EVER WONDERED what it would be like to drive your house? The Infiniti QX80 provides some clues. At more than 5.3m long, over 2m wide and almost 2m tall, it dwarfs virtually everything else on the road, even other SUVs. Thankfully, the heavily revised styling is much more cohesive than the elephantine original. The upside of the QX80’s size is plenty of space.
2018 Infiniti QX80
Even the third row can accommodate adults, so if you need to transport seven in comfort then the Infiniti has you covered. Relative comfort, anyway, as the lumpy ride quality means this monster is no magic carpet – with a full load, it’s possible the ride would improve.
Dynamic prowess is surely irrelevant for a car that weighs almost 2.8 tonnes, but though the steering is light and slow, it feels relatively secure. The sweetest part of the QX80 package is undoubtedly its 5.6-litre V8. Even lugging this much weight it sounds sweet and provides plenty of acceleration – in something 1000kg lighter it would be truly superb. Judging by the gauge fuel use seems okay, but then you learn the QX80 has a 140-litre tank.
Essentially, if you need lots of space, have your own fuel station and if your idea of luxury is plastic wood and shiny leather, this Infiniti could be for you. For everyone else, buy an Audi Q7. – Scott Newman SPECS: 5.6 V8; 298kW @ 5800rpm; 560Nm @ 4000rpm; AWD; 2783kg; $110,900
