Tested: The 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum Dresses for the Job It Wants
Pros Posh and comfortable cabin
Buttoned-down dynamics
Last V-8 standing in the segment Cons Underwhelming sound system
24-inch wheels compromise ride
Six-cylinder competitors are noticeably quicker
Cadillac's cash cow is now a franchise. You want an Escalade? You've got choices. There's the electric Escalade IQ in regular and large sizes, the 'baby Escalade' Vistiq, the long-body Escalade ESV, and the original from which the others sprouted. This rapid brand expansion has redefined what an Escalade represents. No longer just a big box with a big engine and leather seats, Cadillac's large SUVs are establishing a new standard of American luxury. Size and power are part of that, of course, but the Escalade experience is now as much about a swanky cabin, trailblazing tech, and iconoclastic style.
The 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum revamps luxury with a stylish interior, advanced tech, and a 6.2L V-8 engine. It features a new 55-inch screen, Super Cruise, and auto-opening doors. Despite lacking a more powerful turbocharged six, it offers refined driving dynamics and opulent comfort.
This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next
That's on full display in the 2025 Cadillac Escalade Sport Platinum 4WD, the top-shelf gas guzzler. A midcycle refresh for 2025 lavishes attention on the interior like never before, and as a result you can no longer describe the big, bad Cad as a leather-lined Tahoe. Chevy who? The Escalade's redesigned cabin is so fresh that you might not even recognize it as a Cadillac's if it weren't for the badging. Cadillac's Inside Game
While a new 55-inch screen dominates the cockpit, spend time in the updated Escalade, and it's the rich leather, real wood trim, aluminum-look accents, and upholstered lower dash that'll have you questioning if this is the same Cadillac that gave us the Catera. Many of these materials are recycled from the impressive 2021 redesign and now look even more premium thanks to the 2025 model's modern aesthetic. As with last year's Escalade, you'll have to hunt to find the few hard plastics hidden low in the cabin where the sun doesn't shine—and your hands rarely reach. That luxury carries through to the second and third rows even without the optional $7,500 Executive second-row seats.
The standard Super Cruise hands-free system can turn the driver into a passenger on mapped roads so long as they keep their eyes looking forward. One of 2025's MotorTrend Best Tech winners, Super Cruise isn't just a lane centering system—it's the closest thing to a safe and useful autonomous vehicle that you can buy today. Run up on slower traffic, and it will change lanes, make a pass, and move back to the right with the natural grace of an attentive and courteous human. A recent mapping expansion has opened even more miles of select two-lane highways and back roads.
The Sport Platinum's doors can drive themselves, too, opening and closing at the tug of a handle. That might sound gimmicky or superfluous, but our initial skepticism gave way to genuine appreciation with use. Cadillac nailed the execution, using sensors in the doors to stop them from bashing into people or neighboring cars, and as a result you can get a taste of Rolls-Royce opulence for the bargain price of $125,020 as tested.
While Cadillac's gas vehicles still offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the infotainment system is good enough not to need them. It features native Google Maps and the ability to download streaming apps such as Spotify directly to the vehicle wrapped in an easy-to-learn interface—that is if you're willing to lean forward in your seat to use the touchscreen. A redundant click wheel lets you navigate the system from a natural driving position, but it can take a lot of scrolling and tapping to get to where you want to go.
As cool as the panoramic screen looks, it's a shame that huge swathes of it serve as nothing more than digital wallpaper. In particular, the right third can only show a giant Escalade logo when the passenger isn't streaming a video (in which case the driver sees a blank black pane of glass). Another annoyance: Although you can download apps to the infotainment portion of the 55-inch display, the passenger and rear entertainment screens can only stream YouTube or Hulu and can't be customized. If your crew wants to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime, you'll have to plug in your own streaming device.
The cabin's only major letdown is the AKG sound system, which in our test car lacked the dynamic range and surround-sound effect we expected based on our experience with pre-refresh Escalades. Cadillac sent a tech out to confirm everything was working as intended, but to our editors' ears it sounded like all 36 speakers were mounted either entirely in front of or entirely behind the driver depending on the settings.
The Escalade's midcycle refresh drops the optional diesel engine but otherwise leaves the mechanicals unchanged. That's largely a good thing, as the full-size SUV with the heart of a Corvette wasn't lacking in personality. The small-block 6.2-liter V-8—the last V-8 in the full-size luxury SUV segment—cranks out 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque with a threatening rumble to match the new menacing front fascia.
In MotorTrend testing, the Escalade hustled from 0 to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, shifting its 10-speed transmission with quick yet smooth action. Negotiating the real world, the engine jumps into action at the lightest poke of the throttle, building torque and revs with an immediacy that turbocharged engines struggle to match.
It's quick to respond, but that's not the same as plain, old quick. The naturally aspirated V-8 doesn't have the juice to match its turbocharged six-cylinder competition. The Lincoln Navigator and Jeep Grand Wagoneer can hit 60 mph more than a second ahead of the Cadillac. We'd hate to see the Escalade drop its V-8, which is such a crucial part of its identity, but Cadillac at the very least needs to unlock some more power during the next redesign or risk being left in the dust.
When the road twists and turns, the Escalade feels sharp, connected, and even playful for a 6,182-pound brick. The Caddy steers with confident precision, and the brake pedal has the same firm feel and short action you'll find in a CT5 sport sedan. A 117-foot stop from 60 mph places the Escalade ahead of the competition, but its overly aggressive stability control puts the kibosh on hard cornering at 0.71 g before the tires start to sing.
Air springs and Magnetic Ride Control dampers keep body motions on a short leash in corners and over moonscape roads. The ride is firm yet forgiving, especially for something on 24-inch wheels (a $1,800 option). The pickiest luxury buyers might quibble over the occasional secondary ride motions and the way hard hits can excite some structural shake, but softening the suspension would likely erode some of the Cadillac's charm. Putting All the Pieces Together
Cadillac set itself up for success with the 2021 redesign that poured more attention and money into the Escalade's interior. Doubling down on that investment with the latest makeover has pushed the Escalade even further upscale. The 2025 Escalade is a big, opulent cruiser with innovative technology, refined driving dynamics, and an impeccable sense of style. The last time Cadillac put all the pieces together like this, 'the Standard of the World' was more than just a slogan.
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Motor Trend
6 hours ago
- Motor Trend
Pure Michigan Luxe SUV Test! 2025 Cadillac Escalade vs. Lincoln Navigator vs. Jeep Grand Wagoneer
Comparison tests don't get more Pure Michigan than this one. These luxury SUVs were all primarily designed and developed in southeast Michigan by the Detroit Three. The bosses overseeing development had particularly keen interest in how each turned out, because these are the rigs they use to haul their broods and tow their boats up north—it's a Michigan thing, if you didn't know—to their lake retreats. Which of these SUVs best telegraphs the message, 'My company is more powerful than yours,' or, 'Our designers have better fashion sense than yours,' or 'We're the biggest ballers in this game'? The 2025 Cadillac Escalade takes on the Lincoln Navigator and Jeep Grand Wagoneer in a luxury SUV comparison, with the Cadillac praised for its design and capabilities despite some tech drawbacks. The Jeep excels in power and ride, while the Lincoln is noted for its comfortable cabin. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next To answer those weighty questions, we rounded up a new fifth-generation example of the first of this breed—the 2025 Lincoln Navigator in its top Black Label trim ($120,490 as tested) and pitted it against the recently refreshed 2025 Cadillac Escalade (also in its fifth gen; optioned to $125,020 in Sport Platinum guise). Jeep only jumped back into these highly profitable luxurythree-row SUV waters in 2022, reviving the Grand Wagoneer name for a fourth time since it was first applied to an ancient Kaiser-designed SJ in 1984. Upon introduction, the new Jeep impressed us enough to muscle ahead of Cadillac and Lincoln and claim the top spot in our Ultimate Car Rankings. Defending that title is a Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Obsidian model optioned to $119,290. We drove these full-size luxury SUVs from Oakland County, home to the Jeep and Cadillac engineering teams (Michigan's second-most affluent county), to lower Michigan's pinky finger, Leelanau County (the state's most affluent). Ranking second in the nation for most water area (behind the Upper Peninsula's Keweenau), its 100 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and 33 inland lakes provide frontage for lovely homes aplenty. Picturesque villages, wineries, and cherry orchards dot a gorgeous landscape crisscrossed by rolling, curving, traffic-free two-lane roads we 'down-staters' can only dream of. This road trip would afford ample opportunity to determine which company's flagship dreadnought is now king of the road. What's New? Our Navigator's entire exterior is new (except for the side doors) and features a split liftgate/tailgate arrangement. Interior upgrades include a 48-inch curved pillar-to-pillar screen way out at the windshield base, a 28-speaker Revel Ultima sound system, rear captain's chairs with heating, ventilation, and massage, a digital scent dispenser, plus numerous other pampering 'spa on wheels' features. Cadillac's parry was to give the Escalade a front and rear freshening, a 55-inch curved screen, 36-speaker AKG sound (with an option for 40!), and power-opening and -closing doors all around. Entering its fourth year of production, the Grand Wagoneer's smallest-in-test Hurricane 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six vaults well ahead of its competition, with output increasing to 540 hp and 521 lb-ft of torque at no cost to fuel economy (which still bests Cadillac's V-8 and trails Lincoln's EcoBoost V-6). Onboard Ambiance In terms of the sheer impression of expensive materials, Cadillac's interior is way out in front. From our test car's glossy 'linear marquetry wood' inlaid with real metal to the woven wool-look fabric accenting the lower dash and door panels to semi-aniline leather perforated and stitched in chevron shapes, there's nothing within view that doesn't look rich, though there is some plastic very low on the doors. Jeep's interior comes close on materials quality, swathing nearly everything you see or touch in something swanky—including the full door panels—but the design lacks the style impact of its rivals', which both strive for a midcentury modern motif. The Navigator makes a great first impression, with its faraway screen, roomier-looking low dash, and mod steering wheel, but the materials let us down. Our Black Label fits genuine wood, but with a peculiar crosshatch surface texture that looks like a porch screen was pressed into it, and the distantly spaced light-colored 'grain' looks fake. Most egregious is the naked pebble-grain plastic on the lower half of the doors and dash more befitting its Ford Expedition sibling. Digital Real Estate There's no denying Cadillac and Lincoln win on wow factor with their giant curved screens. Jeep tallies 'nearly 45 inches' of front screen area, but individually framed screens are so 2022. Of course, as the saying goes, 'It's not the size that matters; it's how you use it,' and we kind of prefer how Lincoln uses all 48 inches to display data the driver can always look at, in non-threatening, large-format, jitterbug-phone-style fonts, as one of our drivers put it. It's a cinch to master. On the downside, unlike in the MotorTrend SUV of the Year–winning Lincoln Nautilus, the touchscreen that controls everything is mounted distractingly low on the dash. Cadillac gets points for all fonts matching across all screens, but the big touchscreen requires quite a reach, and controlling things via its twist knob is fussy. Jeep's UX is old-school intuitive with a button for everything, but it ends up looking somewhat cluttered. The Cadillac and Jeep passenger screens almost always appear dark to the driver, reserved for streaming video either from the cloud or via an HDMI cable. Both screens seem miserably small to watch a movie on—and they require wireless headsets that discourage family (or at least front seat) conversation. We also fret that AV tech's relentless march will orphan these screens long before the powertrains give out, while the Lincoln's screens will continue sharing their simple weather, audio, trip, and clock info until meeting their natural end in the crusher along with the rest of the SUV. Let's Pack Up and Head North We didn't have a season's worth of cabin-opening gear to schlepp, but in folding seats and reconfiguring cargo areas, it became evident the Jeep's extra length and wheelbase paid off in the largest cargo area with all seats up, by almost 3 cubic feet. Yet the Escalade gains a huge advantage with the third or both rows folded. Lincoln's split gate protects a loose Veuve Clicquot bottle from rolling to its doom as the liftgate opens, and its Cargo Tailgate Manager can serve as a shelf, a canape table mounted above the tailgate, or a tailgate-partying backrest. Had we headed north with every seat belt clicked, the three people sentenced to the way back would grouse loudest in the Cadillac, which offers the least leg- and shoulder room and is the fussiest to climb in and out of; its captain's chairs dump and fold, while the others' lean and slide forward. The Navigator wins the middle-row decadence prize for duplicating most of the front amenities, while Jeep ranks best for third-row space and accessibility. Northbound Friday and southbound Sunday summer traffic is thick on this artery, and Level 2-plus driver assistance can mean the difference between arriving frazzled or fresh. There were no surprises here: Cadillac's Super Cruise remains way out front, unilaterally executing lane changes around slower traffic (even passing the odd left-lane bandit on the right). It even surprised us by functioning on several larger Leelanau County two-lane roads. Lincoln's BlueCruise and Jeep's Active Driving Assist make the driver signal before changing lanes, and neither works on many (if any) two-lane roads. Ford/Lincoln are yet to adopt a camera or capacitive-touch-based hands-on-wheel sensors, so the Navigator annoyingly demands periodic steering wheel wiggling. Lincoln's interior noise levels were also deemed the loudest. The Jeep was least permissive of even brief glances at the mirrors, nagging the driver to pay attention and threatening to disengage. Had we been relocating our ski boats, the Jeep's 9,810-pound towing capacity bests the others by a half ton, while the Navigator's trailer-reversing aids earn points for making execs who seldom tow look like pros. Long-Haul Comfort/Infotainment As noted, all three flagships offer massage functionality, multispeaker name-branded audio systems, and screens aplenty, but which kept us most engaged and invigorated? Picking a winner among the massaging seats isn't easy, as each offers five programs at three intensity levels. All feel great, and sadly they all automatically switch off after 20 minutes. If screen images of the massaging elements are to be believed, Cadillac has a few more of them, so maybe … it's the winner? All that said, two of our judges were unable to get comfortable in the Lincoln's seat despite 24-way adjustability. 'It always ended up feeling like an overstuffed chair with a devil's forked tongue licking my thighs,' one of them said. Another said of the audio features: 'The Jeep's McIntosh sound system trounces Lincoln's Revel audio and Cadillac's AKG system. It delivers all the depth you'd expect with a couple dozen speakers even when you're listening to relatively low-fi satellite radio.' Still, Lincoln's Revel Ultima ranked a close second, and we were left wondering if some speakers were offline on the distant-third-place AKG system. After finding the app button that turns on the Jeep's passenger screen (a touch activates the Cadillac's), we discovered that with no active video subscriptions and no portable players with HDMI output, there was little for our passengers to do with either passenger screen but surf the internet or watch YouTube reels. We recognize their main value might be letting a front adult passenger control what plays on each rear screen—something that's trickier when kiddos use brought-in tablets. As for what the driver's looking at, positioning of the Cadillac's largest-in-test screen means the steering wheel obscures much of it, and there are fewer options for what to view. Even the standard gauge view is peculiar with horizontal hockey-stick graphs for speedometer and tachometer above a linear fuel gauge. What look like diagonal lens flares serve as indicator lines (and without demarcations, the speedo one is useless). That said, Cadillac's head-up display was the one most visible through polarized sunglasses. Jeep offers the most options for what appears on the main instrument cluster. Cadillac and Jeep offer a night vision 'deer cam' view of the road ahead. One human sense only the Lincoln can stimulate on demand is the olfactory, with a digital scent dispenser in the armrest offering a choice of three aromas, none of which seemed cloying or department-store-perfume-aisle repulsive in any way. Our favorite was Mystic Forest. Up North on the Fun Roads Spec chart scrutinizers might get the idea the Navigator is the Nürburgringer of this bunch. It is the lightest, and on our flat, featureless black lake it laid down the best lateral grip and figure-eight numbers along with the second-best braking and acceleration results. But out in the curves, as the only contestant without air springs, it trails the other two in ride comfort with lumpy and noisy impacts and busy body motions—it's simultaneously too soft and too firm. Our judges found themselves making small course corrections in sweeping turns as the Navigator ran out of compliance and took a set, and its absurdly slow 20.7:1 steering requires abundant flailing to parallel park. The combination of air springs and adaptive dampers eliminated this phased cornering situation on the others. Cadillac's hyperaggressive stability control thwarted our test team's efforts at laying down impressive track numbers, but we can attest our Sport Platinum test car felt more sure-footed on lightly traveled county roads. It might even have taken top honors in ride quality in one of the Luxury trims or on the base 22-inch wheels. (This one wore $1,800 worth of 24s.) As configured, however, the Grand Wagoneer grabbed the brass ring of ride supremacy with a body structure rigid enough to eliminate secondary body shake and a general feeling of 'there is a layer of cream cheese between the road and the Jeep,' as one of our drivers described it. The Jeep's engine feels every bit as impressive as its spec chart implies, delivering on its 18–27-percent weight-to-power advantage every time you crack the throttle, accompanied by what sounds like the muffled cries of a BMW imprisoned in the engine room. Speaking of noise, the Navigator EcoBoost's native V-6 dialog gets translated into V-8ese by the radio speakers, while the Cadillac's natural V-8 gets a lot of exhaust whoosh overlaid as both twin-turbo sixes run away from it. We lamented the fact the Cadillac's chassis and the Jeep's engine deserve one another, and we'd be willing to sacrifice some speed for the V-8's aural character—an ideal match for the Escalade's brash, menacing mien. Valet Forecourt Presence At the end of a long day of driving, photographing, and filming these jumbos, we pitted to dine where the vacationing/summering auto execs do—at Blu in Glen Arbor. Parked here, the Cadillac looks most impressive from every angle—a crisply faceted unified sculpture. Lincoln's glider-wing light signatures easily identify it, and its front-3/4 view is appealing, but the rear styling elements seem less cohesive. Overall, the Navigator seems to hover above its wheels more than the others. The Grand Wagoneer is better at looking like a well-proportioned big Jeep than it is at looking six-figure expensive—perhaps an impossible task for any vehicle whose identical twin sells for $62,000. Lincoln, meanwhile, deserves credit for offering a Rejuvenate mode: A driver arriving early at Blu could have enjoyed a curated 5–10-minute program of massage, Zen music, and scent, coordinated with screen imagery and ambient lighting designed to relax and then reinvigorate. Bottom Line These three luxury SUVs are frankly all fabulous, and in this class the Detroit Three execs can legitimately claim supremacy over all their offshore competitors. The Lincoln might be the best choice for trailering novices, tailgate partiers, and folks who end up waiting in their car for a kid's extracurricular events to end, but in this contest its ride quality, interior materials, noise levels, and rear exterior design land it in third. The Jeep's Rolls-Royce ride, stout powertrain, and stupendous sound system keep it in second place despite feeling the least extrovertedly fancy in terms of interior and exterior design and overall brand reputation. So despite legitimate nits to be picked with its big screen's functionality and despite its third-place finish in every performance category but braking (hey, pony up for the V-series or IQ variants if you're always in a hurry), the Escalade performed all its intended functions superbly while looking, feeling, and telling the world it was priced way more than $5,000 above the others. Just maybe spring for the 40-speaker AKG? 3rd Place: 2025 Lincoln Navigator Pros Pampering spa features Clever tailgate Best second-row thrones Cons Ride quality isn't the best Front comfort Road and faux-engine noise Verdict: The best Navigator ever comes within an air-ride suspension and a few more interior spiffs of the winner's circle. 2nd Place: 2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Pros Rolls-Royce ride quality Hemi-worthy I-6 power Stupendous McIntosh sound Cons Looks like a cheaper Jeep Yestertech dash Nagging hands-free drive mode Verdict: Jeep arrived at this party with all the right credentials but looking like it didn't quite know what to wear. 1st Place: 2025 Cadillac Escalade Pros Linen- and wood-lined interior feels special Power doors Super(ior) Cruise Cons Secondary ride shake Heavy 24-inch wheels Big-screen utilization Verdict: The king of Interstate 75 remains the perennial moving target its crosstown rivals must continue to aim at.
Motor Trend
6 hours ago
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2026 Volkswagen SUVs: Tiguan Turbo Comin' in Hot
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Motor Trend
6 hours ago
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2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph Interior Review: A Step Up, but Truly Competitive?
In addition to the wholly upgraded 2025 Infiniti QX80's exterior design, new engine, and new transmission, the full-size SUV also receives a thoroughly revamped interior. As the flagship model, the QX80 is naturally where Infiniti unveiled its newest cabin design, which we suspect will be distilled in some form or another for other Infiniti models in the future. The 2025 Infiniti QX80 Autograph offers an upgraded interior with dual displays, a head-up display, and massaging seats. While it boasts luxurious materials and features, fit-and-finish issues and small usability drawbacks keep it from outshining competing offerings from Cadillac and Lincoln. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next It was certainly a necessary step. The outgoing QX80's interior, which we praised for its upscale materials, was showing its age with analog gauges (no digital cluster?!), a small sunroof, and a chunky shift knob. The third-row seats were small and cramped. Today's QX80 has been updated through and through. For this review, Infiniti loaned us a test car in top-tier Autograph trim, which adds a host of luxury appointments and comfort customizations. Is the maximalist QX80 interior finally worthy of the competitive luxury space, especially against other luxury stalwarts from Cadillac and Lincoln? Infotainment Dual Digital Displays Keeping with the latest trend proliferating across the industry, the QX80 sports dual 14.3-inch digital displays for the driver information cluster and infotainment. The high-resolution displays themselves are big and easy to read, though we wish they were angled slightly more upright for those who prefer a higher seating position. They also swipe smoothly, so you can pull up different menu options quickly. Furthermore, the QX80 makes use of built-in Google apps such as Google Maps for added convenience. Climate Touchscreen Groan away, but it is what it is. All climate functions are controlled via a tertiary 9.0-inch touchscreen stuck beneath the central air vents. From there, you can change fan speed and direction, adjust the heated or cooling seats, raise or lower the temperature, and access the rear-zone climate. Some competitors try this same layout, to varying effectiveness, including the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Lincoln Navigator. In all of those SUVs, as in the Infiniti, the screen is somewhat buried on the dashboard and requires glances far from the road to operate. The button to activate the heated steering wheel is also here, which is confusing because it's rather far away for the driver to reach. It'd make more sense if it were positioned on the steering wheel itself. One thing we noticed during the course of our loan: The climate screen seemingly cannot respond to two touch inputs at once, only one at a time. This means if both the driver and front passenger want to adjust the climate, one has to wait for the other to finish. This is also the screen to control the car's drive modes. We prefer drive modes to be switchable via physical buttons—again, so that you needn't look down, away from the road, while driving, to change them—but, again, this is somewhat common. The Navigator similarly locates its drive modes deep in an on-screen menu. Android Auto/Apple CarPlay If you don't want to use the car's systems, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available and a breeze to set up. Head-Up Display A lot of the most useful information—speed, navigation, audio, and driver assistance settings—is projected onto the car's windshield via a full-color head-up display, which Infiniti says is the first time this has been offered on a QX80. It's definitely handy, and we missed it when we had to give the car back. Invisible Hood View There's no getting around how massive the QX80 is. Trying to place it on the traffic-choked streets of Manhattan and in and out of tight, subterranean parking garages is an exercise in spatial awareness. The proximity sensors are a definite help, but Invisible Hood View is an appreciated new feature that gives you an extra set of 'eyes.' Basically, it grants you a camera view of what's under the front of the car so you can see if you're about to run over something or if your front bumper will indeed clear that corner. A separate and tangential conversation can be had about why we need all these extra camera systems because of how massive cars have just become today, but that's for later. In-Car Camera Another Infiniti-first is the in-car camera, which is a cabin-facing camera that's mounted right next to the rearview mirror. You can use it to peep at what's going on in the second and third rows, as well as peer inside the car with your Infiniti phone app while it's parked to make sure everything is where it should be. We can see how this could be convenient, especially for parents keen on keeping an eye on babies and toddlers in car seats, but those who are more privacy-minded might not love the idea of an IP camera in their personal vehicle. ProPilot Assist 2.1 The QX80 Autograph comes equipped with ProPilot Assist 2.1, which is Nissan/Infiniti's advanced adaptive cruise control system, now with added hands-free driving capabilities where applicable. As an adaptive cruise system, it works well, keeping the car centered in its lane without any ping-ponging. Braking for slowed traffic happened a touch abruptly (at least during this loan; associate editor Justin Banner reported a much smoother experience in the Armada), but that was the most glaring drawback. There are also easy visuals to tell when hands-free driving is engaged. A fuller review of ProPilot Assist 2.1 is coming, but overall, we were confident in its ability, and it certainly did reduce a ton of driver fatigue. Comfort Front-Row Seats This QX80 had some of the most comfortable seats we've sat in this year. Supportive and cushioning, they're a very nice place to sit and while away a few hours on the road. Not only are the front seats heated, cooled, and massage-capable, but the second-row captain's chairs are, as well. Front-Row Center Console The front center console houses a charging pad, two cupholders, an under-console cubby, and the optional cool box. For such a large center console, we would have rather seen an extra charging pad instead of the cooling box, but don't deny its usefulness when rocking up to a hang with cold drinks in tow. Second-Row Seats Supreme comfort continues with the second-row captain's chairs, whose occupants will enjoy great visibility and light from the massive windows. These passengers get their own climate and seat heat/ventilation controls, which can be adjusted via the front center console or a dedicated screen fixed on the second-row console. Second-Row Center Console From that screen, you can control the second-row climate, seat ventilation, seat adjustments, seat massage, and the screen's own settings. Although we appreciate the flexibility this provides, we also notice three of those five items already have controls elsewhere, leaving only the massage functions and screen settings exclusive to the screen. This introduces a ton of redundancy. The cupholders and storage container in this console are large and roomy, though, so there's a good use of space there. Massage Seats As mentioned above, both first- and second-row passengers get access to massaging seats—a luxury. It's not often you get to play passenger princess in the second row and enjoy a relaxing massage. Yet those used to seeing a more extensive settings menu on other luxury cars might find the QX80's mere three settings (lumbar, relaxing, and refreshing) to be rather limited. Cabin Materials We really enjoyed the quilted burgundy leather paired with the dark, open-pore wood and pinstriping metal inlays festooning the inside of the QX80. This is all part of the top-tier Autograph trim and makes for a very jazzy feel. It's not all for show, either; the leather is very buttery to the touch, especially around the steering wheel. However, we did notice a few finishing flaws. First, the leather around the steering wheel was wrinkled (an issue, interestingly, we also noticed in the newest, nicest Lincoln Navigator—albeit not on the wheel). Second, the delicate metal pinstripe inlays in the wood appeared to be inserted at varying depths, which lines up with what other MotorTrend editors noted on a different test vehicle. These are paired with the cabin's extensive use of piano black trim, which smudges, scuffs, and scratches easily. Third-Row Seat Among three-row SUVs, the third row is frequently treated as an afterthought and offers very limited space for those passengers. Refreshingly, the QX80 has not two but three third-row seats that all offer good cushioning and decent spaciousness. Perhaps this assessment is downgraded somewhat if three adults were to sit shoulder to shoulder, but three children or two adults fit well, which is better than some competitors offer. Additionally, the two outboard way-back seats each have two cupholders and are heated, so these passengers really don't feel low priority in the QX80. Power folding and raising are standard for second and third rows, so if you want to access those rearmost seats or expand the trunk capacity, you have to hit a button a wait a bit. While this is convenient, we would have also liked to see manual release levers for redundancy and speed. Trunk Cargo room behind the third row has been expanded by 28 percent, according to Infiniti, but it's still a rather small trunk for how large the vehicle is in practice. (This is an issue endemic to regular-wheelbase full-size three-row SUVs, particularly the non-ESV Cadillac Escalade and others—though Infiniti doesn't offer a longer QX80 to compete with those longer American rigs.) Clearly, priority went to giving passengers as much living space as possible, which isn't a bad thing. The load floor is flat, which makes sliding cargo in and out a breeze, but it's still pretty high up, even when the air suspension (an optional extra) was in its lowest position. If you're on the shorter side and trying to heave a heavy suitcase into the trunk, this might make things more difficult. Thankfully, the third- and second-row seats do lie flat for optimized storage, but the second-row center console then becomes an obstacle because it isn't flush with the rest of the seats. So that's something you'll have to mind if you load a large and bulky object into the SUV. Everything Else Cupholders All eight of the QX80's cupholders are large and perfectly fit my preferred beverage vehicle of choice: a 20-ounce Yeti tumbler. Not all cupholders can do this, so it was great to see the Infiniti score a 100 percent success rate here. Sound System The Klipsch premium sound system—standard on the Autograph trim— includes titanium tweeters, four roof-mounted speakers, an 8.0-inch subwoofer, and a 24-channel amplifier. In total, there are 24 speakers. It provides a rich cocoon of sound that builds on the QX80's already quiet road manners. Ergonomics The SUV's general ergonomics are good. Every single seat is comfortable, and we appreciate the running boards for easier ingress and egress, because we cannot overestimate how massive this vehicle is. Case in point: We found we had to reach quite a bit for the volume knob and infotainment screen while seated in our driving position. Also, the shifter has been replaced by buttons, presumably for a cleaner layout. It takes a little getting used to, and we found it doesn't respond as quickly as a traditional shift lever. You also have to be fairly firm with your button pushes or else it won't recognize the input. Otherwise, it's pretty easy to use. In Conclusion There's no doubt the QX80 offers an upscale experience with quality cabin materials at every touch point. Finally, the model feels befit for its class. And we reiterate how much we like the Autograph's color scheme. But noticeable fit-and-finish oversights and small livability issues detract from what would be a wholly luxurious experience. Furthermore, alongside the freshly revealed 2025 Nissan Armada, the Infiniti just doesn't distinguish itself quite enough to justify the price leap. That being said, the top-tier Autograph trim does undercut similarly graded Cadillac Escalades and Lincoln Navigators by a few thousand dollars. We won't downplay how fiercely competitive the luxury full-size market is, so we'll say the QX80 is for someone who really loves these particular cabin materials, Infinitis, and saving the extra cash for another day.
