face, though, while a chrome bar separates out the lower horizontal vents that stretch it wide. LED headlights and available fog lights bookend the board grille, and daytime running lights cap the corners like piano keys. The available 22-inch wheels (20s are standard) won’t help with aero, but retractable door handles flush with the body showcase the clean body sides of the big SUV. A rocker panel indent kicks up into the rear, which has an increased departure angle. The long, flat roof integrates a rear spoiler, and blacked-out rear panels lend it a Range Rover look, until the tailgate. The light bar spanning the rear end flushes out like a bow tie, knotted above the big Infiniti letters in the center.
Inside, the QX80 could be a luxury office suite, with up to four screens (one in the second row) offset by available quilted leather in tan or red contrast stitching, and available open-pore wood. The digital instrument cluster and center touchscreen group together before leading into the soft-touch right side of the dashboard. A “jog wheel” on the steering wheel controls lets drivers change the digital instrument cluster between three views, and it can also be used to fiddle with the center touchscreen.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Performance
A twin-turbo V-6 provides more power than last year’s V-8 but the Infiniti QX80 is still a hulking SUV with awkward moves.
The QX80 earns points for ready power and good towing capacity, but it loses a point for its mushy handling. That makes it a 6 here.
Is the Infiniti QX80 4WD?
It comes standard with rear-wheel drive, but buyers can opt for a full-time four-wheel-drive system that drops low-range gearing this year.
How fast is the Infiniti QX80?
It’s quicker than before thanks to a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 450 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. On their surface, the numbers are an improvement from the 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of last year’s 5.6-liter V-8, but the new turbocharged engine also delivers more torque earlier than the naturally aspirated V-8. Infiniti didn’t provide a 0-60 mph time, but we expect it’s in the seven-second range.
The engine emits a refined growl, and has plenty in reserve for easy highway passing. It works well with the new 9-speed automatic transmission that delivers smooth shifts and alert gear changes.
The QX80 also rides on a stronger ladder frame with a new double-wishbone suspension at both ends. The base Pure model comes with steel springs and passive dampers. Every other model gets adaptive dampers and an air suspension. With the air suspension, the standard ground clearance is 7.9 inches, but that can rise to 10.0 inches in the available Off-Road mode and lower to 5.1 inches to make it easier to get in and out. The Off-Road mode will help it get over bigger off-road obstacles, and a clear hood view allows drivers to place the vehicle when the rocks underneath might cause problems. However, it doesn’t have the knobby tires, low-range gearing, or locking differentials needed for deft off-road work.
The QX80 weighs at or near three tons, so handling isn’t its forte. It sits up high and feels cumbersome as it leans in corners. However, it doesn’t lean as much as it has in the past, and that makes it feel more controlled than its predecessor as well as the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. However, it also jiggles more on bumpy pavement like you’d expect in a pickup truck. Bumps never crash through, though, and the ride is quite smooth otherwise.
Towing capacity checks in at 8,500 pounds in every model, the same as with last year’s V-8.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Comfort & Quality
The QX80’s cabin has the room and tech to delight.
The QX80 coddles up to seven passengers with comfortable first and second rows, lots of cargo space, high-quality materials, and a variety of luxury amenities. It earns a 9 out of 10 here.
Up front, occupants have excellent space with power controls and standard heating and cooling. A deep center console offers lots of small-items storage, and it can be cooled.
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 seats seven people as standard, with second-row captain’s chairs and a 60:40-split third-row seat that squeezes in three seat belts. A three-person second-row bench is available. The third row won’t fit three humans sized any larger than grade schoolers, but with a minimum of 32.9 inches of legroom, there’s enough room for two average size adult males to sit back there, albeit knees-up, and they can benefit from available heated seats, which is rare throughout the auto industry. The third-row bench folds under power.
When the second row is powered, getting back to the third row takes some time as those seats take a beat to react to the controls and take their time to power forward. Both rows can also be folded via the front touchscreen, which is a nice touch, or by controls in the cargo area. Child safety seats can remain in the second row when those seats tilt forward.
