2025 Infiniti QX80 First Drive Review + Video

Some facts can be hard to fathom, so try this one on for size: the arrival of the 2025 Infiniti QX80 ends an astonishing 14-year run for the version that came before it.

While it received some significant updates during that time, including a name change, that’s nearly twice the average life cycle in the auto industry, making this new one an especially big deal. And since we’re on the subject of size, the QX80 still offers all the space expected of a massive SUV like this, although it’s been optimized compared to its predecessor — a key development that makes it feel bigger without actually growing much.

But that’s not the big story here. Instead, it’s the clear emphasis that’s been placed on technology integration this time around, with a whole host of firsts for the brand that makes this full-size SUV feel thoroughly modernized both inside and out.

Another V8 Down

Like a number of other trucks and SUVs in recent years, the QX80’s eight-cylinder has been replaced with a downsized engine that relies on forced induction to generate big output. In this case, a twin-turbocharged V6 is now nestled between the front fenders, with 450 hp to go with 515 lb-ft of torque. Those are big increases compared to the old 5.6L, which generated 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque.

Beyond the impressive boost in output, the 3.5L feels like it’s more than up to the task of moving this massive SUV — and everyone inside it. No, this twin-turbo setup can’t replicate the sensations of a V8, but as far as seat-of-the-pants performance is concerned, there’s plenty to like about this downsized approach.

While the linear torque curve of a naturally-aspirated eight-cylinder has long been a hallmark of machines like this one, the sudden surge that comes with the two turbochargers bolted to this V6 makes it feel notably more eager when accelerating. It also benefits from a buttery nine-speed automatic transmission that fires off almost imperceptible shifts no matter the urgency with which the throttle pedal is applied.

The outgoing QX80 was among the most inefficient SUVs on the market, with a combined consumption rating of 15.2 L/100 km, according to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). This new version sees that number shrink to a still unexceptional 13.8, with a highway number that’s barely better than before (12.2 versus 12.4). That’s not especially surprising, since small engines have to work harder to maintain momentum, but it means trips to the cottage will still come with big fuel bills.

Smooth and Supple

During such drives, or even when just cruising around town, the 2025 QX80 feels properly polished and refined — not that its predecessor wasn’t, at least in its own ways, but there are noticeable improvements from behind the wheel. The new electrically power-assisted steering system works wonders, with perfectly tailored feel and feedback to match the mass being moved here. But then it also manages to help the QX80 feel smaller than it is, with impressive agility in spite of its plus-sized dimensions.

Coupled with that easy-driving demeanour is an excellent suspension setup that features both air springs and electronically controlled dampers. While there was nothing wrong with the old QX80’s motion control system that reduced body roll by shuffling hydraulic fluid around when cornering, this new version feels more precise by comparison. Meanwhile, the addition of air suspension this time around — which, it’s worth mentioning, is standard across the three-trim lineup — not only makes this sport utility smoother overall, but also allows for ride height adjustability.

Luxurious Looks

Stretching 5,365 mm (211.2 in) from bumper to bumper, the redesigned QX80 is slightly longer than the one it replaces. Likewise, it’s a little wider than before, but it doesn’t necessarily look as imposing this time around. Granted, at least some of that has to do with the top Autograph trim tested here that uses a black contrasting roof and pillars to reduce the visual mass of this machine. Also helping matters are the thin lighting elements front and back, including daytime running lights that blend beautifully into the top edge of the grille.

Infiniti’s first flush-mounted door handles reduce the body-side clutter, although it’s generally a less busy aesthetic overall. Even the running boards, while not the power-actuated kind offered on some of the QX80’s rivals, are gently tucked up under the doors rather than poking out obtrusively. Finished in a simple yet rich shade of grey like the tester seen here, the QX80 exudes unpretentious luxury.

