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2022 Infiniti QX80 Interior Review | Refreshed, but still behind

You might assume the 2022 Infiniti QX80’s interior is filled with outdated technology from when it launched here about 10 years ago, but thatÂ’s not entirely true. You see, despite the rest of the car carrying over from the previous model year, the 2022 model year QX80 enjoys a refreshed interior. While this interior is updated, thereÂ’s no need to get overly excited. Nissan put the Armada through a mid-cycle refresh last year, and the QX80 essentially cribs all of its new bits directly from the Nissan. WeÂ’ve already tested the Armada, so we had an idea about what to expect when the refreshed QX80 landed at our doorstep. Thankfully, for InfinitiÂ’s sake, the ArmadaÂ’s new interior is nice enough that it's largely acceptable in the more luxurious QX80. It features a new, high-res touchscreen, flashy plastics, a simple layout and vital tech like a wireless phone charger, USB-C port and wireless Apple CarPlay — unfortunately, Android Auto remains a wired-only affair. The new look of this tall and vast center stack doesnÂ’t jive perfectly with the QX80Â’s flowy, rounded interior design, but thatÂ’s what you get when part of the interior is updated and the rest is left to carryover. Straight, strong lines dominate the center stack, complemented by rectangular vents. Meanwhile, rounded wood trim flows out of this brutalist center stack in a jarring manner that makes the interior look like two different designers worked on it separately, then had their work combined.  Functionally, the new parts of the interior are just fine. The new single touchscreen and its supporting user interface is a welcome update over the old dual-screen infotainment system that's still found in other Infinitis (it had only just received that system for 2020). Its large, width-oriented and mounted higher for easy viewing, plus the presence of supporting physical knobs and buttons make vital controls easy to use and adjust. The odd storage compartment in the dash houses the wireless phone charger, and the 12V outlet is hidden in there alongside it. We enjoyed the presence of a wireless phone charger, but it didnÂ’t charge our phones quickly, and the phoneÂ’s movement on the mat would sometimes cause it to stop charging altogether. Surprisingly, the QX80 is fitted with a camera rearview mirror, which was a nice surprise to see.

2020 Infiniti Edition 30 models priced

The 2020 model year marks the 30th anniversary of Infiniti, and as announced back in August, the brand is rolling out specially tweaked Edition 30 models across the bulk of its lineup. We now have more details and pricing for the commemorative editions, which are available on the Q50 sedan, Q60 coupe, QX50 compact crossover, QX60 mid-size crossover, and QX80 full-size SUV. The Q50 Edition 30 sedan's starting price is $43,700 with rear-wheel drive and $45,700 is all-wheel drive. The Q50 Edition 30 is priced between the Luxe and Sport trim levels, but its equipment is closer to that of the Sport. Although it's $4,800 cheaper than the Sport, the Edition 30 adds full-speed adaptive cruise control, but it uses the smaller brake rotors of the Luxe trim and it skips the Sport's adaptive damping. Unique Edition 30 elements include dark-chrome 19-inch wheels and exterior trim, black mirror caps, and a black mesh grille. The Q60 Edition 30 coupe is offered as a $4,200 package for the Luxe trim level. Added to the $45,500 base price of the rear-wheel-drive Luxe coupe, and you get a starting price of $49,700 for the Edition 30. All-wheel drive is another $2,000. Exterior enhancements mirror those of the Q50 Edition 30. The Q60 Edition 30 package also adds navigation, an around-view monitor, power-adjustable steering column, memory settings, rear auto-braking, adaptive cruise control, heated seats and steering wheel, and a few lesser items. The QX50 Edition 30 compact crossover builds on the mid-level Essential trim level. It's sold as a package for $1,200 and includes adaptive cruise control, blind-spot intervention, lane-depature prevention, and adaptive front lighting, plus 20-inch dark-finish wheels, dark-chrome exterior accents, a body-color rear diffuser, and a black headliner. For the range-topping QX80, the Edition 30 is a package that adds $3,500 to the Luxe (base) trim level. Besides the dark-chrome exterior trim and dark-finish 22-inch wheels, it includes a rear camera mirror, lane-departure prevention, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot intervention, and a black headliner. On Infiniti's most popular vehicle, the QX60, full details of the Edition 30 are not yet available, but we're told the model will start at $50,850. That represents a $4,700 premium over the Luxe trim level, and includes the content of the ProAssist package as well as the Edition 30 design enhancements.

Infiniti teases Qs Inspiration electrified sedan concept for Auto Shanghai

Infiniti has the third installment of its Q concept lineup ready for Auto Shanghai in a couple of weeks. The 2018 Detroit Auto Show saw the Q Inspiration concept, a slinky pearlescent sports sedan. This year's Detroit show welcomed the QX Inspiration concept, an ivory electric crossover that previewed a future product. The Shanghai debut blends the two with the Qs Inspiration concept, "an electrified sports sedan for the future," that previews a forthcoming product. The Qs Inspiration appears to pick up where the 2018 Q Inspiration left off. We noted last year's show car didn't have visible tailpipes, and we suspected an electric powertrain. That wasn't the case — Infiniti said the brand's VC-Turbo technology powered the four-door. This new Qs Inspiration is built on an "all-new flexible architecture developed specifically for electrified powertrains." That's a curious distinction if by electrified Infiniti means an electrically assisted ICE. If a car needs all the paraphernalia of an ICE drivetrain, where's the electric leap? It must be somewhere, because Infiniti says the Qs Inspiration is as groundbreaking as the Q45 sedan that birthed the brand in 1989. Company boss Christian Meunier said, "Electrification creates a range of new possibilities for sedans," the concept "letting us imagine how this type of car could be reinvigorated and adapted to fit the changing needs and tastes of drivers." The teaser tells us nothing but to expect more white. There will be an "electrified form language" outside, a "minimalist cabin" inside. The dual-zone interior contains a "clutter-free cockpit ... to engage the driver, and a relaxed passenger zone that make the most of the generous interior space." Naturally, there'll be more Japanese "artistry and craftsmanship" than you can process in one sitting. Stay tuned April 16 for the reveal.