This is SUV is huge, pretty fast and stuffed with luxury features, but is it good value?

A lot has changed since then, especially under the hood.

Unlike its predecessor, the 2025 QX80 is powered by a 3.5-litre, twin-turbocharged V6, which replaces the outgoing 5.6-litre V8. Despite being smaller in size, the V6 is more powerful, with 450 horsepower and 515 pounds-feet of motive torque. These are gains of 50 hp and 103 lbs.-ft., respectively.

A new gearbox is provided. The old seven-speed automatic has been swapped out in favour of a smooth-shifting nine-speed. While rear-wheel drive is an option for lower trims in the U.S., four-wheel drive is standard on all QX80 models in Canada.

The QX80 comes with standard electronic air suspension, dynamic digital suspension dampers, and 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels. The suspension raises and lowers depending on the driving circumstances. For example, it lowers 30.4 mm (1.2 inches) at highway speeds for better aerodynamic efficiency and raises 53.3 mm (2.1 inches) for off-roading. It also lowers 71.1 mm (2.8 inches) for easier entry and exit.

The lowering is quite handy given the QX80 is huge. (It’s more than five metres long.)

Once I climb in through the driver’s door, belt in, and get familiar with this SUV, its appeal becomes clearer; Infiniti has loaded the cabin to the hilt with creature comforts and advanced technology. My test vehicle is a top-level Autograph model, but even the base Luxe is awash in luxury amenities.

Among many standard QX80 features are dual 14.3-inch digital displays, head-up display, Klipsch 14-speaker premium audio, climate controlled first and second row seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. And there’s a lot more.

The QX80 comes loaded. It’s almost overwhelming, at least in Autograph trim. Its eight camera views, which make up the 3D Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection system, can be displayed across both screens at once. They can be toggled to aid in parking or backing up, which is quite useful in a vehicle this size.

If I want to look through the hood to see whether there’s anything in my path, there’s Invisible Hood View, which reveals what’s in front or underneath the vehicle. If I want to “see” around a corner, or a parked vehicle, there’s Front Wide View, which provides a 170-degree view to the QX80’s sides. All perspectives are projected onto the car’s big digital displays.

Smaller details capture my attention as I cruise along: a centre console cool box for keeping beverages cold; the padded dash inserts and textured detailing in the door panels; the two-tone black-and-burgundy colour scheme. The Klipsch audio system, which has 24 speakers in the Autograph, has ornate metal speakers built into the front seat headrests. It sounds great.

I sampled Infiniti’s new ProPilot Assist 2.1, a hands-free driving aid that works on divided highways, such as California 101. Like other hands-free systems, it can also make lane changes, but some driver input is required. It works fine, but I prefer GM’s Super Cruise. Of note, ProPilot Assist 2.1 is offered only on the Autograph trim, where it’s a standard feature.

The changes made to the QX80, in its volume and its substance, are impressive. This big SUV has more room, more advanced technology, and more power than it ever had before. And despite its massive size, Infiniti has managed to imbue its styling update with a strong sense of sophisticated luxury.

But all these enhancements have ballooned the price. The base Luxe starts at almost $20K more than its predecessor. However, QX80 pricing is in line with that of its competitors, including the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.

There is no EV version of the vehicle. Yet some of its competitors are offering these, including Cadillac, which will roll out a pure electric Escalade later this year.

But for those who just want a big SUV they can cruise in with plenty of style and comfort to spare, the QX80 stands ready.