It’s a strapping powerplant that couples well with a 7-speed automatic to move along a vehicle weighing from 5,678 to 5,813 lb. The QX80’s velvety 5.6-liter V-8 issues 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, with a ripe but muted exhaust note. We take one back for ponderous handling that’s improved slightly with the hydraulic active suspension on the most expensive model. We give the QX80 a 6 for performance, based on the strength of its powertrain and on its towing ability. The standard rear-drive configuration can be upgraded to four-wheel drive for $3,100, no matter which model you choose. It may not be the most outré environment, but the lush nappa leather hides are quilted, the wood trim is burled, and the vibe is VIP, with bottle service. The curved dash and newly christened wide-screen interface on the QX80 map out well against its contemporaries, but the cabin really sings in Sensory trim. The closely aligned looks show just how much the details matter: Infiniti’s suaver shapes rule over the Nissan’s blockier bits. In profile it’s a look-alike for the Nissan Armada, with an angled rear pillar that throws back to the Japanese SUVs of the 1980s and ’90s. Base models have a handsome thick-framed grille bracketed by slim headlights and shored up by a thin strip of air intakes, all in good balance. With more cohesive front and rear ends than in years past, and a pleasant interior, the QX80 earns a point extra inside and out, for a 7 here.Ī big grille, a roof rack, running boards, fender flares-yep, the QX80’s a full-size SUV, but it wears some of its more blingy details better than most. It’s not understated, but the QX80 works its collection of jewelry to its advantage. It’s $71,995 for the QX80 Luxe with its leather upholstery, 13-speaker Bose audio, 12.3-inch touchscreen, and 20-inch wheels-or as much as $86,730 for the Sensory edition and its cooled front seats, nappa leather, four-wheel drive, and adaptive hydraulic suspension. How much does the 2022 Infiniti QX80 cost? The QX80 hasn’t been tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS, but it has standard automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control, as well as a rear camera mirror and a surround-view camera system. Five adults can ride in comfort and bring along lots of big-box finds, but it’s better for four with the no-cost captain’s chairs in row two.
The appeal of the QX80 lies in its business-class interior, upholstered in leather-quilted nappa hides on the Sensory edition. The dark side is a copious thirst for premium fuel, and handling that’s predictably ponderous. The 400-hp V-8 and 7-speed automatic can’t outrun or outgun the QX80’s prodigious curb weight of nearly 5,900 lb, but they can pull from a stoplight with assertive force and tow up to 8,500 lb when called upon. It’s handsome inside, too: Hints of old-school SUV charm show through amid a dash wrapped in soft material and burled wood. Sold in Luxe, Premium Select, and Sensory versions, the QX80 shares a roofline with the Nissan Armada (among other things), but renders it more attractive with a thickly framed grille, slim headlights, and on mid-level versions, bronzed-out trim. Also newly standard are wireless smartphone charging and adaptive cruise control.
The QX80 adopts a 12.3-inch touchscreen this year, which comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, as well as navigation. Exemplary power and a hint of prestige go far, but fuel economy’s super-low, even among big SUVs.