Infiniti Announces Totally Necessary QX80 Sport Trim To Get Your Heart Pumping

Date:2025-08-06 22:11:58 Category:tech Views:1 Comment:0

When you look at a vehicle like the 6,000-pound, boxy-as-all-hell Infiniti QX80, I know what you're thinking. Obviously you're thinking that what this behemoth needs is a sporty variant. Well, I've got some good news, because that's exactly what Infiniti is adding to its body-on-frame truck for 2026.

Slotted right behind the top-end Autograph, the new QX80 Sport is meant to give a darker, more aggressive look to Infiniti's luxury-focused flagship, but with no extra power. It has a new front grille and tweaked front bumper to go along with unique 22-inch wheels, which feel almost small nowadays, and it also gets a slew of darker exterior trim pieces. On the outside, there are four colors to choose from, and buddy, they are enthralling. If you want a QX80 Sport, you can opt for Mineral Black, Radiant White, Grand Blue or Dynamic Metal. You can add a black roof to the latter three.

The inside of the truck also gets a once-over, adding in dark matte chrome accents and a graphite-colored headliner with open-pore wood trim around the instrument panel and doors. It wears a new color scheme that Infiniti is calling Dusk Blue, with black and blue seat inserts and special quilted-pattern perforation. The third-generation QX80 has always been a nice place to spend time, and while it's a bit of a departure from the ultra-luxe nature of the current QX80, the Sport trim's cabin still looks to be a lovely place to be.

Other Touches

The 2026 QX80 Sport comes with everything I've already mentioned, plus a 24-speaker Klipsch audio system, massaging front seats, ambient interior lighting and a rearview mirror camera. That comes on top of other stuff that's available further down the trim lineup like air suspension, a head-up display and dual 14.3-inch screens for the driver and front passenger. If you want other niceties like a more advanced Level 2 driver assistance system, heated third-row seats and a screen for the second row, you'll have to step up to the Autograph.

Pieces are up a bit for 2026 as well. Now, a QX80 Pure RWD will start at $85,940, including destination. The Sport, which is 4WD only, starts at $104,140, and the big dog Autograph (also 4WD only) starts at $113,690. All QX80s come standard with the same twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out a healthy 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.

The QX80, in any guise, has some stiff competition. Cars like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS don't mess around. I'm not sure the QX80 Sport will be enough to separate it from these cars, but if I'm Infiniti, I'm throwing everything at the wall the see what sticks.