2025 INFINITI QX80 vs 2024 Chevrolet Suburban

The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban, a longstanding icon in the automotive world, continued to blend seamlessly into traffic despite its massive size. With a history spanning 90 years, the Suburban was a familiar sight on the roads, offering a sense of tradition rather than novelty. Measuring nearly 19 feet in length and over six feet in height, it was not designed for urban environments but catered to those needing ample cargo and passenger space. Available in six trims, from the basic LS to the luxurious High Country, the Suburban offered a range of features, including automatic windshield wipers and LED lighting. However, even the top trims required additional costs for features like power running-board steps and a panoramic moonroof. Inside, the Suburban provided a spacious and comfortable cabin, with leather upholstery standard on most trims. Despite its size, the interior felt somewhat pedestrian, though it offered practical features like a heated steering wheel and tri-zone climate control.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 underwent its first redesign since 2017, growing slightly in length and width while maintaining its height. Retaining its body-on-frame architecture, the QX80 boasted improved torsional and lateral stiffness. The exterior received a more expressive design, with a prominent grille and stacked-headlight setup, giving it a distinctive look. The interior saw a high-tech makeover, featuring a large horizontal display and 64-color ambient lighting. Despite these updates, the use of shiny black plastic trim detracted from the premium feel. The QX80 offered four trim levels, with the base Pure trim featuring leatherette upholstery and the top Autograph trim boasting semi-aniline leather across all rows. The cabin was spacious, with increased legroom in the first and third rows, and offered features like heated, ventilated, and massaging seats. The QX80's towing capacity reached 8,500 pounds, surpassing most full-size luxury SUVs.

The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban offered three engine options: a 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8, and a 3.0-liter turbodiesel six-cylinder. The 5.3-liter V8, standard on most trims, delivered 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, with a towing capacity of up to 8,300 pounds when equipped with the Max Trailering Package. The 6.2-liter V8, available on higher trims, provided 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, offering smoother acceleration. The turbodiesel engine, with 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, excelled in fuel economy and was less expensive than the V8 on the High Country trim. All engines were paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and the Suburban offered both rear-wheel and four-wheel drive options. The vehicle's steering and brakes were well-suited to its size, and the air suspension provided a comfortable ride, though drivers needed to account for its 6,000-pound weight.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine, replacing the previous 5.6-liter V8. The V6 produced 450 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, offering more power than the outgoing V8. A nine-speed automatic transmission replaced the old seven-speed, with rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive optional. The new engine and transmission combination provided a more energetic driving experience, though the active sound enhancement added an artificial noise to the cabin. The QX80's suspension varied by trim, with base models featuring steel-sprung suspension and higher trims offering air suspension with adaptive damping. The air suspension allowed for ride height adjustments, improving aerodynamics and ease of entry. Despite its size and body-on-frame construction, the QX80's handling was average for its class, with the air suspension unable to completely smooth out bumps.

The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban excelled in cargo space, offering 41.5 cubic feet behind the third row, 93.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and a maximum of 144.7 cubic feet with both rear rows down. This made it a top choice for those needing substantial carrying capacity, surpassing competitors like the Ford Expedition Max and Jeep Wagoneer L. The Suburban also featured a 28-gallon fuel tank, allowing for long highway drives between fill-ups, especially with the diesel engine's 26-mpg highway rating.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 saw a redesign that increased cargo space by 6%, 17%, and 28% behind the first, second, and third rows, respectively. This resulted in 22 cubic feet with all seats in place, 59 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 101 cubic feet with both rear rows down. The QX80 offered a power liftgate and power-folding seats for easy reconfiguration. Passenger space was generous, with increased legroom in the first and third rows, and features like heated, ventilated, and massaging seats available. The QX80's towing capacity reached 8,500 pounds, making it competitive in its class.

The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban featured a 10.2-inch touchscreen on all but the base LS trim, which had an 8-inch screen. The infotainment system included Google Built-in, allowing access to Google Maps, Google Assistant, and the Google Play Store without phone pairing. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were also included. A rear-seat entertainment system was available as an option, adding twin touchscreens to the front seat backs. The 10-speaker Bose audio system provided good fidelity but lacked the richness of higher speaker count systems.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 boasted dual 14.3-inch screens, one for the instrument cluster and the other for infotainment, with a smaller 9-inch touchscreen for additional controls. Google built-in apps were included, with Google Maps as the native navigation system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were supported. The QX80's Klipsch sound systems varied by trim, with Pure and Luxe models featuring a 14-speaker system, and Sensory and Autograph models offering a 24-speaker version with Individual Audio tech. The QX80 also offered a 360-degree camera system with multiple viewing angles and a digital rearview camera.

The 2024 Chevrolet Suburban received a four-star overall crash safety rating from the NHTSA, with four stars in frontal crash tests, five in side-crash tests, and three in rollover tests. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and Chevy’s Teen Driver feature. Higher trims offered additional ADAS and the option for Super Cruise, a semi-autonomous driving system.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's crash-test ratings were not available at the time of publication. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and a trailer blind-spot warning system. The QX80 offered ProPilot Assist, with the 2.1 version allowing for hands-free driving and automated lane changes. However, lane changes required driver initiation.