2018 Infiniti QX80 Road Test and Review

2018 INFINTI QX80 hero ・ Photo by Infiniti

Meet the all-new 2018 Infiniti QX80 — or at least what Infiniti would like you to think of as the all-new 2018 QX80. Infiniti’s jumbo-sized luxury SUV gets a major styling makeover for 2018, but under the skin, however, it's still the same old QX80 (formerly called QX56) we’ve been driving for years.

Is that really such a bad thing? It depends on your priorities. Let’s take the new QX80 for a spin and figure out if it’s the big luxury SUV for you.

How new is all-new'?

“All-new” is one of the most powerful terms in marketing, and the automakers are as guilty of its overuse as anyone else. To us car critics, “all-new” usually means a complete ground-up redesign. We’re less likely to follow the automakers’ lead and use it for a mid-cycle refresh, which is what we’re seeing from the 2018 Infiniti QX80.

A quick explanation for the uninitiated: In a standard model cycle, the automaker introduces a new model and sells it for three years or so, then refreshes it with updated styling and updated features and sells it for another three-or-so years before redesigning it again. The QX80 is on a slightly different cycle; it was originally introduced in 2011 (then called QX56), then refreshed in 2014. But instead of replacing it, Infiniti updated it again for 2018. The look is new, but the bones remain the same. 

Photo by Infiniti

Styling: Finally fixed!

From a styling perspective, this reviewer thinks the big Infiniti suv (finally) gets it right compared to earlier generations. Sure, it was big and imposing — always good visual qualities for a large luxury suv — but the tall grille and low-set headlights resulted in an unfortunate Cro-Magnon-ish look. For 2018, Infiniti has raised the headlights and leveled off the hood, with much better results. From the side, details like the hood line and chrome fender vents have been squared off, while out back the taillights and chrome garnish pieces trade a rounded look for more emphasis on horizontal lines.

The result — to my eyes — is that the QX80’s appearance finally been fixed. I think the new model is handsome from any angle, and yet it doesn’t lose its imposing stance. It still looks large and in charge, just like a big luxury SUV ought to.

Photo by Infiniti

A Luxury Lounge on Wheels

The exterior styling is good, but the 2018 Infiniti QX80’s interior is outstanding. The cabin’s appearance hasn’t changed much, and that’s OK; as in other Infinitis, this one is aging well. I love the curved trim pieces fitted atop the dashboard in front of the passenger, and the quilted leather on the seats and door panel — part of the optional semi-aniline leather package — does wonders for the QX80’s image as a luxury lounge on wheels.

I expect high-quality materials in an SUV this expensive, and the QX80 goes above and beyond. Look around, touch every surface and fiddle with every knob and switch: The quality of materials is every bit as nice as in a top-of-the-line Mercedes SUV.

Photo by Infiniti

What ever happened to high-tech?

Despite the QX80's build quality, competitors provide a high level of modern technology — and here is where it comes up short. Infiniti may have spent lavishly on the 2018 QX80’s design budget, but when it came to in-car technology, someone tightened the pursestrings way, way too much.

Modern luxury suvs offer features like massaging seats, wireless smartphone chargers and panoramic sunroofs, none of which can be had in the QX80. The navigation system — itself obviously ancient — can’t even display directions on the instrument panel, as many mid-priced cars do nowadays. Instead of a color display, a monochrome panel nestles between the QX80’s speedometer and tachometer — a cheap part that might be acceptable in a $15,000 Nissan Versa but that has no place in a $70,000 Infiniti.

Photo by Infiniti

Nifty Rearview Camera

The big Infiniti’s one nod to new tech is its video-camera rearview mirror, which displays a full-width image generated by a camera on the tailgate. It’s a handy device; the viewing angle is wider than a standard rear-view mirror, which helps reduce the size of blind spots, and because the camera is outside, your sightlines aren’t blocked by headrests or heads.

I’ve seen similar technology in the Cadillac CT6, but I had an easier time focusing on Infiniti’s mirror-camera than General Motors'; whether the Infiniti’s unit is better or I’ve simply gotten used to the technology, I don’t know. If this fancy item doesn’t suit you, don’t worry — you can flip a switch on the bottom of the unit and it works just like a conventional rearview mirror, complete with headrests in your field of vision.

