The QX80 has standard Active Head Restraints (AHR), which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the AHR system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escalade doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
The QX80 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. Only the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.
To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the QX80 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport has a rear cross-path warning system.
Both the QX80 and the Escalade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, around view monitors and available all wheel drive.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Infiniti QX80 is safer than the Cadillac Escalade:
|
QX80 |
Escalade |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Abdominal Force |
81 G’s |
111 G’s |
|
Rear Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
31 |
88 |
Spine Acceleration |
21 G’s |
24 G’s |
Hip Force |
151 lbs. |
248 lbs. |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Hip Force |
684 lbs. |
764 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.