Infiniti’s flagship model is back and it’s bigger than ever. It has fresh new styling, a redesigned interior, and a new engine, along with a new price tag. So are these changes enough to sway buyers away from the Lincoln Navigator, Cadillac Escalade or Lexus LX?
Performance
Engine – Under the sculpted hood is a 3.5 L twin-turbocharged V6 engine that replaces the old V8. In this QX80, the V6 produces 450 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque (335 kW & 700 Nm) which is more than enough to pull the 2,708 kg (5,970 lbs) body along. At no point in driving the QX80 did the V6 feel as though it was struggling. It quickly gets up to speed on city streets, on highways, or when going up a steep hill. It of course does make a bit of noise when you push harder on the throttle pedal, but for the most part, the engine doesn’t need to rev past 2,000 rpms to get the QX80 going. With this engine, the 2026 QX80 can tow up to 8,500 lbs.
Fuel Economy – The fuel consumption ratings don’t see that much of a difference with this new V6 compared to the V8. Highway fuel economy remains virtually the same as before with 12.3 L/100km (19.1 MPG) while the city fuel economy is marginally improved to 15 L/100km (15.6 MPG). In the real world though, the city fuel economy is probably worse than what this big SUV is rated for because my average fuel consumption was 15.3 L/100km (15.3 MPG) which did involve a few highway drives.
Transmission – The V6 engine is paired with a 9-speed automatic. This transmission shifts gears very smoothly. You almost don’t feel them which is exactly what you want in a luxury SUV. However, this transmission doesn’t seem to know what to do at speeds between 20-50ish km/h (12-30 mph). It can’t decide whether it wants to stick to one gear or change up, or change down. Because of this, the rpms are always changing and it makes for a slightly more jerky driving experience at these slower speeds. At higher speeds, it doesn’t have this problem.
Braking – The QX80 doesn’t use large, multi-piston fixed calipers like some other SUVs. It relies on more traditional, and cheaper to maintain, floating calipers and steel discs to bring the 2.7 tonne SUV to a stop. The brakes are powerful enough to stop this much mass, albeit with quite a bit of nose dive in emergency situations. My biggest gripe, however, is with the brake pedal. The Infiniti QX80 uses a brake-by-wire system instead of a more traditional vacuum assist brake system. As a result, a computer controls the brake pedal for better integration with other driver assist systems but the calibration is a bit off. The pedal feels a bit spongy and doesn’t provide the same level of confidence when stepping on it as some other full-size SUVs provide.
Handling – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 is competent around corners, albeit, it’s not something that you’d want to push when you find yourself on more entertaining back country roads. The steering requires quite a bit of input from the driver to get the big SUV to turn and although the air suspension tries to reduce body roll through turns, it’s still very evident and unsettling at higher speeds. This is an SUV that is more at home on long, straight highways. In that environment, this QX80 shines.
The air suspension has a few different ride height modes but the driver doesn’t have as much control over them as in other SUVs with air suspension. For example, the ride can be raised to a maximum height with a push of a button. But the ride cannot be lowered unless the SUV is in “Park” with the engine running and the doors closed. If either parameter is changed, the ride height remains at whatever position it is at. So, you cannot lower the QX80 while entering a low ceiling parking garage for example.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – Road undulations do very little to upset the ride of the QX80. The air suspension effectively absorbs them without making the SUV feel like a boat. However, over more potholed city streets, the ride can feel overly jarry. Perhaps it’s the lower profile tires or perhaps it’s the calibration of the air suspension in tandem with the adaptive dampers. But the ride is not quite as plush as it is in some other full-size SUVs.
Compensative for that are the seats which provide plenty of comfort. They have 10-way adjustments and have a massage function. But the massage is just for the lower back, not the shoulders or bum.
Interior Space – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 is not quite as big as some of its American competitors such as the Escalade. Even so, it provides more than enough space for taller individuals in the first two rows of seats. For my height of 6’4”, I found plenty of space in the front seats and in the 2nd row captain’s chairs behind my tall driving position. The 3rd row does allow for 3 adults but I presume they have to be under 6’ tall to comfortably sit back there. Legroom is a little tight for me as is headroom unless I fully recline the 3rd row seat.
