- After a week with Infiniti’s flagship, we answer all your burning questions about the QX80.
- Infiniti’s flagship SUV excels in comfort and is loaded with advanced tech features.
- However, it’s expensive and falls short compared to some competitors with better capabilities.
The Infiniti QX80 has a lot riding on it. That’s true both in terms of sheer weight and brand reputation. Recently, Infiniti lent us one to treat as though it were our own for a week. Now that we’ve reviewed it, we’re letting you in on the answers to all of your questions.
The new-generation 2025 Infiniti QX80 carries a significant burden—not just in terms of its nearly three-ton weight, but also as a flag-bearer for a brand striving to stay relevant in a fiercely competitive luxury SUV market. Recently, Infiniti handed us the keys to a QX80 to us to treat it as if it were our own for a week. After putting it through its paces, we’ve distilled the experience to address the burning questions you’ve been asking. Is the QX80 a worthy contender, or is it living on borrowed time in an industry increasingly dominated by sharper, more tech-savvy alternatives? Let’s dig in.
How does it ride?
Quite large and that might seem obvious just looking at it. After all, this SUV weighs almost three tons and stretches over 17 feet in length. What really gets it though is the height (77.9 inches/1978 mm). This isn’t a battery electric vehicle so that weight rides relatively high and for whatever reason it’s very apparent in the way the QX80 moves through the world.
Review: The 2025 QX80 Is A Step In The Right Direction for Infiniti
Notably, that same feeling doesn’t really exist in some other huge cruisers like the BMW X7. In fact, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, which weighs more, felt more adept and sharp to drive than the QX80. I wish Infiniti would allow drivers to put this SUV in its lowest setting and drive around that way. It might be harsher in the cabin but I bet it would drive better too.
In terms of ride comfort, the QX80 feels very wafty (sic). It’s comfortable and the different drive modes offer significantly different dynamics. This SUV really excels on the highway. It’s very quiet inside, it soaks up bumps in the road well, and it has most of the features road-trippers will want.
How is the Pro Pilot Driver Assist System
Infiniti uses its most advanced semi-autonomous system in the QX80. Dubbed ProPILOT Assist 2.1, it’s capable of hands-free driving on certain roads. Even where hands-free driving isn’t available, it’ll manage speed and maintain a lane so long as the road isn’t too curvy. Finally, it’ll change lanes when requested too.
How fast is it and does it sound good?
While Infiniti doesn’t provide official acceleration figures, the QX80 that’s powered by a 3.5-liter twin turbo V6 producing 450 hp and 516 lb-ft (699 Nm) of peak torque, feels adequately brisk for its size. Based on our estimates, expect a 0–60 mph time of around 5.5 seconds with a brake-boosted launch. Without that, it stretches closer to 6.5 seconds.
Our video below doesn’t do the exhaust system proud though because the cabin is just so quiet. From inside the cabin, the engine sounds really good. In fact, the little noises it makes between shifts at full throttle sound great too. Don’t forget the link between this engine and the Nissan Z as well as the Infiniti Q50 RED SPORT 400.
Is the infotainment system good?
Overall yes, it’s an improvement on past iterations and it looks fantastic. The menus are mostly intuitive, the screen reacts to touches quickly, and the graphics are awesome. I especially like the integration of Google because now the QX80 reacts like a smart speaker. It listens to natural voices and can determine what to do seamlessly. In fact, it might be one of the very best at understanding navigation requests and then setting a route without the need for any alteration or interaction beyond speech.
Sadly, it’s still not a perfect system. For instance, Infiniti uses a touchscreen for the climate control which is just not great. It’s very slick to look at but using it is another story. It’s designed for intentional presses, not light touches, so unless one is deliberate it may not accept the touch. In addition, this whole setup is surrounded by piano black plastic. Infiniti might do better to stick with physical buttons for some of this stuff and to maybe use wood or aluminum instead of plastic.
How’s the sound system?
Honestly, it might be the best audio system I’ve ever tested in a car. The Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s McIntosh setup was also deeply impressive and comes in as a close second. Still, the Klipsch headrest speakers in the QX80 are what truly stand out for me here. The entire system delivers excellent range and clarity, while the headrest speakers bring a level of depth that feels almost immersive.
Beyond just sounding incredible and creating a 3D-like audio experience, Infiniti has implemented the technology in a genuinely clever way. Drivers can take phone calls through the headrest speakers while the rest of the cabin continues to enjoy uninterrupted music.
This setup ensures passengers hear the music as usual, while the driver gets call audio isolated and amplified just for them. It’s a really novel and practical way of using this sort of tech and it makes the QX80 worthy of consideration for audiophiles especially.
Would you buy this if it were your money?
I can’t speak for the entire Carscoops team, but for me, it’s a no—I wouldn’t choose the QX80 if I had a spare $112,000 burning a hole in my pocket. If I were forced to buy just a single vehicle with that cash (something else that seems ridiculous), I’d probably buy a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, a BMW X7, or a Porsche Cayenne instead.
Having tested one in nearly identical conditions, it’s far better to drive, just as fast—if not faster—more spacious, packed with significantly more technology, and can go off-road when needed. The QX80 is a perfectly respectable SUV, but compared to some of its biggest competitors, it isn’t the blazing value that past Infiniti models were.
Those are all of the answers to the questions you asked before we drove the QX80. If you have any others or want more clarity on these please let us know in the comments below!