Take a look at by Tom Appel
2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph 4X4
Specs
Class: Premium Massive SUV
Coloration: Dynamic Steel
Seating Capability: 7
Miles pushed: 177
Actual-world gasoline financial system: 18.4 mpg
CG Report Card
Room and ComfortA
Energy and PerformanceB
Match and FinishA
Gasoline EconomyB+
ValueB-
Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus different automobiles in the identical class. Worth grade is for particular trim stage evaluated, and should not replicate Client Information’s impressions of all the mannequin lineup.
Massive & Tall Consolation
Massive GuyA
Tall GuyA
Massive & Tall consolation rankings are for entrance seats solely. “Massive” ranking primarily based on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” ranking primarily based on 6’6″-tall male tester.
Drivetrain
Engine Specs450-horsepower 3.5-liter
Engine TypeTurbocharged V6
Transmission 9-speed automated
Drive Wheels4WD
Driving combine: 65% metropolis, 35% freeway
EPA-estimated gasoline financial system: 15/19/17 (metropolis, freeway, mixed)
Gasoline sort: Premium gasoline
Base worth: $109,900 (not together with $1995 vacation spot cost)
Choices on take a look at car: Particular paint ($695)
Value as examined: $112,590
Execs and Cons
The nice: Now simply as roomy and cozy because the competitors
The great: Higher than anticipated gasoline financial system, luxurious cabin appointments
The not so good: Cadillac costs for what’s ostensibly an all-new class entry
Overview
Credit score Nissan for not giving up on a plan. The mother or father firm of Infiniti, decided to crack the high-volume and profit-rich U.S. massive pickup-truck phase, rolled out the Titan for 2004. The massive truck was in regards to the measurement of American massive pickups, and V8 powered, however finally did not resonate with legendarily brand-loyal class buyers, and offered poorly.
Nissan didn’t throw within the towel on the Titan, nonetheless, selecting to considerably replace the truck for 2016, treating the mannequin to a extra fashionable and upscale cabin, and extra up-to-date styling. And whereas the brand new Titan was extra aggressive than the previous-generation truck, it failed once more to lure buyers away from the extra established home pickup manufacturers. As sellers stopped ordering Titans, the brass at Nissan grudgingly pulled the plug on the pickup, making 2024 its final mannequin yr. This after 20 years of attempting to make a go of it.
Likewise, Infiniti has been attempting to crack the famously worthwhile massive luxurious SUV phase. Dominated by the Cadillac Escalade, the large premium SUV class drives appreciable income for manufacturers like Cadillac, Lincoln, and extra not too long ago Jeep.
First seen in 2004 (and know because the QX56 between 2004 and 2013), the most important of Infiniti fashions has by no means been a giant vendor for Nissan’s luxurious division. Although priced beneath aggressive fashions, the QX80 by no means matched these automobiles when it comes to design, content material, or perceived worth.
Competitors
For a little bit perspective, here’s a record of premium massive SUVs and their gross sales numbers for 2023:
(Be aware: The Lexus LX isn’t supplied in a long-wheelbase physique fashion, limiting its enchantment on this class. Additionally, Jeep Grand Wagoneer gross sales are, to a level, cannibalized by greater trim ranges of the same Wagoneer, which is having fun with a current surge in reputation.)
Not all is doom and gloom for the Infiniti QX80, nonetheless. A factor to think about is that not like large-pickup truck patrons, luxurious SUV homeowners are much less model loyal. Certainly, luxurious buyers usually tend to commerce their automobiles in for one thing newer and shinier. And that is superb information for Infiniti.
Updates
For 2025 the Infiniti QX80 has been redesigned, and is certainly a lot shinier. The up to date car addresses all of our complaints concerning the previous-generation ’80, together with:
A cramped cabin
Unconvincing luxurious
Disappointing trip and dealing with
Awful gasoline financial system
Unusual styling
With out badges, the brand new QX80 would probably be unrecognizable to even essentially the most ardent model loyalist, as it’s greater, boxier, and chromier, but, someway, barely extra restrained trying. Most significantly, although, the brand new QX80 appears to be like extra like the opposite automobiles on this class, particularly the American-brand examples which account for a lot of the gross sales.
Costs and Trim Ranges
For 2025 the QX80 is obtainable in 4 trim ranges:
Pure ($84,445)
Luxe ($91,545)
Sensory ($102,640)
Autograph ($112,590)
Sensory and Autograph fashions come normal with AWD, whereas the characteristic is a $3100 possibility on the Pure and Luxe.
