2023 Infiniti QX80

It's rumored that a brand-new Infiniti QX80 full-size SUV is due for the 2025 model year, but for now, we're stuck with the old car. Built on the Nissan F-Alpha body-on-frame platform shared with the Nissan Titan truck and Armada SUV, the current QX80 dates back all the way to 2011, when it was first introduced in the USA as the QX56. After countless updates - and now on its second facelift - the 2023 Infiniti QX80 has price going for it since it's cheaper than rivals like the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX, and Jeep Grand Wagoneer. It's a good old naturally aspirated V8 SUV in the age-old American tradition, but it's fallen behind the class average in terms of driving dynamics and fuel economy. The partial safety review of the 2023 Infiniti QX80 from the NHTSA is also not promising, and one has to ask whether it's worth $20k more than the Armada it's based on.

The price of the new Infiniti QX80 Luxe trim starts at $72,700. The Premium Select will cost you $77,300 and the Sensory goes for $84,350. These prices are for the base 2WD configurations, and specifying the 4WD drivetrain on any trim adds $3,100 to its price. Keep in mind that these are the Infiniti QX80's MSRPs and the $1,895 destination fee is not included.

More than a decade ago, the big Infiniti was lauded for controlling its mass well and handling with acceptable poise, but while the world and its rivals have evolved, the QX80 hasn't. Today, the QX80 feels its age, and adjectives used to describe its handling range from ponderous to sloppy. It's tuned for comfort, and it does that very well, with an absorbent ride and a quiet, comfortable cabin on the move. The Sensory's adaptive suspension reduces body roll but never makes the QX80 feel athletic. If you forget about hustling it, it will still please in an old-school way, with a torquey, sonorous 400-hp V8 providing the soundtrack, even if it's now slower than most of its competitors. The brakes are unexpectedly powerful and effective for such a big old brute, which is just as well because it can tow an impressive 8,500 pounds. The seven-speed transmission is tuned for comfort, too, and does its job unobtrusively, but can be caught napping when your right foot calls for a lower gear.

Compared to modern European SUVs such as the BMW X7, the Infiniti QX80 feels very old and handles like a ship at sea. Even other body-on-frame SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade are much sharper to drive. Most of them are faster, and almost all of them use less fuel. The QX80 doesn't claw back much ground inside, for while it's plush and comfortable, it doesn't lead the class in either luxury or space, especially in the third row. What the QX80 has going for it is old-school mechanical simplicity, ruggedness, and good towing numbers, thanks to tough construction and a big thirsty, naturally aspirated V8. If it were our money, we'd go either the budget route and opt for an Armada or go for a rival, because the QX80 is pandering to the sensibilities of an increasingly small niche. An updated generation is sorely needed.

The QX80 makes the most sense as a $72k Luxe and, at the price, it offers enough power, a satisfactorily plush cabin, and enough standard features that include 20-inch alloys, a power liftgate, self-leveling rear suspension, leather upholstery, powered and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, three-zone climate control, a camera-based digital rearview mirror, a full suite of driver assists that includes adaptive cruise control and a surround-view camera, and a modern infotainment system with wireless phone integration, navigation, and a premium Bose audio system. We can live without the big wheels and fancy trim of the top models, and they're too expensive anyway; you can get a better rival at around $80k.