| Pros | Cons | ||
| ✓ Overhauled exterior styling | ☓ Air suspection crashes over some bumps | ||
| ✓ Pleasant, tech-filled interior | ☓ Fuel economy is barely any better than the V8 | ||
| ✓ Twin-turbo V6 packs a punch | ☓ $100K+ price tag for the best features |
Among big SUVs, the old Infiniti QX80 was lackluster — but not this one.
The full-size SUV market has gone through a near-complete transformation over the past few years, with the Big Three offering entirely new models including the GM’s dominant models from Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac, and even a brand-new Toyota Sequoia and Lexus LX lineup. Ford is also taking bold steps to freshen up its Expedition and Lincoln Navigator to take a larger bite out of GM’s sales. There are new options any way you look, so the Infiniti QX80 — which has aged into obscurity over time — could no longer awkwardly sit there with its ancient V8 engine, dismal fuel economy and what we (affectionately) called “Happy Hippo” styling. The QX80, and the brand as a whole, needed some massive changes.
Fortunately, that’s exactly what we have here. But there are two burning questions that folks are naturally going to ask: Are the changes enough, and is it already too late? And perhaps a third if you’re shopping at the upper end of the trim walk…is an Infiniti really worth more than $100,000?
Several months after its initial debut at the New York Auto Show, we finally have an opportunity to properly check the 2025 Infiniti QX80 out on the road. The automaker, for its part, is promising not just an updated flagship with this launch, but an overhaul that foreshadows a renaissance of the entire brand. That’s a bold claim and a massive undertaking, considering that most of the brand’s lineup (that hasn’t already been discontinued) is a bit tired, with the possible exception of the midsize QX60 SUV. To achieve its goal, Infiniti is debuting its “Artistry in Motion” design with this truck.
Powered by a 450-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, the new QX80 also drops the old-school 5.6-liter V8 from the lineup for good. It brings 50 more horses and 103 lb-ft more torque in the process, mated up to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Towing capacity stays the same at a respectable 8,500 pounds, while pricing starts at $84,445 for the rear-wheel drive Pure (base) model. From there, pricing rises through the Luxe, Sensory and Autograph trims to top out at a hefty $112,590, before you factor in any accessories.
The new QX80 brings a bold presence to the table, as well as some elegant design touches.
Several months before the production version made its appearance, Infiniti showed off its new styling direction with the Monograph concept. Surprisingly, the actual SUV you can drive off the lot right now more or less looks like the concept, and that’s certainly no bad thing. Up front, you get a large latticed grille, complete with slim, segmented daytime running lights (Infiniti calls it Digital Piano Key lighting) and a split headlight assembly.
Where the QX Monograph Concept really modernizes the exterior design, to my mind, is down the side profile and around back. The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is far less curvaceous than the models that precede it (all the way back to the 2010s-era QX56), with broader, squared-off shoulders and no upward kink behind the C-pillar, with the rear glass maintaining the straight line all the way back. When the QX80 is locked, the door handles recess into the doors to emphasize a continuous and uninterrupted look to the profile. At the rear, Infiniti again ditches some of the old SUV’s bulbous elements for a sleeker LED light bar across the liftgate, complete with the modern and fashionable “INFINITI” lettering.
The new QX80’s interior is (mostly) a huge improvement.
Whether inside or out, Infiniti’s flagship SUV has always had size working in its favor. That’s not the be-all and end-all of luxury-minded family rigs, though, especially in a year where every other player is bringing their best to the table. Of course, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 still packs three rows of seats, though those sitting across all three rows will have a far nicer experience than in previous model years. As soon as you step in, you’re greeted to a host of design touches like the dual 14.3-inch displays, a lower 9.0-inch climate and drive mode control screen and leather virtually everywhere you can see and touch.
Fortunately, Infiniti doesn’t lock some of the nicer features like the leather, a Klipsch audio system or wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support behind the paywall of more expensive trims, either. That all comes standard, as do the screens and the second-row captain’s chairs, though you can get a split-fold bench seat as a no-cost option on the $84,445 Pure trim. Nicer models get swankier upgrades, of course, like 64-color ambient lighting on the Luxe trim, which also gets a head-up display, climate-controlled seats and electronically-controlled air suspension.
The upper two trims, the Sensory and the Autograph, get the features Infiniti is really talking up with the 2025 QX80: a 24-speaker Klipsch Reference Premiere system and the ProPilot 2.1 driver assistance suite (the latter is available on Luxe as an optional package). Pick either of the higher-end models, though, and you’re firmly in the six-figure club, with the Autograph we tested running up to $112,590 before any extra accessories. Eight USB-C ports also dot the interior so every passenger has a place to charge up.
Spring for the Autograph, and both the Graphite and the Burgundy interiors are a fantastic place to spend your time, without a doubt. That said, if your budget doesn’t stretch that far, the base trims still offer most of the luxury and all of the style, so you don’t need to spend more than $100K to get all the extra garnish unless you really want to.
There are some annoyances, though
Like every other truck, car or SUV we review, the devil’s in the details, and that’s where I take issue with the 2025 Infiniti QX80. I think the exterior is a huge step up and so is the interior…but the whole center stack isn’t exactly a home run. That lower screen, slick though it appears, still houses some crucial controls behind less-than-responsive haptic touch “buttons”…you have to make sure you press and hold whichever option you want to ensure it actually takes.
