When you think of full-size SUVs, its generally the Chevy Suburbans and Ford Expeditions that first come to mind, followed by their various iterations. The Americans aren’t the only ones fielding good ol’ body-on-frame SUVs, though. Toyota and Lexus, Nissan and Infiniti, and even Jeep are still part of this unexpectedly robust segment in today’s fuel-sipping world.
Part of the reason can be the “relative” ease in converting a body-on-frame pickup truck platform to maximize revenue, but ultimately, it’s healthy demand that keeps these capable people- and boat-haulers on the menu. The 2026 Infiniti QX80 Sport takes a fresh swing at leading this pack of literal giants, and comes pretty close to taking the top spot.
You need a strong base
The frame on which these full-size SUVs sit matters. It’s the foundation to the whole vehicle, and thankfully, Infiniti made significant strides here. This latest QX80’s revised platform includes a 57 per cent increase in lateral stiffness and a 25 per cent increase in torsional rigidity since this new generation debuted last year. When everything bolts onto a better frame, it helps all the components operate at their best, including less noise, vibration, and harshness and a more optimally performing suspension setup.
Imposing and classy
Whereas the previous-generation QX80 looked big but kinda quirky, with somewhat odd proportions especially from the rear three-quarter view, the new QX80 exudes a premium and luxurious feel the moment you set eyes on it. It’s still enormous, but revised LED headlight and tail light elements really up the visual panache here, and Infiniti’s signature lines and curves better suit its full-size SUV this time around.
The grille is still large, now featuring a backlit Infiniti logo and less chrome, especially on the Sport trim. The rear light bar features a number of LED squares separated by a bit of chrome, coming off as both unique and upscale, and the super slim headlights feature that same LED motif to great success. The chrome accents, including the badges, window trim, and front fender applique, are all tinted in a dark titanium-like finish, which looks great against the deep blue paint. A subtle rear spoiler hides an integrated rear wiper, which along with the flush door handles, keeps the body looking clean. The 22-inch black wheels with silver trim don’t suit the QX80 well, but your opinion may vary. The overall look is significantly more refined than previous versions of Infiniti’s big brute.
Modern-ish interior
Whereas the previous-generation QX80 felt three generations behind, this one feels one back from the best of the bunch. There’s a responsive 14.3-inch dual-screen setup for the digital gauges and infotainment, both of which are decently sharp to look at. A third screen sits below the infotainment, acting as a hub to control functions like your climate controls and drive modes. The letdown is the software — the gauge cluster looks good, but the infotainment looks a tad outdated and the black levels on some of the displays leave a bit to be desired as well. I’m nitpicking here because it’s otherwise fully functional and rather easy to navigate, but it doesn’t just have that cutting-edge feel like some other offerings in this space.
What’ll likely tickle your fancy is the beautiful deep blue semi-aniline leather contrasted with white stitching on this new-for-2026 Sport trim. Along with the excellent build quality throughout, the QX80 looks and feels so well-put-together. I wanted to complain about the somewhat thin door panels, but then realized there’s no real drawback to them. If anything, they add to the spaciousness.
The first- and second-row captain’s chairs are both heated and cooled, but massaging is limited to the two front seats in the Sport trim. Further comfort features include an advanced climate control system which features an ionizer and biometric cooling for the second row, which can identify if a passenger is too hot and automatically send cool air to the second row. Talk about passenger pampering.
Tech forward
One thing the big QX80 doesn’t skimp on is tech. Aside from the trick climate control system, you get a great 360-degree camera, a smart rear-view camera mirror, adaptive cruise control, eight (!) USB ports, and an industry-first 24-speaker Klipsch audio system that uses the fancy-looking headrest speakers to privatize calls and other functions to the driver, leaving those pampered passengers unbothered. Sadly, the audio system itself falls well short of the best from competing manufacturers. I just couldn’t find a good balance to the sound; it never sounded warm and inviting, instead the highs came off a bit shrill and the overall balance lacking. I will say the Klipsch system in the Armada sounded great using the high-fidelity Tidal streaming service, so it could simply be that this particular Klipsch system struggles to upscale less-than-perfect audio files. Others, like the Escalade’s AKG, Volvo’s Bowers & Wilkins, and Lincoln’s Revel systems don’t seem to have this problem.
The infotainment system features Google Built-In, but unlike GM, Infiniti thankfully continues to offer wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The angled drop-in wireless charger, so your phone doesn’t collect air miles during a panic stop, is a nice touch.
Although the QX80 Sport features adaptive cruise control in the form of ProPilot 2.0, the more feature-rich 2.1 version is reserved for the top Autograph trim. It’s an odd choice at this price point; 2.1 includes a better camera system, HD navigation mapping, and true hands-off highway driving with automatic lane changes. I can see this becoming standard fare in a year or two across the lineup.
The driver isn’t forgotten
Possibly the biggest standout feature of the latest QX80 is how it drives. Unlike some other big boys, the QX80 hasn’t ignored the captain of the ship. It starts with a 3.5-litre twin turbocharged V6, churning out a robust 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque through a halfway decent nine-speed automatic, besting most of the competition’s V8 offerings. That monstrous torque figure peaks at a low 3,600 RPM, making the QX80 feel as strong as the numbers would suggest. I haven’t shed a tear with the loss of the previous-generation V8, instead appreciating the huge power jump and excellent 12.9 L/100 km combined fuel economy figure I averaged.
Steering is equally adept. The QX80 fees among the most athletic of the bunch by a long shot. The air suspension does a masterful job of keeping body motions in check, giving the driver a great deal of confidence when hustling this 6,100-pound brick down the highway or even a country road. The refreshingly athletic demeanour doesn’t hinder the ride quality much, either. Both primary and secondary motions held well in check; many body-on-frame SUVs and pickups still make you feel like you’re riding a school bus, but the QX80 feels modern, capable and comfortable.
The QX80 can tow up to 8,500 pounds and features excellent trailer control, something I experienced with the Nissan Armada a while back. That figure bests most offerings from Chevy and GMC, and falls just a few hundred pounds short of the Expedition. Still, unless you have a yacht, I think you’ll be just fine.
Infighting: Armada vs. QX80
The 2026 Infiniti QX80 Sport is a great product. The interior isn’t quite top-of-class, but the drive might very well be. The problem is that the Nissan Armada, the QX80’s overachieving mechanical twin, also made the same great strides in build quality, tech, and its chassis and powertrain. The gift and the curse of it all is that there’s now less separation between Nissan and Infiniti the two than there has ever been, and the Armada and QX80 are prime examples of this. It’s a good problem to have, and there are definitely people out there who’ll see the benefits of paying the premium for the more upscale QX80, but it’s a tough sell for someone without that brand loyalty. But it’s not like I’m telling you to skip either and look elsewhere; clearly Infiniti, and by extension Nissan, have a pair of winners on their hands.
