The first thing the product specialist said when she dropped off the Infiniti QX80 at my home for a test drive was that the grille was inspired by bamboo. I looked at the front of the humongous SUV and squinted. The shiny black slats attached to it sat at an angle not unlike the actual bamboo currently overtaking my garden, but otherwise they looked like basic plastic.
I would never have clocked them as “bamboo.” I’m sure there was an initial design note connecting LA’s most invasive plant and this big rig, but somewhere along the way, any resemblance had long disappeared. That’s how the entire QX80 feels.
As Infiniti works to upgrade itself to producing products worthy of their six-figure price tags, the space between intent and reality feels distant. The Essentials I drove a 2025 Infiniti QX80 for four days around Los Angeles. This is Infiniti’s all-new full-size three-row SUV with seating available in seven- or eight-person configurations; it’s beleaguered parent company Nissan’s answer to things like the similarly-priced Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.
The version I drove, the top-of-the-line Autograph 4WD, starts at $109,900 but hit $113,965 thanks to upgrades like an umbrella holder ($355 as listed on the fact sheet that came with the vehicle, or $290 if the dealer installs it, or $125 if the factory installs it, according to a spokesperson, umbrella not included) and interior lighting package ($1,020, including illuminated scuff plates). It has.
