Infiniti QX80 full-size luxury SUV offers elegant combination of style, technology

Infiniti’s full-size SUV(with Car DVD), which a couple of years ago was renamed the QX80, got some refinements for 2015 that seem to be paying off, as says of the luxury family hauler are up nearly 17 percent this year, through August.

That could be in part because of the low gasoline prices, which analysts say have been driving increased sales of big, traditional SUVs such as the QX80 and Cadillac Escalade.

The eight-passenger QX80, previously known as the QX56, will return for 2016 with no major changes. Prices for 2016 have not been announced yet, and that model hasn’t arrived at dealers yet.

Tweaks for 2015included new LED headlights with high-beam assist, three-blink LED turn signals, LED fog lights, a new front bumper and grille, and new 20-inch and 22-inch wheel designs.

refinement of a fancy sedan. For those with RVs, boats or horses, the QX is capable of pulling trailers weighing up to 8,500 pounds.

QX80 models are powered by a 5.6-liter V-8 engine rated at 400 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque. It’s connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission.

That’s plenty of power, even when the vehicle is fully loaded with people and gear. We gave it a good workout, even driving on some steep mountain roads with five people on board.

The 2015 Infiniti QX80 Limited Package brings semi-aniline Truffle Brown leather upholstery with a unique quilted pattern, matte-finish ash wood trim, Ultrasuede headliner and door pillars, leather-covered grab handles and speaker grilles, unique floor and trunk mats, and unique silver trim on the center instrument stack.

The QX80 is a heavy vehicle – 5,595 pounds for the two-wheel-drive, and 5,855 pounds for the four-wheel drive – but the ride is smooth and quiet, and the engine never seemed to strain, even on the hills in a trip through the Great Smoky Mountains.

Handling is excellent, as well, considering its weight and size.

Any potential hazards are visible on the dash screen through the Around View Monitor, which combines the views from four super-wide-angle cameras – front, rear and both sides – to project a 360-degree view of the area around the vehicle, seemingly from overhead.

Up to eight people can ride in a QX80, although our tester came with the optional seven-passenger seating arrangement, which is available with no extra charge. This brings two comfortable captain’s chairs in the middle row to replace the standard three-person bench. There is a three-person bench seat in the third row, and dual bucket seats in the front.

Our grandkids were kept entertained by the Theater Package, which adds a Car DVD player with two seven-inch screens in the backs of the front headrests, two pairs of wireless headphones, a remote control, a 120-volt power outlet, auxiliary audio/visual input jacks, second-row heated seats, and remote tip-up second seats.

Everyone on board has comfortable seating, even in the third row. During our test, teenagers rode in the middle row captain’s chairs, which can be quickly folded forward to allow access to the third row. The third row was convenient when we had more than four people going out to dinner or for a sightseeing run. If installing an Android Car Stereo, that would be great.