Few brands have had their futures in more doubt than Infiniti in recent years. Despite vocal criticism from industry watchers, enthusiasts, analysts and others, Infiniti continues to move forward in redefining modern luxury.
The key to this is the redesigned next-generation Infiniti QX80. The flagship three-row sport utility vehicle (SUV) is larger and more sophisticated than before, demonstrating Infiniti’s capabilities as Nissan’s luxury division.
“As a cornerstone of our business strategy, the all-new 2025 Infiniti QX80 sets the tone for our product renaissance and embodies our commitment to redefining modern luxury,” said Infiniti Americas Group Vice President. Craig Keyes told Newsweek magazine. “Our flagship SUV, the QX80, embodies the best of Infiniti, embodying bold design, advanced technology and expert craftsmanship. This momentum builds on the popular QX60 and the long-awaited new QX65. This will continue to be carried over into our lineup, including
The Infiniti brand reported a 40% year-over-year increase in new vehicle deliveries in 2023. This year, the company’s revenue through the end of the third quarter was down 12.8% compared to 2023. The new QX80 went on sale in North America in July of this year.
The largest QX80 markets in the U.S. are Dallas, Houston, and Tampa, with New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago gaining momentum. A power couple, as defined by Infinity, is the partner who is the decision maker and the primary buyer. They are typically married with children, want a new SUV with body design, technology that can be easily integrated into their lives, and see their cars as an extension of their hospitality.
The QX80 Autograph trim level is the best-selling trim level of the QX80 sold by Infiniti. The highest grade offered has a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $110,595, which is $25,045 more than the entry-level QX80 Pure model.
At this price, the QX80 is more competitive than the Mercedes-Benz GLS (starting at $89,200 MSRP), BMW X7 ($84,300), Audi Q7 ($60,500), and even the GMC Yukon ($66,900) and Cadillac Escalade ($87,595). compete with.
“This is the first time we’ve traded a car over $110,000 to $120,000. For the QX80, we were targeting an average household income of about $500,000, and the average household income for an Autograph buyer is The vast majority are around $500,000. Currently, 60% of this demographic has a household income of more than $1 million,” said Pontu Pandiktila, Nissan Americas Regional Senior Vice President and Chief Planning Officer. Ta. Newsweek magazine noted that this represented a major success, as a $1 million wage “allowed you to choose almost any vehicle you wanted.”
According to a 2022 study by the World Economic Forum, U.S. Census Bureau, and YouGov, 0.5% of U.S. household incomes are $1 million or more. One percent of U.S. households bring in at least $500,000 annually. There are approximately 131 million households in this country.
The luxury and premium family SUV market is competitive, with Acura and Cadillac encroaching on the realm of true luxury, and technology starting to act as a bigger differentiator than price, although the two are often interrelated. . People with higher household incomes aim to choose a car that is as much a status symbol as it is a competent daily driver.
Infiniti plans to tackle this market next year with another new SUV, the QX65, a two-row midsize model. It is expected to have a sloping rooftop similar to a fastback-like design, reflecting a trend started by BMW and later further fleshed out by Mercedes and Audi.
Mercedes called them coupes and Audi named them sportbacks. Infiniti’s approach is to give the SUV its own personality by adding a five to the zero part of the model name. They’ve already proven this with the QX55, which has sold about half as many QX50s in recent years, and when you add up the sales numbers, it’s increasing the total number of Infinitis sold in that size.