Engines
Whereas the Cadillac Escalade nonetheless comes normal with a V8 engine, each different mannequin within the phase encompasses a turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, together with the 2025 QX80. Gone is the QX’s 400-horsepower 5.6-liter V8 and 7-speed automated transmission, changed by a 450-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 mated to a 9-speed automated transmission.
The QX has grown for 2025. Whereas the wheelbase stays about the identical, the brand new truck is one inch longer general, and greater than three inches wider. The added width pays off when it comes to improved passenger consolation. Extra on that in a second.
Client Information not too long ago spent every week behind the wheel of the 2025 Infiniti QX80 in Autograph trim in Dynamic Steel. All instructed, together with vacation spot, our take a look at automotive got here to $112,590.
Room and Consolation
After exterior design, maybe, the most-important characteristic of any car on this class is the cabin, and it was right here that the previous-generation QX80 was most poor. This creator, for instance, couldn’t discover ample house behind the wheel to be comfy, and the cabin was inexplicably slim.
All of that has modified for 2025. The Up to date Infiniti options one of many roomiest cabins within the class, and the massive door openings make simple work of coming into and exiting the car. We particularly admire the added cabin width, which does a good distance in the direction of enhancing long-drive consolation. We don’t, nonetheless, admire the odd headrest audio system. The audio system bright-metal end is a distraction when trying to the rear of the automotive from the motive force’s seat.
Cabin
The cabin itself is—like different automobiles within the class—one thing of an explosion of luxurious. The mentioned, the upscale trim and high quality seat and sprint/door-top trim are built-in into the overall design and don’t really feel like glued-on parts because the did within the previous QX. We discovered the contrasting red-stitching in our textual content instance particularly elegant.
Certainly, the QX80 cabin feels about as fashionable and upscale as another car within the is class, and because of the beneficiant glass space, feels open and ethereal as nicely.
Connectivity
Although not an precise contiguous piece, the instrument panel and console touchscreen type a single sprint ingredient, and the look is clear and modern. Likewise, the controls are typically easy to grasp and make use of. The touchscreen itself is loads brilliant, and doesn’t washout in direct gentle.
The Klipsch-brand audio system is superb, and is a part of a premium-audio development that we will solely be glad about. The system does a positive job reproducing the mid-century jazz loved by this editor.
Trip and Dealing with
Underway the brand new QX80 wildly outclasses its predecessor. Whereas the previous truck could have dealt with a little bit tighter than the brand new QX, the brand new Infiniti shines when it comes to trip high quality, cabin quietness, and usually freeway refinement. The 2025 QX80 doesn’t deal with fairly in addition to, say, the Navigator, not trip in addition to the Escalade, however does supply its personal compelling mix of dynamic attributes that demand shut consideration throughout a take a look at drive.
Energy and Efficiency
The turbocharged V6 serves up loads of muscle, and sounds fairly good within the course of. There may be simply sufficient exhaust burble to remind you of all the facility beneath the hood, however not a lot noise that the overall cabin atmosphere is compromised.
Energy supply—a minimum of round city—is lower than excellent, nonetheless. Whereas the drivetrain is usually easy, the transmission is susceptible to shifting typically and at inopportune occasions, compromising considerably driving in stop-and-go visitors. The pointless shifting is much less of a problem in gentle suburban visitors.
Gasoline Financial system
Right here is a few excellent news: The turbo V6 engine, although extra highly effective than the outgoing V8, can also be rather more gasoline environment friendly. In Client Information testing, our take a look at 2025 Infiniti QX80 returned a totally affordable 18 mpg. Our noticed gasoline financial system isn’t solely class main, it’s a outstanding enchancment over the 12 mpg we noticed whereas testing a 2021 AWD QX80.
Remaining Ideas
The 2025 QX80 is so significantly better than the car it replaces that’s basically a brand new addition to the premium massive SUV class. Whereas the QX80 lacks any defining traits—save for perhaps glorious gasoline financial system—it’s a well-balance, refined, feature-packed various to the opposite automobiles within the class. We want that Infiniti had been extra modest in pricing the QX, as its backside line invitations direct comparability to the class-leading Escalade and Navigator, which appears unnecessarily daring.
That mentioned, the 2025 QX80 is superb, which the 2024 was not. And, in case you are lucky sufficient to be buying on this phase, you owe it to your self so as to add Nissan’s redesigned bit ute to your test-drive quick record.
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2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph Photos
Click on beneath for enlarged pictures
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