Auto review: Infiniti QX80 Luxury SUV Brings Elegance, Technology to the Family Hauler
Infiniti’s full-size SUV, the QX80, got a major makeover for 2018, but drops back to a two-model lineup, one with rear-wheel drive and one with four-wheel drive. There’s still room for up to eight people inside the QX80, or just seven with the optional pair of captain’s chairs for the second row, which is how our four-wheel-drive test vehicle was equipped.
Under the hood is an advanced 5.6-liter V-8 engine with 400 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque, connected to a smooth-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control and manual shift mode with Downshift Rev Matching.
The QX80’s interior features high-quality materials and looks and feels luxurious. It is hand-tailored and crafted, Infiniti says. Seats, door panels and armrests are covered with perforated and quilted leather with contrast double-stitching and leather piping. Semi-aniline leather with color-contrast piping is optional.
A new premium Saddle Brown leather interior, included on our tester, has black contrast stitching and piping. Also available is Wheat or Graphite upholstery, in standard leather or premium semi-aniline leather. The Wheat semi-aniline leather comes with dark gray stitching and piping; the Graphite leather gets medium gray stitching and piping.
The new leather-wrapped shifter also has contrast-stitching, and the steering wheel has the same color-contrast leather as the rest of the interior. Higher-density padding makes leather surfaces firmer to the touch.
An optional Theater Package, included on our tester, has higher-resolution eight-inch screens in the backs of the front seats. The InTouch infotainment system has been updated, allowing drivers to personalize driving characteristics and the cabin environment using the 8.0-inch dash touch screen, as well as through buttons beneath the screen and on the steering wheel.
There are now more interior storage trays and cubbies. The center console now has a larger smartphone storage area, and the twin front cupholders can accommodate two 44-ounce cups with handles. The USB port has also been relocated to the opposite side of the center console, making it easier to reach.
Storage under the front passenger armrest has been expanded, with the underside of the lid reshaped to create a 5.4-liter compartment. It’s 9.4 inches high, and can hold three upright 1.0-liter bottles. The space is shaped to accommodate tablet devices such as the iPad Air, iPad Air 2 and Samsung Galaxy Tab S3, standing vertically.
Driver-assist and safety technologies bring Lane Departure Warning and Prevention, Intelligent Cruise Control, Distance Control Assist, Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Forward Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning and Intervention and Backup Collision Intervention.
Up to eight people can ride in a QX80, although our tester came with the optional seven-passenger seating arrangement, which is available with no extra charge. This brings two comfortable captain’s chairs in the middle row to replace the standard three-person bench. There is a three-person bench seat in the third row, and dual bucket seats in the front. Everyone on board has comfortable seating, even in the third row.