Infiniti has been in a rut over the last several years. They’ve struggled to meet customer demands by not responding to trends and evolving tastes fast enough, eventually leading them to lose their footing in the luxury market. This 2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph aims to be the first step in turning things around, and remind us what kind of flagship Infiniti is capable of. The $130,000 question is, can it succeed?
Infiniti’s story begins around the same time as Lexus. The two luxury off-shoots arrived in North America around the same time with two luxury sedans. They both grew from there; by the mid-2000s, Infiniti was a force to be reckoned with, but as Lexus marched forward with a wide range of successful products despite their controversial designs, Infiniti rested on its laurels. Things are now beginning to change for the better with this all-new, third-generation QX80, featuring a revised body-on-frame platform, a new engine, and an eye-catching design inside and out for 2025.
The QX80 stands out from the crowd with its unique exterior styling and sheer presence. The outgoing model looked rather whale-like in appearance, and while the new QX80 is still very big, its lines are sleeker and flow much better. Still, it’s a love-it-or-hate-it design depending on what you consider to be “too big.” The front end is aggressively styled with a massive grille, split LED lighting, and a bulging hood—the last time people moved out of my way so quickly in the left lane, I was in the Cadillac Escalade. In the rear, an LED strip runs across the tailgate, connecting the tail lights with a segmented design that looks fantastic at night. Our range-topping Autograph tester rolled on standard 22-inch wheels, which finish off the whole look rather well.
Sadly, another normally aspirated V8 has disappeared from the market. The 2025 QX80 replaces the 5.6-litre V8 engine with a new, twin-turbocharged 3.5L V6. Power figures have increased from the V8, now ringing in at 450 hp and 515 pound-feet of torque. This is a significant bump and you can definitely feel the extra shove. It’s matched to a slick-shifting nine-speed automatic transmission and a proper four-wheel-drive system. I do miss the music of the old V8, but this new engine’s ample low-end grunt and well-behaved transmission allows the QX80 to move with little drama. It’s much better-suited to the task of hauling a big, three-row luxury SUV than the new six-cylinder powerplant in the Jeep Wagoneer. And rated to tow up to 8,500 pounds, the QX80 easily bests a majority of its closest competitors.
Fuel efficiency for the QX80 was much better than I expected. Infiniti rates it at 15.1 L/100 kilometres city, 12.2 highway, and 13.8 combined. I managed to achieve a 13.5 L/100km over a fairly even city/highway split. It’s made all the more impressive by the full heat and remote start functions I used extensively throughout the –20 degree Celsius weather all week. As with most full-size SUVs in the premium segment, this engine requires premium-grade fuel.
Infiniti didn’t forget to pay attention to the new QX80’s ride comfort. Even with the massive 22-inch wheels, the QX80 felt undisturbed; speed bumps, potholes, and imperfect pavement were never an issue in our time with it. For how big the QX80 is, handling was much better than expected with adaptive dampers and a full air suspension setup. I’d even say I prefer how the QX80 rides over the current Lexus LX 600.
Depending on the trim you select, the QX80 can seat seven or eight passengers. This top-trim Autograph tester has second-row captain’s chairs, meaning it’s limited to seven seats. But, all three rows are heated, the first two rows are ventillated as well, and all three rows are upholstered in real, buttery smooth leather. The first two rows offer heaps of legroom for full-size adults, though the third row is better suited for shorter trips or passengers with smaller frames. But no matter where you sit, headroom in the QX80 is excellent.
Everything inside the 2025 QX80 looks and feels good. The seats are cushy, the stitching is tight, and everything you touch feels solid. Even the tech is well-integrated; two 14.3-inch screens living under one panel now handle the digital gauge cluster and infotainment, but it all flows with the rest of the design. The graphics are crisp and responsive, but I wasn’t a fan of the smaller display handling climate control and other functions. Buttons and knobs work infinitely better, but at least this smaller display offers haptic feedback. Extras such as an interior camera, a digital rear-view mirror, and an incredible 24-speaker Klipsch sound system are present on the Autograph trim, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which connect almost immediately.
The 2025 QX80 starts at $110,256 for the base Luxe trim, climbing to $121,056 for the mid-range Sensory trim. Our fully loaded Autograph tester featuring only one option—an extra $1,200 for a two-tone dark grey paint with a black roof—worked out to $127,395 as-tested. This is significantly less than a comparable Escalade—though you get what you pay for there—and arguably a much better buy than a Wagoneer.
At long last, Infiniti finally has a truly competitive product that can meet, if not exceed its rivals’ capabilities. Forget everything you remember about its predecessor; a striking design, strong performance, silky smooth ride comfort, and finally updated tech, the 2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph is a winner.
