2015 Infiniti QX80
The biggest Infiniti has been one of the hidden gems of the large SUV brigade since it was redone to sit on the robust, Third World-rated Nissan Patrol platform in 2011; you can read about the older model, called the QX56, here. Rebadged QX80 during its recent facelift, it now has a slightly less polarizing face and an even more sybaritic interior.
Buyers of these big, expensive utilities seem to really appreciate large, gaping grills and loads of chrome; these the QX80 has in abundance. They also dig soft touch materials, wood (or wood-effect) trim, and lots of tech toys to play with. Infiniti also has these bases covered. There wasn’t a person who climbed aboard who didn’t comment on the loveliness of the interior. Despite still soundly trouncing the Lexus LX570’s furnishings, and being a match for the all-new GMC Denali, there are still few things Infiniti could improve upon within the QX80, such as the aging infotainment system (the system in the new Nissan Murano might be a good place to start) and the use of light beige carpets, which show everything. Why not match them to the taupe of the upper door trim and dash instead? And some of us find Infiniti’s implementation of driver aids such as crash mitigation and lane assist to be loudly bothersome and heavy-handed. If this is the future of automated driving, consider me a Luddite.
On the plus side, the QX80 simply annihilates the Lexus dynamically; it is faster, more frugal, and both rides and handles better, while still being as good in off road extremis. But the newest GMC shows the way forward for the class, with better body control, a slightly more cosseting ride, and more incisive steering. The Infiniti’s brakes feel as stout, and it is undeniably better in really rough going, but that is something that is of less and less import to buyers. Where the QX80 still probably beats the American offerings is in reliability, where its robust underpinnings and unflappable 400hp V8 have shown the stone-axe reliability that Japanese vehicles are renowned for.
EPA ratings: 14/20mpg; 16mpg combined
Price as tested: $80,285
Here is what Infiniti has to say.
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