The Three-Row 2025 Infiniti QX80 Makes a Sky-High Debut in New York
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The Three-Row 2025 Infiniti QX80 Makes a Sky-High Debut in New York

By Jim Motavalli
Tue, Apr 2, 2024 9:10amGrey Clock 3 min

The 2025 Infiniti QX80, which will go on sale towards the end of summer, made a high-flying global debut in Manhattan last month.

The huge, three-row SUV was cut up into pieces then transported via elevator to the 100th floor observation deck of the Edge at Hudson Yards. The Infiniti, the first car to be so ensconced, was revealed 1,100 feet up amid flashing colour lights in partnership with iHeartMedia in a live stream as night descended on New York City. Later, five-time Grammy winner singer/pianist Jon Batiste entertained a group that included executives and dealers.

Luxury three-row SUVs have turned into an important segment, including electric entries such as the seven-passenger Kia EV9 and Cadillacs Escalade IQ and Vistiq (coming as a 2026 model). The QX80 isn’t electric; it’s powered by a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6-rated engine with 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. That’s up 50 horsepower and 103 pound-feet from the current QX80. The nine-speed automatic transmission is shifted with piano key buttons.

Prices start at US$82,450 for the Pure rear-wheel drive version, and soar to US$110,595 for the Autograph all-wheel drive (with four iterations in between). At the launch, Craig Keeys, group vice president of Infiniti Americas, described the QX80 as “our new flagship, pushing the envelope from ordinary to extraordinary.” Keeys didn’t mention the twin-turbo V6 power, and the other speakers skipped over it too—the QX80 is all about luxurious refinements and tech innovations.

Prices for the large, luxury three-row SUV start at US$82,450.
Infiniti

For instance, heated and cooled seats for the first two rows are available, as is massaging in the second row. Upscale Autograph buyers get rear climate controls via touchscreen. Much mentioned at the launch was the segment-first availability of biometric cooling, which monitors second-row passengers body temperatures and automatically adjusts the climate controls and air flow to that section. So, if mom picks up an overheated soccer player, he or she will be cooled down while other passengers and the driver stay steady.

And then there’s the top of the line 1,200-watt, 44-speaker Klipsch premiere audio system with a 24-channel amplifier and, among other things, titanium tweeters and speakers in the roof. Other carmakers have big stereos, too, but this one has something called Individual Audio, which directs phone calls and navigation to the front headrest speakers without interrupting the cabin’s music. Or the driver can listen to sounds directed only at him or her, without waking up sleeping passengers.

The interior on the QX80 is decidedly upscale, with leather, wood, suede, and metal elements. There are two 14.3-inch displays. The driver’s screen has three separate views, and there is a nine-inch touchscreen below the infotainment display with climate functions and a haptic element to let users feel when their fingers are on the correct virtual button. A colour head-up display is available. When drivers approach their QX80, its flush door handles open up to welcome them.

The interior features leather, wood, suede, and metal elements.
Infiniti

At the top of the line is the Autograph grade, which gets a two-tone roof, dark chrome trim, and unique 22-inch Turbine wheels. Inside, it benefits from semi-aniline leather with hand stitching and open-pore ash wood trim with aluminium accents.

As it sat under the coloured lights on the vertigo-inducing observation deck, with a cold wind blowing, it was possible only to get a quick first impression of the QX80. It’s big, the type of SUV that only American automakers built until the Asian brands realised it’s a highly lucrative market. And recent experience suggests that buyers want their three-row SUVs with the top infotainment and luxury appointments. Hence the Autograph version might do quite well.

Batiste, with a drummer and alto sax player, played four songs, mixing up jazz, funk, New Orleans percussion interludes, and soul. He was kinetic, barely staying at the piano for half a song. One number combined John Coltrane and the Beatles before it turned to some jazz-rock. The children’s song “If You’re Happy and You Know It” became a bravura version of  “When the Saints go Marching In.” In a brief interview, Batiste was asked about seeing the QX80 on that windswept platform. “It proves it’s durable,” Batiste says.



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THE MOTHER’S DAY EDIT: GIFTS THAT FEEL PERSONAL, NOT PREDICTABLE

From elevated skincare to handcrafted home pieces, this year’s most thoughtful gifts go beyond the expected.

By Jeni O'Dowd
Wed, Apr 15, 2026 3 min

Mother’s Day has quietly evolved. It’s no longer about last-minute flowers or safe department store buys. Instead, there’s a noticeable shift towards gifts that feel considered, personal and, increasingly, lasting. 

This year’s edit leans into that idea, bringing together pieces that balance design, purpose and a sense of story. 

At the more elevated end of beauty, Australian-founded skincare label  Bon Elliot offers a future-facing approach grounded in dermatology.  

Bon Elliot

Its Hydrating Performance Serum, priced at $220, is designed to support the skin’s natural balance, working across the microbiome, barrier and repair response for a more refined, luminous finish. 

It’s the kind of gift that feels indulgent, but also quietly practical. 

For something less expected, there’s a playful turn in the form of Tinned Candle’s handcrafted pieces.  

Tinned Candle

Inspired by tinned fish, the Atlanta-based studio has created candles that are as much design objects as they are functional.  

Importantly, they smell nothing like sardines, leaning instead into ocean breeze or champagne notes, depending on the piece . It’s a small, clever way to bring personality into a space. 

There’s also a growing appetite for gifts that give something back.  

Coral adoption programs  offer a more meaningful alternative, allowing you to adopt a coral in your mother’s name while supporting fragile marine ecosystems under threat from climate change.  

It’s less about the object and more about the gesture, which, in many ways, feels more aligned with the moment. 

Homewares continue to hold their place, particularly when craftsmanship is at the centre. 

Tanora’s collection, handcrafted in Madagascar, blends traditional techniques with a modern coastal aesthetic, spanning everything from woven totes to placemats and cushions.  

Tanora

These are pieces that don’t just decorate a home, they add texture and narrative to it. 

For something more personal, Australian lingerie label  Cloud Blvd offers soft, wearable luxury in the form of robes and camisoles. 

With options designed for comfort as much as elegance, they strike that rare balance between everyday use and quiet indulgence. 

Cloud Blvd

And for the mother who loves to host,  Mesa Collections delivers a playful yet polished take on the table.  

Think colourful linens, sculptural silverware and small details that turn a simple meal into something more considered. 

Mesa Collections

What ties all of this together is a shift in mindset.  

The best gifts this Mother’s Day aren’t necessarily the most expensive or the most obvious. They’re the ones that show thought, whether that’s through design, craftsmanship or meaning. 

Which, if you think about it, is exactly the point. 

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