Behind the 3rd row, the QX80 has 623 L (22 cu-ft) of cargo space. There is a little cubby underneath the trunk floor for small items and there are controls to drop or raise the power operated 3rd row seats, fold the 2nd row seats, and raise or lower the rear height of the SUV. With the 3rd row folded, there are 1,670 L (58.9 cu-ft) of cargo space and with the 2nd row folded, cargo capacity increases to 2,860 L (101 cu-ft). There is a space wheel underneath the QX80.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – The cabin of the 2026 QX80 is quiet and serene, for the most part. In city traffic or highway drives, the engine is quiet and smooth, there’s almost no wind noise, and tire noise is minimal. It’s only when accelerating more aggressively or when driving up a steep hill do you hear the engine noise.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 has a starting price of $106,995 CAD ($83,750 USD). This Sport trim that I had the chance to drive will set you back $119,745 CAD ($102,645 USD). The top of the line Autograph trim costs $130,195 CAD ($112,195 USD). While those numbers are quite high, the QX80 is less expensive than other comparable full-size SUVs.
Gadgets – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 can be equipped with a long list of convenience features. The usuals are there such as a 3-zone automatic climate control, heated & ventilated front & 2nd row seats, massaging front & available 2nd row seats, available 3rd row heated seats, a panoramic sunroof, leather upholstery, a head-up display, a wireless phone charging pad, hands-free power liftgate, a rear camera mirror, a 24 speaker Klipsch audio system, and a built in front & rear dashcam among others.
Other convenience features on the QX80 include ProPilot Assist 2.1. This is Infiniti’s version of a hands-free driving aid that unfortunately doesn’t function, at the moment, on as many highways as Ford’s Blue Cruise system or GM’s Supercruise. Here in Canada, it is only available on the top spec Autograph trim. Lower trims have the 1.1 version. But even so, the system had trouble at times navigating the road. The steering assist kept losing track of the lines on the road and it felt as though it was reacting to corners in the road rather than anticipating them.
The infotainment system has Google built in which means it has Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Play store already installed in the system. The menu structure is reminiscent of older Infiniti/Nissan infotainment systems with the submenus having the same layout and font. But the home screen widgets and panes can be customized to your liking. There’s also wireless Apple carPlay for non-Android users.
Interior Design – The cabin of the QX80 feels luxurious with leather that lines nearly every part of the dashboard, door panel, and center console. There’s also a bit of open pore wood but also some gloss black plastic just underneath the center climate control screen. Speaking of which, navigating through this haptic touchscreen to change climate settings or drive modes, is easy enough. But I still find it distracting to use while driving because it requires my focus and attention. The rear climate controls, on this Sport trim, are individual physical buttons and it makes me wonder why these were not added instead of the 9” climate screen. Additionally, it doesn’t take much pressure from your forearm to open the lid for the wireless phone charging pad while using the touchscreen. Other than this annoyance, the cabin of the QX80 is a welcoming and luxurious feeling place.
Exterior Design – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 has a bold exterior design. Not only is it a physically big SUV but the large grille immediately draws in your eyes. At the center of it is an illuminated Infiniti logo and the daytime running lights are composed of individual LEDs. To the side, there are air vents and pop out door handles which around back, the LED light bar creates a 3D effect with the progressively shorter and angled individual LEDs.
Safety – Here in Canada, the 2026 Infiniti QX80 is equipped with every safety & driver aid as standard. The only two exceptions are a driver far-side airbag and ProPilot 2.1 which are only available on the top spec Autograph trim.
Warranty – The 2026 Infiniti QX80 is covered by a 4 year / 100,000 km new vehicle and 6 year / 110,000 km powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on American warranty, click here.
Conclusion – Overall, the upgrades to this new generation QX80 make it way better than the outgoing model. It feels like it finally belongs in the mid 2020’s. On top of that, it is less expensive than its competitors but it could use a bit more tweaking to its ride quality and software. So, it’s not leading amongst its competitors but it is a contender worth checking out if you’re in the market for an SUV such as this.
Thank you to Infiniti Canada for providing the QX80 Sport. www.Infiniti.ca
2026 Infiniti QX80 Sport Gallery
