Infiniti QX80
Full-size luxury SUV · 2004–present (QX56 2004–2013, QX80 since 2014). 10,339 units sold in the US in 2024
How it began
Infiniti, Nissan's luxury division, announced it in October 2003. Mark Igo, Infiniti vice president and general manager, launched it in the U.S., and Dave Boyer, vice president of manufacturing in Canton, led the start of production. The second generation was introduced by Ben Poore, vice president of the Infiniti Business Unit. The third carries the design signature of Alfonso Albaisa, Nissan senior vice president of Global Design, with Ivan Espinosa leading product planning. The releases reviewed identify those executives without naming an individual designer or chief engineer for each generation.
The first generation was assembled at Nissan's plant in Canton, Mississippi, about 15 miles north of Jackson, with a Tennessee-built V8: it was the first Infiniti built in North America. Since the second generation (2010) it has been built at Nissan's plant on the island of Kyushu, Japan, where the August 2024 profile described a team of more than 3,000 assembling the new QX80 sold in the U.S.
Infiniti announced the QX56 name on October 29, 2003. The first QX56 rolled off the Canton line on January 20, 2004 and reached dealers in spring 2004 as a 2004 model. Since the 2014 model year it has been called the QX80.
Since 2014, Infiniti uses Q for sedans and coupes and QX for crossovers and SUVs; the two-digit number shows the model's place in the lineup, and 80 is the top. Johan de Nysschen, Infiniti's president, said the Q recalled the Q45, the brand's first flagship in 1989. The original name, QX56, shared its number with its 5.6-liter V8. The Infiniti brand itself is spelled with four i's, and its badge shows two lines running toward the horizon: the idea of infinity.
Infiniti wanted to offer luxury on a grand scale: a full-size SUV for eight people, with truck-grade towing and the equipment of a luxury sedan. It was built on the underpinnings of the Nissan Pathfinder Armada, with independent rear suspension and load leveling. The Armada also had independent rear suspension and offered a rear air levelizer with its towing package. Infiniti expected to sell about 15,000 a year.
Generation by generation
- Gen. 12004–2010 · JA60
The first Infiniti built in America
Photo: IFCAR · Public domain What changed. It was Infiniti's first full-size SUV, seating eight (or seven with second-row captain's chairs), with rear- or all-wheel drive. It used a 5.6-liter V8 with 315 hp and 390 lb-ft, a five-speed automatic, DVD navigation, a 10-speaker Bose system and side curtain airbags for all three rows, all standard. Infiniti estimated about $50,000 for a well-equipped AWD model. By 2010 the V8 made 320 hp.
The innovation. Four-wheel independent suspension with rear load leveling on a truck chassis; its Armada sibling also had independent rear suspension. Each unit also got a double coat of clearcoat and a 15-mile test drive on a set course before leaving Canton.
If you buy one usedSelected recalls include 10E019 for specific Nissan replacement lower control links sold November 25, 2009–May 14, 2010 for 2004–2010 QX56s; weak welds can affect handling. It does not cover every original factory arm. Campaign 10V074 concerns a gauge that may show roughly a quarter tank when empty on certain 2005–2009 QX56s; 10V072 concerns a brake-pedal pivot pin that may slide on certain 2008–2010 models; 10V517 concerns ECM-relay contact deposits and stalling on certain 2004–2006 models; and 08V284 concerns water intrusion, corrosion and overheating in specified Visteon condenser-fan motors on affected 2005–2006 builds after March 17, 2005. Verify the exact VIN, installed equipment and completed repairs. - Gen. 22011–2024 · Z62
Built in Japan, from QX56 to QX80
Photo: IFCAR · Public domain What changed. Unveiled at the New York auto show on March 31, 2010 and on sale in summer 2010 as a 2011 model. Production moved from Mississippi to Kyushu, Japan. It stayed body-on-frame, but gained a 400 hp direct-injection 5.6-liter V8 (25 percent more), a seven-speed automatic, more than 10 percent better fuel economy and 8,500 pounds of towing. For the 2014 model year it was renamed QX80, and in November 2017 it received a front-end redesign, with 400 hp and 413 lb-ft.
The innovation. Hydraulic Body Motion Control, billed as a first for any Infiniti vehicle: a hydraulic system that reduces body lean in turns. Ben Poore summed it up: the design intent was to create a private jet, five-star travel.
If you buy one usedCampaign 20V188 concerns driver-airbag inflators that may rupture and release metal fragments on certain 2011–2012 QX56s. Campaign 14V668 concerns an incorrect inflator part on certain 2013 QX56s and 2014 QX80s. Campaign 14V683 concerns fuel-pressure sensors that may loosen and leak on certain 2012–2013 QX56s and 2014–2015 QX80s. Campaign 19V654 concerns backup-camera display settings on certain 2018–2019 QX80s. Campaign 26V455 concerns incorrect axle-weight certification labels on certain 2011–2013 QX56s and 2014–2027 QX80s equipped with 22-inch wheels. Verify the exact VIN and repair records. - Gen. 32025–present · Z63
Twin-turbo V6 and Infiniti's renaissance
Photo: Bull-Doser · Public domain What changed. Revealed on March 20, 2024 in New York. The June 24, 2024 release forecast U.S. sales for late July; the July 30 release instead forecast August deliveries. The V8 gave way to a 3.5-liter VR35DDTT twin-turbo V6 with 450 hp and 516 lb-ft, 50 hp and 103 lb-ft more than before, with a nine-speed automatic. The frame is 57 percent stiffer laterally, cargo room grows 18 percent behind the second row and 30 percent behind the third, and the cabin is up to 4 dB quieter. It is the first production model with the Artistry in Motion design language, inspired by the QX Monograph concept.
The innovation. Invisible Hood View: cameras that show on the screens what is just below and ahead of the hood, as if it were see-through. Infiniti bills it as a brand first, alongside the dual 14.3-inch displays, electronic air suspension and the Front Wide View system, which the brand describes as a world first.
If you buy one usedFor certain 2025 QX80s, 24V747 concerns Around View Monitor software that may freeze or show a blank reverse image and requires dealer reprogramming. Campaigns 24V748 and 25V821 concern missing rearview images and provide free dealer or over-the-air software updates; 25V821 also includes certain 2026 QX80s. These software remedies are free for affected eligible vehicles. Separately, 26V455 concerns incorrect axle-weight certification labels on affected models with 22-inch wheels; ask about the current replacement-label instructions. Verify the exact VIN before buying.
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