To say the QX80 is luxurious is a dramatic understatement. To claim it’s anything but five-star is frankly wrong. It’s quiet, serene, and more welcoming than just about any car I’ve been in – ever.

Perhaps even more so in contrast with the outside (seriously, yuck), the interior is gorgeous. Real, open-pore wood is in abundance, curved gracefully around the dashboard. The headlining is suede, or mock suede, or something. The point is, I became a ceiling stroker. So did seven burly rugby players.

The balance of colour and materials is worthy of a top-tier hotel, and the aroma of the leather lingers on you long after you exit the car. The seats are pretty much perfect. All of them. Headroom is good in the second row, and acceptable in the third – further to that cause the third row seats have a power-recline function that opens up more headroom and space for the occupants. Passenger volume is 4,319 L, cargo with the rear seats all in place is 470 L, with them down is 1,405 and with all seats flat a max of 2,694.

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The middle row is effectively a pair of lazy boys, and those seats tumble automatically with either the pull of a lever at the top of the chair, or the press of a button in the dashboard. Once tumbled forward access is wide and clear, but the high step in might make access difficult for some.

Not a single person who looked inside or got inside wasn’t in awe of the fit and finish. The sheer opulence of the interior makes the entire car more desirable. Time after time throughout the week I’d see the same process. Person sees car, says car is ugly, looks inside, sits inside, says “wow, this is NICE!” Repeat.

Yet, the QX80 is no delicate flower. With a towing capacity of 3,855 kg (8,500 lb) and a special “tow mode” setting for the transmission and AWD system you can handily haul your favourite toys to the cabin. An electric transfer case offers up 4H and 4L modes for clearing those more dramatic or unkempt cottage trails. Infiniti doesn’t have ground clearance numbers, but any moderately capable gymnast could easily limbo under it.

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