Spending the week tooling around central California’s Monterey Peninsula, or rather, making the slog from San Francisco to the traffic-clogged roads of Monterey, demands a car that is up to the needs of its passengers: Cargo space, creature comforts and of course, massage seats all around—even for rear seat passengers.
For our journey to Monterey Car Week we chose the newly redesigned 2025 Infiniti QX80. The re-tooled three-row SUV has a modern look inspired by bamboo and motion; it features an expansive multimedia screen that spans much of the dashboard, and it boasts luxuries like privacy speakers for front seat passengers, second and third row seats that can be reconfigured on the touch screen and hands-free highway driving.
The Infiniti QX80 delivered ample luxury and confidence for our journey. But its challenge is greater than that; it needs to assume a leadership position and pull the brand out of a sales slump driven by an aging lineup, a muddled strategy and increasingly ravenous competition. Is it up to the task?
The Most Luxurious QX80 Yet Stems Infiniti’s Bleeding
With a new strategy set to lift Infiniti to a loftier perch on the luxury landscape, the company turned to the vision and leadership of Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan/Infiniti’s chief of design. Credited with returning the Nissan Z to its roots and leading Nissan into its new era, the bigger achievement might be in redesigning the Infiniti QX80 and setting the course for Infiniti to increase its prestige and price.
Albaisa’s approach started by re-thinking the three-row SUV as a truly luxe pod for families and VIPs. Inside and out the QX80 is defined by dramatic dimensional lines and architectural lighting for a commanding presence. Inside, lofted seating positions deliver an elevated view while quilted semi-aniline leather and acoustic glass buffer passengers in comfort and quiet.
All this luxury comes at a price, another bold move: Infiniti’s flagship model is now priced from $86,850 to $112,195, a $10,000- $24,000 increase from the prior model year.
Despite the risks, the approach worked; sales for the first half of 2025 finally show a positive trend led by the QX80 and its smaller three-row crossover sibling, the QX60, also inflected with much of the new design language.
Luxury Is In The Details: What Defines the 2026 QX80
We drove the Autograph edition, a top-of-the-line model intended for luxury buyers and those who prefer to be chauffeur driven; I was the chauffeur to my Forbes colleagues for the week.
Two key features helped us to get comfortable for the long drives: massaging seats in the front and center rows, and biometric cooling seats. This system measures the body temperature of a seat’s occupant and adjusts that of the seat according to the temperature set on the climate system. It’s a subtle nudge but I could feel it, both in the chilly morning and in the sun-soaked afternoon heat.
Also easing the journey was the user-focused tech that made every need a simple ask. The dash-spanning front screen houses a 14.4-inch driver display and a 14.3-inch touch screen that was easy to see and use. Wireless Apple CarPlay instantly imported my Apple Maps destinations so we could easily find and set navigation. And to access things like climate or radio stations, the Google-based multimedia system offers voice activated assistance; just say “hey Google” and the system is at your service.
For the 2026 model, Infiniti added a Klipsch premium sound system featuring 24 speakers including two in the headrests of the front seats. The system is designed to both surround passengers with clear, soaring sound and then, to deliver a private phone call to the driver or front passenger. During our drive I answered calls and had conversations without my passengers privy to the chat.
The one drawback may be Infiniti’s lack of interior color selections for the QX80, something that other luxury car makers have expanded in recent years as a revenue-driver. The QX80 lineup consists of four trims, each with only one or two color choices; the top of the line Autograph edition offers only red or black; the Sport edition (new for 2026) comes upholstered in blue leather; Luxe offers beige or black leather and the entry level Pure model offers beige or black leatherette.
Driving the Infiniti QX80 Is Easier Than It Might Seem
The idea of a large SUV with 9.6 inches of ground clearance can be intimidating, but with three rows of seating, all wheel drive (standard on the top two trims and optional on the others), legroom and cargo space necessitates its size.
To make the QX80 a bit easier to drive, Infiniti improved visibility with some key design and ergonomic functions.
First, the steering wheel is flat on top and bottom to keep it from obstructing the driver’s view; then, the multimedia screen is set lower into the dashboard so it, too, doesn’t impede the view. A head up display projects key information in front of the driver and a panoramic camera system that allows a 360-degree view around the car and an under-body camera view for more visibility.
For comfort on the road, a digital suspension system continually monitors and adjusts to road conditions for optimal comfort. I found the QX80 to be quick and comfortable, thanks to its V6 450 hp twin-turbo engine, easy to maneuver and park and easy to get in and out of with fixed running boards.
The QX80’s Most Pampering Feature: Hands-Free Driving
The feature I was most impressed with, though, was the hands-free ProPilot Assist 2.1 system. It essentially allows you to take your hands off the wheel when adaptive cruise control is in use and road conditions are met on limited-access highways. It’s best, though, in heavy traffic.
The system uses mapping, cameras and radar to identify and monitor roads and traffic; when conditions are right, the system’s indicator lights switch from green to blue and a hands-free icon illuminates letting the driver know its OK to let go of the wheel.
This was great when traffic slowed to a crawl; I could relax and let the car do the white-knuckle driving. When traffic moved freely again I could either let the QX80 maintain control or I could override the system by taking the wheel and accelerating. When I eased off the throttle or let go of the wheel, the system was once again in control. It’s a well-done ‘horse and rider’ experience similar to Cadillac’s Super Cruise and Lincoln’s Blue Cruise.
With An Eye On The Future, Infiniti Rolls Out Three New Concepts
Infiniti’s new reverence for luxury was on display at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, during Monterey Car Week as the company rolled out three new concept cars: The QX65 Monograph, the QX80 Terrain Spec and the QX80 Track Spec.
The QX65 is a sportback version of the QX60 and promises that, when it rolls out next year, it’ll add more luxury to the mid-size crossover segment, though Infiniti isn’t yet commenting on features and specifics.
The bigger discussion was around the Terrain Spec and the Track Spec versions of the QX80, with executives and spectators commenting on which they’d like to see built (if they don’t offer both, that is).
The Track Spec, which builds on the Nissan Armada Nismo, a souped-up super-powered 3-row SUV, proposes a 650 hp twin turbo system buoyed by aggressive new grille, a quad exhaust system and aerodynamic details. The Terrain Spec caters to the growing luxury adventure market now dominated by Lexus and Range Rover, adding all terrain tires, trail lighting, a lifted stance and a roof-top box.
While the debate continues—Terrain or Track?—the brand is confident in its luxury stance in the QX80. The next step is to grow through differentiation, a journey its now well prepared to take.