The second row is plenty roomy, with 39.2 inches of legroom. With the air suspension, it’s easier to get in and out of any row as the vehicle squats. Some negotiations between the two rear rows will likely lead to enough space for six adults to sit comfortably.
The vehicle’s footprint is much the same as last year, but Infiniti says it’s 30% larger behind the third row. Cargo capacity starts at 22.0 cubic feet behind the third row, and improves to 59.0 cubic feet behind the second row and a very generous 101.0 cubes behind the first row.
Infiniti complements a striking design with high-quality materials throughout the cabin. They include available semi-aniline leather with a diamond pattern, open-pore wood trim, and a suede headliner. Other unique amenities include biometric cooling, front and rear digital video recorders, an in-car camera, and a Klipsch 24-speaker audio system with front headrest speakers that allow the driver to hear connected phone calls while the audio system still plays.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Safety
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 has no crash-test data.
How safe is the Infiniti QX80?
That’s yet to be determined. It comes with a lot of safety equipment, including a pair of hands-free driving systems, but it has no crash-test scores and it sells in low enough numbers that it may not be tested. We can’t give it a rating without crash scores.
Standard safety features include automatic high beams, a rear occupant warning system, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, rear cross-traffic alerts, front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera system, blind-spot monitors that also account for a trailer, driver attention alerts, traffic sign recognition, and a hands-free highway driving system called ProPilot Assist 1.1. A more advanced version called ProPilot Assist 2.1 is available.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Features
The Infiniti QX80 has a lot of equipment and equally high prices.
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 starts at about 10% more than the 2024 model, but it’s more luxurious. It comes with plentiful base equipment, an easy-to-use infotainment system, and a good warranty. Those strengths earn it a 8 out of 10 here.
Infiniti offers the QX80 in Pure, Luxe, Sensory, and Autograph trim levels. The $84,445 Pure comes standard with LED headlights and taillights, a panoramic sunroof, a hands-free power tailgate, synthetic leather upholstery, 10-way power-adjustable heated front seats, a power tilt/telescoping steering wheel, driver’s seat memory, heated second-row captain’s chairs, a power-folding third-row seat, remote starting, dual 14.3-inch dashboard screens, Google built-in, a wifi hotspot, Amazon Alexa, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 14-speaker Klipsch audio system, a wireless phone charger, and 20-inch alloy wheels.
The warranty is four years /50,000 miles with three years or 45,000 miles of free maintenance.
Which Infiniti QX80 should I buy?
Go for the $91,545 Luxe, which adds features we like, including a four-corner air suspension, adaptive dampers, leather upholstery, cooled front seats, power sliding and reclining second-row seats, ventilated second-row seats, a head-up display, and 22-inch wheels.
How much is a fully loaded Infiniti QX80?
At the top of the lineup, the $112,590 Autograph gets semi-aniline quilted leather in all three rows, front seat massagers, a heated steering wheel, massaging second-row seats, a second-row touchscreen for climate controls and seat controls, heated third-row seats, open-pore wood trim, ambient interior lighting, a rear camera mirror, biometric cooling that automatically adjusts the temperature when it detects hot second-row passengers, front and rear digital video recorders, a 120-volt cargo area outlet, a Klipsch 24-speaker audio system with front headrest speakers, a suede headliner, a cooled front center console, and an in-car camera.
2025 INFINITI QX80 Fuel Economy
A new twin-turbo V-6 makes the 2025 Infiniti QX80 only slightly less thirsty.
Is the Infiniti QX80 good on gas?
Erm, no. It’s slightly more efficient but still thirsty with its new twin-turbo V-6 engine. At its best it gets 16 mpg city, 20 highway, 18 combined with rear-wheel drive. Add four-wheel drive and those ratings become 15/19/17 mpg. Those ratings earn it a 1 here. Gas prices will even be higher for most buyers because Infiniti recommends premium fuel.
