Infiniti QX80 review: the new flagship, before Bahrain's used market has an opinion on it
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
Judge the new QX80 as a new-car proposition, not a used-market bargain; it has not been on sale long enough in Bahrain to have either. Against a run-out previous-generation QX80, the twin-turbo V6's extra refinement and the redesigned cabin justify the premium if you are buying new or through a certified programme; if you are buying used and on a budget, the outgoing 2010-2024 generation remains an excellent, thoroughly proven, and considerably cheaper way into the same badge.
Pros
- Twin-turbo V6 replaces an aging V8 with more power and torque
- Genuinely upgraded cabin materials and driver-assistance suite
- Body-on-frame platform keeps real four-wheel-drive and towing ability
- Shares mechanicals with the redesigned Nissan Patrol for parts commonality
Cons
- Too new in Bahrain for any real used-market or long-term reliability data
- Twin-turbo V6 is mechanically more complex than the old naturally aspirated V8
- Premium over the outgoing generation is significant for unproven long-term durability
- Fuel consumption remains high for the segment despite the smaller displacement
The old QX80 kept its 5.6-litre naturally aspirated V8 for a remarkable fifteen years, long after most flagship SUVs had moved on. The all-new model finally lets it go, replacing it with a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 shared with the redesigned Nissan Patrol, the same story Toyota told with the Land Cruiser's move away from the V8, and the same result: more power, more torque, and a real gain in refinement.
What actually changed
The cabin is the bigger story. A dual-screen dashboard, genuinely upgraded materials, and a driver-assistance suite that finally matches segment leaders replace an interior that had aged conspicuously in its final years. It still rides on a body-on-frame platform shared with the Patrol, so the fundamentals, real low-range four-wheel drive, a proper tow rating, seating for up to eight, are unchanged.
What nobody can honestly tell you yet is how it holds up after five years on Bahrain's roads, because it has not been here that long. The previous-generation QX80's reputation for reliability was built on the Patrol's mechanical simplicity; the new twin-turbo V6 is a more complex engine, and its long-term durability in 45 degree Celsius summers is an open question rather than a known quantity.
For a Bahraini buyer, the honest framing is a choice between two different propositions: the new QX80 as an unproven but genuinely improved flagship, or a well-kept 2020-2024 example of the outgoing generation as a known quantity at a meaningfully lower price. Neither is a wrong answer.