2025 Infiniti QX80 Gets Sports Car Power, But Is It Enough?

When you think of large, luxury SUVs, the J300, Toyota and Lexus twins are the first to come to mind. Nissan’s luxury arm, Infiniti, wants a piece of the action, and on paper, Infiniti’s QX80 full-size SUV appears to have everything the Lexus LX has at a more accessible price.

The Infiniti QX80 featured a V-8 engine long after its competitors went for smaller, turbocharged or hybrid powertrains. For 2025, however, the QX80 has taken a big step forward, as it now has the twin-turbo V6 found in the Nissan Z and Infiniti’s Q50 and Q60 models, but is this enough? Both are among the best three-row, luxury SUVs you can buy, but here’s how the QX80 might be a stronger contender than ever.

The new engine makes more power than the Nissan Z NISMO

Last year’s Infiniti QX80’s 5.6-liter, naturally aspirated V-8 is replaced by the VR30 DDTT, which is also more powerful. Until now, the most powerful version of the engine was the 420 horsepower variant found in the Nissan Z NISMO.

In the Infiniti QX80, the 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 makes 450 horsepower — 50 more than the outgoing V-8. Peak torque isn’t mentioned, but it will certainly be more than the NISMO Z’s 384 foot-pounds, given that this heavy SUV needs more low-end torque.

Also new for 2025 is the QX80 transmission. It’s a Mercedes-derived, nine-speed automatic. For 2025, you can still get Infiniti’s flagship SUV with rear-wheel drive only, in Pure and Luxe trims. All-wheel drive is optional on those while the top Sensory and Autograph come with all-wheel drive as standard.

Towing capacity is still 8,500 pounds, which is more than the Lexus LX’s 8,000 pounds. As before, the main difference is that, unlike many other full-size SUV models, the QX80 sits on a unibody platform instead of a body-on-frame.

2025 Infiniti QX80 gets an updated interior

The 2025 Infiniti QX80 ditches old-school luxury in favor of futuristic design. You have a choice of 64 different colors for the ambient light, and there are almost no physical buttons, except for the transmission selector.

The InTouch infotainment system is based on a 14.3-inch touchscreen and has Google Assistant integrated along with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system is better than previous iterations, but still less responsive than what we see in high-end models from Toyota and Lexus.

Is the 2025 Infiniti QX80 still cheaper than the Lexus LX?

Yes. The 2025 Infiniti QX80 has a starting MSRP of $82,450 for the Pure trim. The Luxe trim starts at $89,550 while the Sensory and Autograph trims are set at $100,645 and $110,595 respectively.

By comparison, the Lexus LX starts at $93,915 for the base model and from $134,490 for the top-of-the-line, LX600 Ultra Luxury trim.

Dimitar Angelov’s car interests made him an expert on many types of cars. Japanese brands like Toyota are closer to his heart, although performance cars are generally his favorite segment, which is why he is always on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov’s passion for cars and writing skills led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communication, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to drive any car and share his feelings. You can follow Resignation where X, It is connected, Instagramand Facebook.

Image source: Infiniti Media