Photo by Infiniti

Gas bills could be worse, but power delivery couldn’t be better.

Power for the QX80 comes from Nissan’s familiar 5.6-liter V8. (Infiniti is a division of Nissan.) This powerful engine turns out a muscle-car-like 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, and acceleration is never in short supply. The big engine shrugs off the QX80’s massive curb weight (nearly three tons when equipped with four-wheel drive) and launches it towards the horizon with a satisfying roar.

EPA fuel economy ratings are not as terrible as I expected given the QX80’s bulk: 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway/16 mpg combined with rear-wheel drive and 1 mpg less with four-wheel drive. I screwed up my courage and braced myself for the worst when I looked at the trip computer and was pleasantly surprised to see that my 4WD test vehicle returned 17 mpg in mixed driving; with all the power on tap, I was expecting 14 mpg at best. That said, the QX80 does require premium fuel, making fill-ups more expensive than they need to be.

Photo by Infiniti

Old-School Four-Wheel Drive

Unfortunately, the QX80’s optional four-wheel drive system is in keeping with the rest of the vehicle: an ode to older technology. This is an old-school system that waits for the rear wheels to slip before feeding power to the front wheels. Modern all-wheel-drive systems are much more sophisticated. They predict slippage and distribute power proactively, they provide torque vectoring (sending power left or right as needed) to improve handling, and they feed power to the front wheels based on driving conditions rather than simply waiting for the back wheels to lose traction.

The QX80’s system works, but it’s disappointing that Infiniti’s top-of-the-line SUV uses older technology in a place where, it seems, Infiniti’s customers might not notice.

Photo by Infiniti

Top-Notch Ride Quality

As with the interior, the QX80’s chassis does feature one bit of new technology, which Infiniti calls Hydraulic Motion Body Control. This is a largely mechanical (rather than electronic) system that links the two front shock absorbers with pressurized hydraulic lines, increasing the pressure as needed to limit the QX80’s body roll. It works like a charm: Despite its top-heavy bulk, the QX80 stays relatively level if you push it into the curves, a trait that is all the more remarkable considering the pillow-soft ride.

Infiniti tunes many of its vehicles for a performance-oriented driving experience, but it makes no effort to hide the fact that the QX80 is engineered for quiet coddling. This is no sport-themed SUV; driving fast through corners feels a bit like waltzing with an elephant. Still, I’m impressed that the QX80 can ride so smoothly and still brake and turn with authority. When you consider that the QX80 has the brawn to tow up to 8,500 pounds, its comfortable ride is all the more impressive.

Photo by Infiniti

How much will the QX80 cost you?

The 2018 Infiniti QX80 starts at $65,745 (including $995 destination fee), with four-wheel drive adding another $3,100 to the bill. Rather than offering separate trim levels, Infiniti offers several option packages.

We highly recommend the $2,900 Driver Assistance Package, which includes Infiniti’s Distance Control Assist. This automatic braking system goes beyond the systems found in most cars, which only brake in an emergency; DCA will detect traffic ahead and slow the QX80 as needed (just like adaptive cruise control, except cruise need not be activated for it to work). It’s a bit like having a co-pilot to work the brakes, and once you get used to the system, it eases the fatigue of driving. Equipped with all available options, the 2018 QX80 tops out at $83,895. That's quite a bit less than many German SUVs, but the QX80 falls behind them on technology and equipment.

Photo by Infiniti

Maybe it's not all-new, but it's arguably all-good.

So how do we judge the 2018 Infiniti QX80? Most luxury buyers want best-of-the-best, and here. the Infiniti QX80 in a tough fight: The Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover and newly redesigned 2018 Lincoln Navigator boast more technology than the QX80, and even the Cadillac Escalade — which, like the QX80, is based on comparatively blue-collar bones — offers more high-tech features.

That said, when it comes to the basics — putting seven (or, optionally, eight) seats into quiet, comfortable motion — the QX80 does the job admirably. Though it may not be the most sophisticated, the 2018 Infiniti QX80 is handsome, capable, roomy and supremely comfortable. For all its faults, I found the QX80 impossible not to like. I may object to Infiniti’s use of the term “all-new,” but even taking into account all its shortcomings, I’d say its all-good.

Photo by Infiniti