Infininti wins sports figure for the 2026 QX80

You are forgiven if you have missed the news: the QX80 from Infiniti has won a pretty serious and very coveted prize. JD Power baptized it with his Top, 2025 Reliability ranking, outdoor brands that you would expect to adorn that Pinnacle Rung, such as Lexus.

Now, new before 2026, Infiniti debuts a sports figure of the award -winning QX80. That is not that surprising, because you can already get the QX60 with a sports trim. And the turnover of QX80 is flowering, so far almost 50 percent are rising this year. That is important because Infiniti pierces the line, with only the QX60 as the other model that is being performed for the time being.

Fyi, a QX65, a slimmer version of the QX60, should appear somewhere next year and it will be critical in the US, so it will not be exposed to tariff effects such as the Mexican assembled QX50 and QX55.

What is the QX80 -Sport about? I got a taste last month and the embargo just lifted my discussion with Infiniti. No, I was unable to control the 2026 QX80 sport, so this is what I know so far.

New face and details

Infiniti blacks-out the schedule and herstyled it for the sports finish, with an enlightened Infiniti logo. The bumper is also herstyled, just like the rear bumper, with a spoiler effect on the lower front edge.

The car manufacturer took the darkened Chrome from the top, signature figure and took over in the sports version of the QX80. Although I have not seen any sports models, except in Grand Blue, which is actually midnight, you can also order the sports model with a two -tone painting.

The sports class also gets a processed, 22-inch, super orientation wheel that is not available on other figures from the QX80.

A nice hut

Probably the largest business card, more than the outside, the dusk -blue theme Infiniti is used on the sports version of the QX80. It looks purple in these photos, but personally the shade is somewhere between purple and sapphire blue – and it is beautiful and unique for the Sport QX80.

Infiniti officials also emphasized that the two-fold screen system of the Infiniti QX80 is an important draw, because it distributes climate and infotainment functions, so there is less need to wipe and tap to switch the heat or change the radio station.

Google built -in comes to Infiniti

Infiniti also added Google built-in as its infotainment operating system. This allows the driver to ask Google for a route description or engage the cooling chairs. Just like what we see from Apple with CarPlay Ultra (first debut with Aston Martin, but soon to Hyundai, Genesis and Kia vehicles), car manufacturers turn to the technical giants to load part of the complexity of in-car systems.

Sound system Slimness

Both sports and the signature figures of the QX80 receive a 24-speakers, Klipsch Sound System. The most innovative part of this technology is that it shines on the ears of both front passengers through speakers in-headluiden. For singing, or any sound that is usually handled by, for example, tweeters in the dash, which places these notes with a higher register where your ears are. But the system is well coordinated, so you don’t get trumpets that shoot your eardrums at the expense of the rest of the Sonic image.

Similarly, the system can also broadcast Turn-by-Turn directions by the speakers in De-headlest, so only the driver hears them. And if you make a phone call, only the driver hears the voice of the caller. I have to test this part in the studio where I made these images, and it is pretty extraordinary, because you can keep the music for everyone else on a regular volume, but you get this cone cone in your brain.

Cool it!

Infiniti is the only brand in the luxury segment with three rows that offers what they call biometric cooling. This reads the temperature of the rear seat passengers via an infrared beam in the headliner. If it detects that you roast there again, the climate system automatically lowers the cabinet temperature for your venting and can also increase the fan speed.

The QX80 Sport is not the Armada Nismo

If there is a miss here, it is in actually making the sport. soccer. The Nissan Armada and QX80 share a powertrain and chassis. It is crucial that they share the same, twin-turbo, VR35DDTT 3.5-liter Twin-Turbo engine motorcycle.

On the Armada, that engine produces 425 hp and 516 LB-FT torque. On the QX80, horse power is pushed to 450 (with the couple that stays at 516 LB-FT). However, the QX80 sport does not get the raised 460 hp of the Nismo Armada, nor does it get the suspension revisions of that rig. And no, none of the “sportiness” added in the form of trim is specifically designed for Downforce or Roadholding, such as on the Nismo. This setup is strictly about appearance.

But does this mean that if you are looking for real sportiness of the same, wide design, you will exceed the Armada Nismo instead?

Take top speeds

There is another word to fall here. The QX80 has become more expensive.

2026 QX80 Prices

If you are looking for a luxury SUV with three rows, you already know that they are not coming cheaply. But the turnover of Infiniti has fallen in recent years and they quickly become a very niche brand. Volvo, also a niche Luxury Marque, has sold almost as many XC90s this year as Infiniti has sold across the board.

So yes, the QX80 from Infiniti wins quality prizes, and the sports finish is slippery, but the brand has a lot of work to do to win more customers, and that will be difficult to do at this prize.