Infiniti has just revealed their biggest and best. Well, biggest and priciest anyway. The QX80 is the brand's mammoth luxury SUV and it gets a new nose with some new colours and an upgraded interior.
The new nose has bold headlights that have been moved up into more prominent fenders. In the old car, the headlights were almost lower than the wheel arches making for an awkward appearance.
Any sense of awkwardness is gone now. The upright grille lunges forward flanked by the new narrow headlights with LED surrounds. Revised foglights and fender vents complete the front end transformation.
From the doors back, the QX80 looks much the same as before. There are new taillights and a chrome strip added above the license plate that update the look. The bumper marker lights have been updated as well.
New 20-inch alloys are standard, with 22-inch wheels available as an option. Infiniti has changed the colour palette too, including a new Champagne Quartz option that uses special pigments to give a warm hue from one direction, and a cooler look from the opposite.
Inside, there are new materials and Infiniti says practicality has improved. Seat and panel materials are new, with added detailing, quilted fabrics, and contrast stitching. The interior materials also have a new coating that resists stains and even dyes from denim, making it a wipe-clean surface.
Soundproofing has been revised to better isolate occupants. That includes denser carpets, new dashboard soundproofing, and added materials in the cargo area.
Rear seat passengers will appreciate larger and higher-resolution 8.0-inch screens, up from 7.0-inches in the old model. The system has also added an HDMI input.
The front infotainment system now also uses an 8.0-inch screen and the latest version of Infiniti's InTouch system. Revised dashboard buttons make controls easier to use.
For true luxury, the cupholders have been enlarged, so that the front console can now hold two 1,300 mL cups. Last year, the QX80 could only hold one monster drink, with one front-seat occupant relegated to just 1,000 mL.
The QX80 now has updated active safety features including lane departure warnings, radar cruise, autonomous emergency braking, and collision warnings. It also gets a smart mirror, using a TV and screen to give a better view in the rear-view mirror. It works much like the system in the Cadillac CT6.
The engine is a carryover, the 5.6L V8 that offers 400 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. That engine is backed by a seven-speed automatic with downshift rev-matching.
The 2018 QX80 goes on sale at the end of this year.
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