2021 INFINITI QX80

Premium full-sized sport utility vehicles once followed a simple formula: Build a purposeful frame-on-body SUV with plenty of space and a dash of luxury, and the crowds will come. 

Inspired by early pioneers like the Lincoln Navigator, Lexus LX and Cadillac Escalade, the luxury SUV genre grew to include an eclectic array of players, with the likes of the BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and, to a lesser extent, the Audi Q7, eventually stiffening the competition in a field that essentially arose to satisfy space-hungry North American consumers. 

Realizing the genre was ripe for exploitation, Infiniti established the QX80 in 2004—known as the QX56 until 2013—as the brand’s first made-in-the-USA offering, building the plusher offering atop the Nissan Armada platform. In turn, the Armada was based on the Titan pickup; all three were built in Tennessee. That changed in 2011 when Nissan moved the QX80 to the global Nissan Patrol platform and vehicle assembly moved to Japan. (The Armada would follow suit in 2017. The V8 engine for both is still produced in Tennessee.)   

In many international markets, the QX80 and its Nissan Patrol sibling are held in the same regard as the Lexus LX and Toyota Landcruiser, which share a similar familial structure and reputation for rugged durability first and luxurious appointments second. 

Unlike essentially the entirety of its competition, the QX80 offers only one drivetrain: a naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 producing 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. It’s a solid and smooth combo, offering linear acceleration and velvety shifts. The downside is guilt-inducing fuel economy, EPA estimates coming in at 13 mpg city, 19 mpg highway and 15 mpg combined. (Curiously, the Armada with an identical powertrain is rated at 18 mpg for highway.)

Starting at $70,545, including a $1395 destination fee, the QX80 model lineup has been revised for 2021 with new nomenclatures and trim names, including the counterintuitively named ‘Luxe,’ which serves as the entry-level model. The QX80’s interior is civilized, though not outrageously decked-out space with second-row Captain’s chairs with available heating and a power-operated third row. 

New standard features include blind spot warning with intervention, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. An upgraded digital rearview mirror grows from 8.7 to 9.6 inches, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also standard. All-wheel drive can be added to Luxe models bringing the starting price to $73,645. Premium Select ($74,795) and Premium Select 4WD ($77,845) bring darkened exterior trim, dark chromed 22-inch alloy wheels, and three available interior trims. Top-of-the-line Sensory ($81,595) and Sensory 4WD ($84,695) models bring quilted semi-aniline leather and charcoal burl trim for a more high-end feel, while an adaptive hydraulic suspension system helps minimize body roll and sloppy handling. (All prices include a $1395 destination charge.)  

None of the QX80 trims can be described as having sporting dynamics. Still, there is parity across the steering, braking and acceleration characteristics that telegraphs a silent heft, feeling almost as if the controls are viscously damped. While drivers coming from traditional sedans or sport coupes will find it distracting at first, it reduces fatigue on extended highway excursions. 

The Infiniti QX80 is in the same league as some of the largest SUVs available, like the Cadillac Escalade ($77,890, including a $1695 destination charge). Unlike the streamlined QX80 lineup, the plus-sized Caddy offers two body sizes, standard and ESV. The former aligns almost directly with the QX80 size-wise, offering 94.2 cubic feet of cargo capacity (versus the QX80’s 95.1) and an 8,300 lb towing capacity (versus 8,500 lbs); the Escalade ESV expands to 120.9 cubic feet but cuts the towing limit to 8,100 lbs. However, where the volumetric overlaps start, the technological similarities end: The newest Cadillac boasts an innovative curved OLED screen and the Super Cruise semi-autonomous driving feature, not to mention a choice between diesel and gas powerplants, all of which can quickly launch the price into six figures.

The BMW X7 xDrive40i is an upscale alternative that starts at $75,895 but escalates to $199,795 for the M50i and a dizzying $142,295 for the Alpina XB7. (All prices include a $995 destination charge.) While the 612 horsepower XB7 is more like a supercar on stilts than an SUV, and the 523 horsepower M50i is still a far mightier performance weapon than the workaday Inifiniti, the 335 horsepower xDrive40i proves to be the QX80’s closet competitor. Though it lags in outright power, its advanced powertrain packs a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup and superior EPA numbers of 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway.

Mercedes-Benz’s biggest SUV comes in GLS 450 ($77,050), GLS 580 ($99,900), and AMG GLS 63 ($133,150) trim levels, each including a $1395 destination charge. While the power ranges dramatically, from 362 hp to 603 hp, technology is the biggest differentiator with Mercedes-Benz, offering available goodies like augmented reality navigation, posh executive rear seating options, and sweet-sounding Burmester premium audio systems. Though the GLS’s max cargo capacity comes in at 84.7 cubic feet, it makes up for interior volume with a compelling range of engine options and a substantial feeling of build quality.

Ultimately, the QX80’s fiercest competitor is the Nissan Armada, which can be equipped with nearly all of the same luxury and tech items. Starting at $48,995 for the SV trim and topping out at $70,320 for the Armada Platinum Reserve four-wheel drive, it tops out where the QX80 is just starting. QX80 shoppers would be doing themselves a disservice to not compare the two before signing on the dotted line.