Part of the rationale behind this sort of design is that you shouldn’t have to take your hands of the wheel (or your eyes off the road) to get to major functions. Rather, you can use voice commands to set the climate control just right. I typically just want to do it myself, and that’s where you do have to actually look down to change up any of the comfort settings, rather than being able to feel around for a knob or a button.
What’s more, rather than put the drive mode toggle anywhere close to the rest of the driving controls — maybe on the wheel next to the ProPilot Assist button? — it’s out there in a no man’s land as the only non climate-related feature on that lower screen. I get how most people who ever drive the QX80 will just put in in ‘D’ and go, but that ergonomic decision meant I spent some time trying to track down how to filter through the new SUV’s six available drive modes. That one mode tab on the lower screen is also where you select 4-High, disengage the traction control, and change the ride height if you have air suspension. That’s a lot of information to obscure away from the driver, when you do get a button to toggle the surround-view camera system, as well as the four push-buttons for the 9-speed automatic transmission.
You may be able to get past all that, but the center console design posed a problem as I was driving around, particularly with the driver’s armrest storage cubby. While I get the point of having it, especially with a cool box in the normal center console, I’m constantly popping it open anytime I actually use that side as an armrest. In the long run, that’s a little frustration I’d struggle to get over.
As great as the old V8 sounds, you won’t want for power here.
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 looks good all-around, as far as I’m concerned, and the interior only presented a few minor irritations. But what about the powertrain? Can the automaker really get away with dropping the long-lived (and excellent-sounding) 5.6-liter Endurance V8 for a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V6?
Yes, actually it can. Even on paper, the 450 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque on tap gives the new QX80 a comfortable margin against the old one. By the seat of your pants, though, those turbos spool up quickly and catapult this 3-ton SUV to 60 mph in just over 5 seconds at sea level, so it definitely packs enough grunt. That 9-speed automatic transmission helps improve low-end acceleration too, making this new SUV more of a smooth driving experience around town, at least when it comes to the powertrain.
As for the air suspension? Eh..that can be a little more hit-and-miss, depending on where you live. Get it in the cruise on a highway, and the ride is as svelte and comfortable as you’d expect. It’s worth noting the 2025 Infiniti QX80 is remarkably quiet as well, which is another plus point if you’re shopping around for a luxurious family hauler. It also does a pretty solid job controlling body roll (again, we’re talking about nearly 6,000 pounds of curb weight here), but the air ride can crash a bit over rougher pavement and at low speeds. That’s a trait endemic to most air suspension setups so it’s not necessarily a knock against the QX80 specifically, but it’s something to consider if you’re looking at the whole QX80 range. In some respects, you may actually be better off sticking with the coil-sprung setup in the lower models.
One of the other benefits of Infiniti downsizing its powertrain is fuel economy. Or, at least it should be.
The 2025 QX80 gets up to 2 mpg better than the old 5.6-liter mill, though that was never going to be a high bar to clear. Rear-wheel drive models manage 16 City / 20 Highway / 18 Combined mpg, while you can knock 1 mpg off each of those numbers for the 4WD version. That’s…not great, honestly, and not even better than the old V8 in terms of highway numbers. But, at least you get more power at your disposal, right?
The 2025 Infiniti QX80 can still put up a respectable towing capacity, at 8,500 pounds. However, while it’s technically capable of towing more than the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX 600 or Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, there is no integrated trailer brake controller from the factory. Rather, Infiniti says their SUVs are “pre-wired to accommodate most popular electronic brake controllers”, so you’ll need to bring your own. Weirdly, the “mainstream” 2025 Nissan Armada does have that switch and it’s even in a pretty good location right next to the steering wheel.
Verdict: The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is a huge step up…but you don’t need to spend over $100K.
This is a tough year to compete with a full-size body-on-frame SUV, because there are so many good options out there. Infiniti’s spent the last few years languishing at the back of the pack with an aging product, so it needed to deliver a winner to bring new buyers into the fold. Overall, the company has largely succeeded: The 2025 Infiniti QX80 is a massive improvement over the old model and is absolutely worthy of your time and attention.
From its design to its powertrain and technology, including a more advanced driver assistance suite and even a 360-degree camera with an invisible hood feature, this new model is indeed a winner. Even taking into account what I consider misses, I’d still strongly consider the QX80…but not the Autograph.
The Luxe trim, at $91,545 MSRP, is still expensive but way better value than the top-end model, and you still get 95% of the features you want. You can even spec in the ProPilot 2.1 system if you really want to and you’ll still come in under $100K. If you want to avoid air suspension, you’ll have to go for the base Pure model, but it’s certainly not a dealbreaker if you do get it. As long as you don’t regularly tow (or budget in a trailer brake controller installation if you do), the Luxe 4WD is the butter zone as the best QX80 for your buck.
No matter which 2025 Infiniti QX80 you choose, you’ll get four years and 60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper warranty coverage, as well as a 4-year/70,000-mile powertrain warranty. Infiniti includes three years or 45,000-miles of complimentary maintenance.
Check out more on the new QX80 below:
