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Motor Trend
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor Trend
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.
Irish Daily Mirror
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
Cat Deeley's 'flattering' M&S dress is finally available to buy online
Fashion fans have been quick to grab their saved items as Marks & Spencer resumes online operations after a recent cyber incident, with one particular product catching the eye of some This Morning fans M&S shoppers are raving about a stylish frock donned by Cat Deeley back in May that has been hailed as 'very flattering'. The 48-year-old TV presenter debuted M&S's Satin Scoop Neck Tassel Midi Dress from the prestigious Autograph range on May 14. Shoppers who couldn't spot the dress in physical stores had to bide their time for over four weeks before they could secure it online due to the company's online services being put on hold. With a price tag of €125, the garment is touted as an elegant option for upscale events, a sentiment echoed in rave reviews, with one five-star feedback saying: "Very flattering style, perfect for wedding guest. True to size." Sporting a fit-and-flare silhouette, the dress features a scoop neck and a midi-length tasseled hemline for a touch of fun. The drop-waist design checks the box for current fashion trends, but Cat chose to accentuate her waist with a snake print leather belt from The Fold, reports Belfast Live. Nevertheless, opinions about the flesh-coloured number were slightly mixed among viewers, with some likening it to night attire. An Instagram user posted: "Did Cat Deeley just jump out of bed? Her outfit looks ridiculous." While another questioned: "Why's Cat got her nightie on?" Some viewers, however, embraced her look, with one praising: "So gorgeous, Cat. Natural presenter." But the outfit drew plenty of praise on Instagram, and if you're keen to add Cat's pale pink satin dress to your collection, it's finally available to purchase online here. Cat is known for her keen sense of style and she wowed This Morning viewers by rocking a much-admired co-ord from Rochelle Humes' collection for Next on Thursday's show. Cat, who is married to Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty, perfectly pulled off the Brown Glossy Satin Polka Dot Maxi Skirt paired with its matching Brown Glossy Satin Polka Dot Halter Top during yesterday's show. The coordinated set created a sleek illusion of a maxi dress that has had folks singing its praises online, with many saying it's been a compliment magnet. Next's satin polka dot skirt in particular has been drawing in lots of love from customers. Highlighting its timeless appeal, one glowing five-star review reads: "The quality of the material is stunning it hangs lovely and I love polka dots. Little bit expensive but it will never age." Those keen to snap it up can find it on the Next website here.
Daily Mail
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
M&S is taking online orders again - these are the 15 hero fashion pieces to snap up before they sell out
Six weeks after Marks & Spencer was forced to pause online orders following a cyber attack over the Easter weekend, it has reopened its website to shoppers – and we couldn't be more excited to finally move those items we've been saving on our wish list to our basket and check out. 'We are bringing back online shopping this week,' the high street giant announced to its 2.3 million Instagram followers this morning. 'A selection of our best selling fashion ranges will be available for home delivery to England, Scotland and Wales from today. 'More of our fashion, home and beauty products will be added every day and we will resume deliveries to Northern Ireland and Click and Collect in the coming weeks.' So, what pieces have we been favouriting? Let's start with the summer collection from M&S, which channels designer resortwear à la Zimmermann and Chloé and features all your holiday wardrobe essentials, from crochet co-ords and comfortable sandals to flattering swimsuits and floaty two-pieces that are perfect for layering or lounging, be it by the pool, on the beach or in your garden. Then there's a matching set from Per Una that caught our eye; the embroidered collared relaxed shirt (£59) and embroidered wide leg trousers (£59). As well as the straw tote bag (£85) from the Autograph collection; a bit of an investment, but we think it'll be one of those pieces you'll reach for over and over again this summer. And, of course, we also have a selection of dresses on our wish list. The white pure cotton textured midi waisted dress (£35) and the black pure cotton round neck midi waisted dress (£45) will go with just about anything in your wardrobe. But there are some printed styles we're eyeing up too. So, scroll down for our edit of the pieces we'll be snapping up before they sell out… Pure Cotton Polka Dot Midaxi Cami Dress £45 Shop Linen Rich Collared Tie Front Shirt £35 Shop Straw Woven Mini Basket Shoulder Bag £39.50 Shop Pure Cotton Round Neck Midi Waisted Dress £45 Shop Woven Ankle Strap Flatform Sandals Cotton Rich Checked Cap Sleeve Peplum Top £30 Shop Modal Rich Checked Button Front Midi Dress £35 Shop Bow Flat Ballet Pumps £29.50 Shop Pure Cotton Textured Midi Waisted Dress £35 Shop Pure Cotton Broderie Midaxi A-Line Skirt £65 Shop Straw Tote Bag £85 Shop Embroidered Wide Leg Trousers £59 Shop Woven Ballet Pumps £45 Shop Pure Cotton Floral One Shoulder Midaxi Column Dress £49.50 Shop Straw Woven Tote Bag
Rhyl Journal
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Rhyl Journal
New restaurant is opening at ‘picturesque' venue in St Asaph
Lyons Holiday Parks has unveiled its latest culinary offering, Autograph Restaurants, at two of its venues: Lyons Eryl Hall in St Asaph, and Lyons Woodlands Hall in Ruthin. A grand launch event at Lyons Eryl Hall will take place on Friday evening (June 13) - then, from June 14, full service begins from midday. There is also a special Father's Day offer on June 15, entitling dads to eat free at either restaurant with every full-paying adult. The restaurants' menus include 8oz sirloin steak, traditional fish and chips, and a selection of meat, seafood and pasta dishes. A Lyons Holiday Parks spokesperson said: 'Autograph brings a refined yet welcoming dining experience to North Wales, combining locally sourced ingredients with expertly crafted dishes in truly picturesque settings. 'Whether it's an intimate dinner, a celebration, or simply a treat-yourself moment, Autograph is your go-to for timeless dining. 'Nestled within the stunning Lyons Eryl Hall estate, Autograph at Eryl Hall blends classic charm with contemporary style, set against a backdrop of rolling countryside. 'Autograph at Woodlands offers cosy, country elegance with breathtaking views and a warm, relaxed ambiance. 'Each venue offers a carefully curated menu designed to showcase quality local produce, with seasonal specials and a variety of options for all dietary preferences.' Autograph at Eryl Hall's opening times will be 5-9pm from Wednesday to Friday, 12-9pm on Saturdays, and 12-6pm on Sundays. Meanwhile, Autograph at Woodlands Hall will be open from 5-8pm Monday to Friday, 4-9pm on Saturdays, and 12-6pm on Sundays. Loyalty cards will also be on offer – guests can collect one stamp per visit, and after dining seven times, their eighth meal will be free.
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Secrets of the hair salon, from high street to high rise: Eileen Perrier/Dianne Minnicucci review
The art world is obsessed with the idea of 'being seen'. In a culture of lookism, being seen is understood as tantamount to existing, even to survival. But being seen is complicated. Both the current exhibitions at Autograph grapple with this through photographs by two women of the same generation working in portraiture. Eileen Perrier's A Thousand Small Stories occupies the ground-floor gallery. Since the 1990s, Perrier's work has centred on setting up temporary photographic studios, in homes, hair salons, on the streets of Brixton and Peckham in London, and at a metro station in Paris. Her 2009 exhibition at the Whitechapel Gallery in London displayed large-format Polaroid portraits taken in pop-up studios at Petticoat Lane market and in the nearby 23-storey tower block Denning Point. The travelling portrait studio has been a device Perrier has used for 30 years, to take photography into diverse communities and tackle the politics of beauty and identity. This is the first survey of her work. Perrier makes portraits that don't rely on beauty but find it everywhere. She doesn't flatter – in fact the lighting and poses in her pictures in some series are direct references to school photographs, such as Grace (2000) in which her subjects, including the photographer and her mother, share the physical trait diastema (a gap between the teeth). Perrier's subjects are mostly regular people, commuters, passersby. In these quick encounters with ordinary lives, Perrier gives glimpses of beauty where you don't look for it. An image of two women on a leather chesterfield, from the series Red, Gold and Green (made between 1996 and 1997 in the homes of three generations of British Ghanaians), scintillates with shining confidence, from the women's style to the polished ceramics gleaming on the dresser behind them. The makeshift red cloth Perrier has hung up behind them is a reminder that this is a studio, too, where an unexpected moment of beauty, through the alchemy of the camera, becomes an eternity. There's an unresolved paradox in Perrier's pictures, between the artifice of beauty and the photographer's constant quest to find it. Perrier acknowledges this, between celebrating beauty and critiquing it, right from the start of her career. One of the earliest works in the show belongs to her documentary portrait series, Afro Hair and Beauty Show. Between 1998 and 2003, Perrier photographed women attending the annual show at Alexandra Palace, one of the venue's biggest events of the time. It's a document of evolving styles, creativity and the importance of self-expression through hair. While making the portraits, Perrier also began collecting and photographing products for black hair and skin from London shops and photographing them. She turned these grooming goods into a wallpaper that also charts a controversial side of the beauty industry: Dear Heart promises skin lightening, hair relaxant for children is marketed as Beautiful Beginnings. Perrier is positioned through this show as an important counter to a Photoshopped, retouched reality, in a culture of beauty and image worship. Upstairs Dianne Minnicucci's small exhibition of new works – made as part of a residency funded by Autograph – picks up on the impact of white-centric beauty standards on women of colour. Minnicucci confesses to not being comfortable in front of the camera herself – she has portrayed her family and domestic scenes with an intimate, autobiographical tenor but had never ventured in front of the lens herself. Her show, Belonging and Beyond, is about a personal struggle with self-image, compounded by photography, and now using photography as a means to unravel and understand it. Like Perrier, Minnicucci began by dismantling and reconstructing her studio – bringing it into the classroom of Thomas Tallis school, south-east London, where she is head of photography. Working alongside her students for six months, inviting them into the work as collaborators, Minnicucci was forced to practise what she'd preached – to embrace discomfort. A series of wistful black and white self-portraits sees Minnicucci try to break through this awkward confrontation, all of them shot in Lesnes Abbey Woods. We see her figuring out what to do with her body, her hands, her gaze. Half-masked by spiky shrubs and trees, thesepictures have a quiet, self-conscious grace. Minnicucci dressed in white in this misty atmosphere looks shyly away from the camera, tentative, uncertain. This is not really about the images but what the process reveals. In a film accompanying the images, Minnicucci realises where her trepidation in taking self-portraits as a black woman might come from: 'Because I haven't been exposed to those images, maybe that's why?' Eileen Perrier's A Thousand Small Stories, and Dianne Minnicucci's Belonging and Beyond are both at Autograph, London, until 13 September
