Infiniti QX80

The Infiniti QX80 has a deservingly premium and enrichened interior to boast of, which is wrapped in walnut brown leather upholstery and is bestowed with tons of features on board. The overall layout looks very similar to that of the Nissan Patrol, though a few key differentiators give the occupants a richer and different experience on the inside.

The driver’s cockpit of the Infiniti QX80 looks a bit conventional, with a four-spoke multi-functional steering wheel with a wide instrument console with a TFT MID stuck between analogue gauges. However, the centre console looks more modern with a free-standing touchscreen infotainment system, with it also getting rectangular AC vents stacked between physical controls for the audio and climate control buttons. The lower centre console, where the transmission lever and drive mode controller are placed, looks premium and well-designed with a faux dark wood finish.

The Infiniti QX80 comes equipped with a host of features as standard, such as tri-zone automatic climate control, ambient lighting, powered, ventilated and heated first and second-row seats with memory function for front seats, heated steering wheel, 13-speaker BOSE audio system, sunroof and more.

Mammoth is the word best described by the road presence of the Infiniti QX80, as it is one of the largest-sized SUVs one can buy in the Philippines. The huge dimensions and tall stance of the Infiniti QX80 look like a traditional ladder-on-frame SUV should look in the first place, giving an ego massage to all the other SUVs on sale right now.

At the front, the Infiniti QX80 comes with a large trapezoidal grille, which has curved upper and over edges. This grille is surrounded by chrome garnish and comes with a diamond-themed mesh design. The trapezoidal headlamps placed to the sides of the upper edges of the grille come with LED projectors and C-shaped daytime running LEDs surrounding them. Even the front bumper here looks appealing, with a chrome garnish spread over the lower air dam and LED fog lamps integrated into the corners.

The Infiniti QX80 has a good heightened stance when you view it from the side. The tall bonnet and high ground clearance, coupled with a clean-looking design for the fenders and door panels, make its stance a bit old-school but fully imposing to the core. Infiniti has added a decent amount of chrome for the door elements, rearview mirrors, fender garnish and window frame garnish. The 20-inch polished alloys with rounded wheel arches over them add to the imposing stance of the SUV.

At the back, the Infiniti QX80 comes with an almost vertical rear windscreen which is curved from the sides. The design for the boot lid looks premium with the addition of chrome, while the wing-shaped tail lamps stretched outwards makes it look wide and even more imposing.

The Infiniti QX80 is a tall and huge ladder-on-frame SUV with traditional SUV virtues, so don’t expect it to be as sharp and dynamic around corners as modern monocoque SUVs. However, it scores full marks in offering a comfortable and cushioned ride quality, despite its rugged underpinnings, with a double wishbone setup at both front and rear. The QX80 also gets multiple drive modes and a four-wheel drive system to offer a comfortable driving experience even on diversified terrains.

A mammoth-sized SUV like Infiniti QX80 deserves a giant-sized engine to match the characteristics, and the Infiniti QX80 gets one in the form of the 5.7-litre naturally-aspirated V8 engine. Paired with a 7-speed automatic transmission, this engine delivers a maximum power output of 400 bhp and a peak torque output of 560 Nm. The Infiniti QX80 is offered with four-wheel drive as standard in the Philippines.

The extensive list of safety features offered in the Infiniti QX80 includes front, side and curtain airbags, ABS with EBD and brake assist, electronic stability control, hill start assist, hill descent control, blind spot intervention, predictive forward collision warning, backup collision intervention, forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring system, trailer sway control and remote engine start-stop.

The Infiniti QX80 is one of those SUVs which can impress anyone with its immense road presence and luxurious interior. The SUV is old-school in many parameters, but it justifies its premium positioning with its overall persona as a full-size luxury SUV.