Big Infiniti QX80 has the goods, hauls them too

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo car reviews can be seen on the Business page of The Sacramento Bee’s website – www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

Sacramento, California – The 2017 Infiniti QX80 AWD Limited sport-utility vehicle made me feel small, but at the same time, I happily envisioned the possibilities.

What you need to know is that the QX80 is a full-size luxo SUV capable of seating up to eight folks, with a monumental overall interior volume of 168 cubic feet.

As luck would have it, I needed a big vehicle during my test week to help put on a special event. I was transporting A LOT of stuff, and I figured I would have to recruit a volunteer driver and a second vehicle to get everything to the venue.

I was wrong.  To my amazement, the QX80 took all of it.

That included eight cases of water and sodas, two folding six-foot tables, four full-size coolers, two flagpoles, a six-by-four-foot sign (and its stand), six banker-size paper boxes, two large suitcases, a trumpet case and four full-size grocery bags.

The SUV basically transported the contents of a convenience store.  Talk about utility!

In addition to handling this massive chore, my week in the QX80 was an enjoyable mixture of luxury and power.

Keeping in mind that the bottom line on the tester’s sticker read $90,445 – and that was without options – the QX80 was loaded with luxury liner perks to justify the price.  The all-star lineup included “truffle brown leather” seating/interior surfaces, a 15-speaker Bose audio system, a power rear liftgate, a hydraulic body motion-control system, power-folding rear seats, primo ash wood trim and a full house of electronic/audio/entertainment connections and devices.

The exterior mirrors alone spoke volumes about the premium nature of the vehicle: They were power-folding, auto-dimming and heated with integrated LED turn signals, courtesy lights and an automatic tilt-down feature for reverse maneuvers.

Power was provided by a 5.6-liter V-8 with 400 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque.  That hefty engine easily moved the big QX80 around with authority.  The size of the vehicle played tricks on my mind when it came to speed; 60 miles per hour felt like 40 mph.  Steering was spot-on firm.

The price to be paid for power came to 13 miles per gallon in the city and only 19 mpg on the highway.

For such a big brute, the tested QX80 looked good, smooth over the top and riding on 22-inch wheels.  My tester wore a new-for-2017 paint color called Mocha Almond, which sparkled in the sunlight and drew comments from passersby.

Overall, this is a B-plus to A-minus vehicle in its class.  And that class is an SUV segment for the financially fortunate motorist who wants it all.