We Finance!!! 2012 Infiniti M37 Roof Heated/cooled Leather Nav Bose Texas Auto on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept | 2018 NAIAS

New engine and ProPilot technologies in a sleek package

2018 Infiniti QX80 Drivers' Notes Review | Big, brash and big

When it comes to body-on-frame, full-size SUVs, it seems every automaker has the same strategy. Offer one version as a more affordable, workman-like model, and another one as the plush luxury model. Ford has the Expedition and the Navigator, Toyota has the Land Cruiser and the LX 570, GM has the Tahoe and the Escalade. Over at Nissan, the pairing is the Nissan Aramada and the Infiniti QX80. We recently reviewed the Nissan version, and we just had a turn in the Infiniti. So how did the Infiniti fare against its proletarian twin? Read on to find out. Associate Editor Joel Stocksdale: So here's the thing about the Infiniti QX80: It's literally just a flashier Nissan Armada. As I sat down to write my thoughts, I took a second look at what I wrote about the Nissan-badged version, and I realized almost everything on my mind I already covered. The thing is enormous. Walking up to it, it seems like it might be an inch taller than me (5'11"). It's pretty wide, too, and the width is consistent all the way up. But it is still easy to drive with light steering and very good visibility. The 5.6-liter V8 sounds lovely and seems well-matched to the truck, and the transmission shifts smoothly and picks gears well. The real problem I see is that my feelings about the QX80's interior are nearly identical to those of the Armada. They're virtually identical, especially when comparing the higher trim Armadas. They have the same infotainment, the same buttons. There are a lot of buttons, too, scattered seemingly haphazardly and are difficult to use, especially with the very dated infotainment system. The dash design and shape of the wood are the same, and so is the steering wheel. The only things I could tell were really different were the shift knob, the gauge faces and the quilted leather seats. And Nissan offers a version of the latter on the Armada Platinum Reserve. I'm dwelling on this a bit because the Infiniti QX80 is not cheap. The four-wheel-drive one we had here in Michigan had a base price of $68,845. That's a few thousand more than the aforementioned Armada Platinum Reserve, and I don't see how the Infiniti is worth that extra money. It seems all you're getting is a flashier exterior, especially with the $2,800 22-inch wheels, and a more prestigious badge. I need more than chrome and badges to spend so much money. My recommendation is just buy an Armada.

Infiniti sees a bright future for the luxury sedan

One of the four new models that Infiniti will release in the coming years is an electric sedan previewed by the Vision Qe concept. Investing in a body style that many of the brand's peers and rivals are pivoting away from might sound odd, but executives at Infiniti still see a demand for sedans. "For the U.S. market, the sedan segment is still a very relevant segment. We have a ton of history, and heritage, and hugely passionate fans. So with that kind of passion, we're always getting asks for that kind of piece," Bob Welby, Infiniti's senior director of operations, told Motor1. The publication cited older, Nissan Z-derived sedans like the G35 and the G37 as models that could inspire Infiniti as it brings its first electric sedan to the market. These cars were aimed squarely at European sport sedans like the BMW 3 Series, and they put a much bigger focus on performance than on comfort while remaining pegged on the luxury side of the spectrum. They enjoy a relatively loyal following in 2023. Later known as the Q40, the G37 retired at the end of the 2015 model year and passed the torch to the Q50, which remains in production today but has nearly reached the end of its life cycle. When it retires, it will leave the Nissan-owned brand without a sedan in its range for the first time since its inception: The bigger Q70 retired at the end of the 2019 model year and the full-size Q45 was axed after 2006. In contrast, the current Infiniti lineup includes four SUVs. This focus on high-riding models won't change, even if the sedan sticks around. "SUVs have become another emerging strength of ours over the past decade," Welby said. "That's absolutely going to be part of our story." The next-generation QX80 is notably around the corner. Infiniti previewed it with a close-to-production concept called QX Monograph.   Green Infiniti Electric Sedan