The same is true of the interior, which boasts a blend of materials and colours that stays this side of overwhelming. While the new QX80 is cursed with the same abundance of gloss-black plastic that plagues the auto industry at large, with dust and smudges showing up at a frustrating rate, the combination of leather to go with matte metal and open-pore wood trim leaves the space looking about as elegant as any other in the segment. Meanwhile, the burgundy leather seen here that’s offered only in the top Autograph trim is a particularly nice touch.

Optimized Interior

But the cabin’s updates go beyond aesthetics — it’s also been configured to be more practical than before. Second-row legroom now stands at a maximum of 1,041 mm (41.0 in), a marginal-but-useful increase. Likewise, the cargo area is deeper than before, although the actual numbers are pretty much identical to what was offered in the old QX80. That includes the same 470 L of space behind the third-row seats, as well as the 1,404 L that’s opened up with them folded.

More than the room that’s available, the cabin has been configured to feel up to par with other SUVs this size. While third-row occupants might dispute Infiniti’s claim that even they’re treated to “first-class hospitality,” those in front of them certainly are. That’s especially true in the QX80 Autograph, which comes with massaging second-row captain’s chairs to match the same functionality up front. Even then, heated and ventilated front and second-row seats are standard across the lineup, while the mid-grade Sensory trim has massaging front seats. The top trim also comes with heated third-row seats.

Infiniti-First Tech

The 2025 QX80 has also been stuffed with all kinds of technology, some of which is new to the brand — and even the full-size SUV segment as a whole. Infotainment and driver information are managed via twin 14.3-inch displays, plus there’s a separate nine-inch touchscreen that’s used for climate, seating, and drive mode controls.

The brand has turned to Google for the first time for its infotainment interface, and it’s — well, not as good as some others out there. Notably, the all-electric 2025 Volvo EX90 that’s slightly smaller (but still offers three-row seating) features a system that’s more aesthetically pleasing, with this one looking a little basic by comparison. But then it offers wireless smartphone connectivity via Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as integrated Google Maps navigation.

Those big displays can also be used to call up one massive camera view, including a new 170-degree wide-angle look up front that can help when pulling out of a driveway boxed in by street-parked vehicles, for example. Better still, those camera settings can be geotagged so that the system automatically calls them up when arriving at a marked location.

Other impressive items include the 24-speaker stereo that comes in both the Sensory and Autograph trims, which offers crisp and clean audio, as well as the top trim’s hands-free highway driving functionality. It builds on the same so-called ProPilot Assist system that’s standard in the other two trims — as well as other Infiniti models — but prompts the driver when it’s ready to take control. The system can even pass slow-moving vehicles at the press of a button on the steering wheel.

Six-Figure SUV

Stuffing this sport utility with all that technology doesn’t come cheap, with even the most affordable in the QX80’s three-trim lineup handedly surpassing the six-figure mark. The QX80 Luxe starts at $107,490 before tax — that includes a non-negotiable freight charge but not the federal luxury tax — which is a nearly $20,000 price hike compared to the old model. Meanwhile the Sensory is $116,490, and the range-topping Autograph rings in at $127,490.

For the sake of comparison, the Lexus LX starts at $117,905 before taxes, while packages can push that to as much as $162,955, and a similarly sized version of the Cadillac Escalade is priced between $112,199 and $149,199 before extra (the high-performance V-Series is even more expensive). Opting for the extended wheelbase version adds $3,500 to the asking price of each Escalade trim.

Final Thoughts

Looking beyond the sticker shock of its year-over-year increase, which would rightly be enough to stop even the most tech-savvy shopper in their tracks, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 warrants an elevated price of entry. Beyond the features it’s been filled with, it drives like a significantly more modern machine — and it’s about time after so many years of the same old SUV.

While the likes of the Lexus LX and Cadillac Escalade — not to mention the Lincoln Navigator and Jeep Grand Wagoneer — make for some stiff competition in the segment, the QX80 finally has what it needs to keep up with any one of them. While the 14 years its predecessor was around for was an awfully long time for such a fast-moving industry, this latest version of Infiniti’s flagship looks like it was well worth the wait.