2021 INFINITI QX80 vs 2021 Volkswagen ID.4

You might not expect Nissan’s luxury brand to make a hulking land yacht with globetrotting off-road capability, but that’s exactly what you get with the 2021 Infiniti QX80.

The QX80 is one of the last old-school SUVs, boasting body-on-frame construction and an available four-wheel drive (4WD) system with low range. It’s based on the Nissan Armada, which in turn is a rebadged version of the overseas-market Nissan Patrol—a legendary off-roader.

As a full-size luxury SUV based on a model from a mainstream brand, the QX80 follows the same formula as the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX 570, and Lincoln Navigator. In size, price, and prestige, it could also be considered a rival to the Land Rover Range Rover, BMW X7, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, but these SUVs have more modern unibody construction.

The QX80 gets some small updates for the 2021 model year, including an improved version of Infiniti’s Smart Rearview Mirror. The Canadian trim line-up includes the base Luxe and the more highly equipped ProACTIVE grade, the latter available with seven or eight seats. Our test vehicle was the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Sensory model, the ProACTIVE 7-passenger grade.

The “Dieselgate” emissions scandal forced Volkswagen to double down on electric cars, and now we’re finally seeing the first result of that: the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric crossover.

VW has made an electric car before, but its last attempt, the e-Golf, was built to satisfy emissions standards, not rack up sales. It was barely advertised, and it was sold only in certain locations. With the ID.4, it will launch in the three largest Canadian EV markets—British Columbia, Quebec, and Ontario—and will even be built in North America, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, starting in 2022. Volkswagen views the ID.4 as a rival not to other EVs, but to mainstream gasoline vehicles like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

Being late to the party means there are already several other EVs trying to coax new-car buyers away from internal combustion, however. If you want a reasonably priced EV, the Nissan Leaf, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Kia Niro EV already exist, and General Motors has the 2022 Chevrolet Bolt EUV—a new variant of the Chevy Bolt EV with a crossover body style similar to the Volkswagen.

Our test car was an ID.4 1st Edition, a U.S.-only model released to commemorates the car’s launch. Its closest Canadian equivalent is the ID.4 RWD Pro with the Statement Package.