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

For 2025, the Infiniti QX80 finally drops the aging V-8 mill and gets the heart of the Z, along with other refinements.

When you think of big, 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 seems to have everything the Lexus LX has at a more attainable price.  

The Infiniti QX80 featured a V-8 engine long after its competitors went to smaller, turbocharged, or hybrid powertrains. For 2025, however, QX80 has made a big step up, as it now features the same 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 rival than ever.

The new engine makes more power than the Nissan Z NISMO 

The last-year Infiniti QX80's 5.6-liter, naturally-aspirated V-8 is being replaced with the VR30 DDTT, which also packs more power. So far, the most powerful version of the engine was the 420-horsepower variant found in 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 is not mentioned, but it will surely be more than the NISMO Z's 384 pound-feet, given that this heavy SUV requires more low-end torque.  

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

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

2025 Infiniti QX80 gets revamped interior 

The 2025 Infiniti QX80 deviates from the old-school luxury cabin in favor of a more futuristic design. You have the option of 64 different colors for the ambient lighting, and there are almost no physical buttons, except for the transmission selector.

Infiniti's InTouch infotainment system relies on a 14.3-inch touchscreen and features integrated Google Assistant as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The system is vastly superior to previous iterations, but still slightly less responsive than what we are seeing in Toyota and Lexus high-end models.  

Is the 2025 Infiniti QX80 still more affordable than a 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.

For comparison, the Lexus LX starts at $93,915 for the base model and from $134,490 for the range-topping, LX600 Ultra Luxury trim. 

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image source: Infiniti Media