2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2025 INFINITI QX80

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover lineup. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. The large front air intakes and faux vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow. The SV Edition Two trim, the highest-performance model, featured unique elements like 23-inch carbon-fibre wheels and a carbon-fibre hood with an exposed patch. Inside, the SV Edition Two boasted red leather upholstery, sport seats with illuminated inserts, and a minimalist dashboard interrupted only by a touchscreen and a few controls. Despite its sporty mission, the high console and dash created a cockpit-like feel that some might find cramped.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 underwent its first redesign since 2017, growing slightly longer and wider while maintaining its height. It retained its body-on-frame architecture, enhancing torsional and lateral stiffness significantly. The QX80's styling updates were most noticeable at the front, with a larger grille and a stacked-headlight setup that gave it a distinctive look. The rear end retained its general shape but featured full-width LED taillights. The interior received a high-tech makeover with dual 14.3-inch screens and 64-colour ambient lighting. Despite the updates, the shiny black plastic trim detracted from the premium feel. The QX80 offered ample passenger space across three rows, with increased legroom and features like heated, ventilated, and massaging seats.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base Dynamic SE model featured a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine producing 395 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque. A plug-in hybrid variant increased output to 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim offered a more powerful plug-in hybrid with 543 hp and 590 lb-ft. A BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-litre V8, producing 523 hp and 553 lb-ft, was available for the Dynamic SE and Autobiography models. The SV Edition Two pushed the V8's output to 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. It could accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and had a top speed of 290 km/h. The Range Rover Sport excelled in handling with its sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring. Off-road capabilities were supported by the Terrain Response system, hill descent control, and ascent control.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 featured a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, replacing the previous 5.6-litre V8. The V6 produced 450 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The new powertrain provided a more energetic feel compared to the old V8, although the active sound enhancement added an artificial noise to the cabin. The QX80 came with standard air suspension and adaptive damping, allowing for real-time adjustments to ride height and damper firmness. The off-road setting increased ground clearance to 25.4 cm, while the suspension lowered the vehicle for improved aerodynamics and easier entry and exit. Despite its size and body-on-frame construction, the QX80's handling was average for its class, with the air suspension working to counteract its weight and large wheels.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was positioned between the Range Rover Velar and the full-size Range Rover, offering more room than the Velar while remaining a midsize SUV. It was a two-row, five-seater, with front-seat headroom comparable to other midsize luxury SUVs. Rear-seat headroom was not significantly impacted by the sloping roof, and reclining rear seats were standard. The Sport provided 835 litres of cargo space behind the second row and 1,860 litres with the rear seats folded. It had a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms for turbo-six and V8 models, with plug-in hybrids rated at 3,000 kilograms.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's redesign increased cargo space by 6%, 17%, and 28% behind the first, second, and third rows, respectively. It offered 623 litres with all rows in place, 1,670 litres with the third row folded, and 2,860 litres with both the second and third rows folded. The QX80 featured power-folding second- and third-row seats, with controls in the cargo area and on the infotainment screens. Passenger space was generous across all three rows, with increased legroom and features like heated, ventilated, and massaging seats. The QX80 had a maximum towing capacity of 3,855 kilograms, surpassing most full-size luxury SUVs.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration were standard. The minimalist design left few physical controls, requiring touchscreen widgets for functions like climate control and drive mode selection. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition Two included "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, although it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80's cabin featured dual 14.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment, with a smaller 9-inch touchscreen for additional controls. It was the first Infiniti model with Google built-in apps, including Google Maps for navigation and Google Assistant for voice recognition. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were supported. The dual-screen setup looked impressive, but the graphics were reminiscent of Nissan vehicles. The QX80 offered Klipsch sound systems, with a 14-speaker system for Luxe models and a 24-speaker version for Sensory and Autograph models. A 360-degree camera system provided multiple viewing angles, and a digital rearview camera was available.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport included standard driver-assist features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, although the parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of writing.

The 2025 INFINITI QX80 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS. Standard safety features included forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and a trailer blind-spot warning system. The QX80 offered ProPilot Assist highway driving assistance, with adaptive cruise control and automated lane centring. The more advanced ProPilot Assist 2.1 version allowed for hands-free driving and automated lane changes.