2019 INFINITI Q50 Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　

What's new

Streamlined model lineupForward collision warning and automatic emergency braking are now standardPart of the first Q50 generation introduced for 2014

　　It's often easy to forget that sporty luxury sedans aren't limited to European brands. German automakers such as BMW and Audi rightly get credit for popularizing a class of small car that blends high-performance driving with luxury materials and technology. But Japanese and American brands have left their own marks on the class. The 2019 Infiniti Q50 is one such alternative to cars such as the Audi A4 and the BMW 3 Series.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 INFINITI Q50 2.0t PURE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$181/mo  for Q50 2.0t PURE

　　Q50 2.0t PURE

　　2.0t PURE 4dr Sedan (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7A) - $35,650 MSRP2.0t PURE 4dr Sedan AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 7A) - $37,650 MSRP3.0t LUXE 4dr Sedan w/Prod. End 3/19 (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $38,300 MSRP3.0t LUXE 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $38,400 MSRP3.0t LUXE 4dr Sedan AWD w/Prod. End 3/19 (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) (Most Popular) - $40,300 MSRP3.0t LUXE 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $40,400 MSRP3.0t Signature Edition 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $41,650 MSRP3.0t Signature Edition 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $43,650 MSRP3.0t SPORT 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $48,050 MSRP3.0t SPORT 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $50,050 MSRPRED SPORT 400 4dr Sedan (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $51,350 MSRPRED SPORT 400 4dr Sedan AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 7A) - $53,350 MSRP

　　vs

　　$164/mo

　　Avg. Midsize Car

　　Like its competitors, the Q50 offers turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines, premium interior touches, and an array of available technology, but it often comes at a lower price. And with a performance pedigree that reaches back to the mighty, Japan-only Nissan Skyline, the Q50 has power and handling that holds its own in this segment.

　　For 2019, Infiniti has simplified the Q50's trim levels, offering just one version of the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder (available with either rear- or all-wheel drive). Key accident avoidance technologies come standard on all trims. So you don't have to pay extra for forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking as you do with many rivals.

　　Where the Q50 falls short, however, is in its interior design and infotainment. The cabin remains a nice enough place, but the overall look of the dash and controls feels dated and plain. The dual-display infotainment, in particular, is nonintuitive. We've also found the cabin to be prone to excessive road noise, something that its rivals do better to minimize.

　　The Q50 is still a joy to drive, though, especially with a V6 engine that delivers a jolt of pony-car-like thrill when you dig into the pedal. It may not be as polished as the competition, but the Q50 is still a capable and stylish alternative.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 (turbo 3.0L V6 | 7-speed automatic | RWD).

　　

Driving

　　The star of the show is the potent 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, which is urgent yet docile. You'll never tire of exercising it. It also has powerful and user-friendly brakes and handling that's eager and capable if a bit synthetic. The seven-speed automatic is good but doesn't measure up to modern competition.

　　

Acceleration

　　At part throttle, this sweetheart of an engine delivers a nice, linear shove promptly. Turbo lag is a nonissue, and throttle response is rapid. There's loads of thrust at low revs that carry through the midrange and nearly to redline.

　　

Braking

　　These brakes are very reassuring to use. There's a smidge of light-effort travel and then a firm pedal that's dead easy to modulate around town. They're powerful, too, stopping from 60 mph in 109 feet in our testing with little fade in performance.

　　

Steering

　　Our test car's Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS), which is included with the ProActive package, is precise and light at low speeds. On a twisty road, the weighting can be inconsistent. Some road texture makes it to your hands, which is nice. The weighting around center can feel artificial. It is better than the first-gen DAS but still has idiosyncrasies.

　　

Handling

　　The Q50 3.0t Sport is a capable sport sedan. It inspires confidence with high levels of grip and composure. The Red Sport 400 amplifies these qualities considerably.

　　

Drivability

　　The car feels sharp and capable with plenty of grip, too. Stability control intervention is obvious and frequent when driving with moderate spirit, making it not quite as engaging (or organic) to drive hard as it could be. Still, it's entertaining and it gets around smartly.

　　

Comfort

　　Were it not for the Red Sport's considerable road noise, this sedan would be quite well-suited to long stints behind the wheel. Its seats deliver long-haul comfort, and the ride, while sporty, is never harsh. The climate controls fall victim to style but perform well.

　　

Seat comfort

　　The seats are comfortable for long drives, though they lack lateral support, especially considering the performance bent of this car. The quilted leather is soft and feels great. The adjustable-length thigh bolster is a welcome touch.

　　

Ride comfort

　　The ride is firm, but by no means harsh. It's less stiff than you'd expect a high-performance sedan to be. It "breathes" well over high-frequency bumps and avoids excessive impact harshness. Like previous Q50s we've tested, there's a constant, subtle quiver to the ride at all speeds.

　　

Noise & vibration

　　The Q50 doesn't stand out favorably in this category. All flavors of road noise — tire patter, hum and hiss — make it into the cabin, even at low speeds. Though its V6 tenor isn't special, the engine is not particularly loud at full throttle. Wind noise is difficult to ascertain over the road noise.

　　

Climate control

　　The layout, consisting of two rows of identical smooth buttons, can't be operated by feel alone. While knobs would help with that, the Q50's auto mode maintains the set temperature well. Our test car is equipped with heated (not ventilated) seats. Two vents on the back of the console feed the back seat.

　　

Interior

　　The cabin design looks old, but its fundamentals are good. It's spacious and easy to jump in and out of, with no wide sill extensions to traverse. The odd, two-screen center stack layout could use an update but isn't terrible. This sound, unflashy presentation works well.

　　

Ease of use

　　The center stack and touchscreen controls take some getting used to. The two touchscreens are different in size and resolution. The eight icons are often all grayscale. At least the screen responses are acceptably quick, and the lower screen has sharp resolution. Too bad the steering wheel buttons mostly feel similar.

　　

Getting in/getting out

　　Access is good. The sills are fairly low and not too wide. You can program the easy-entry feature to move the seat and steering wheel (or neither), which is rare and neat. Backseat entry is aided by a long door and a roofline that doesn't droop much, though the seat bottom is oddly high.

　　

Driving position

　　There's an appealing "sensible shoes" approach to the driving position. Where you sit in relation to the upright windshield and shallow dashboard makes it easy to place the car on the road. A vast seat adjustment range and a decent array of steering wheel positions accommodate many drivers.

　　

Roominess

　　Front headroom and legroom are ample with enough space to spread the knees a bit. The back seat has adequate room for two 6-foot-tall people, with good knee-, headroom, and elbow room, but it would be tight with a third passenger.

　　

Visibility

　　You have a good view over the hood thanks to a low cowl. The large rear windows help the view over your shoulder, but the deck height isn't especially low. The surround-view camera system that comes standard on this trim helps when parking in tight quarters.

　　

Quality

　　All touch points are covered in glove-soft leather and make the right impression, but it's strange that the steering-wheel stitching is so coarse. The climate control system elicits odd little clicks from various points in the cabin.

　　

Utility

　　The Q50's roomy trunk makes it as practical as any sedan in its class. And while its in-cabin storage doesn't stand out, there are enough places to stow the things you'd use regularly.

　　

Small-item storage

　　The console storage offers many options, all of which are on the small side. The center console bin is shallow, while the two cupholders, door pockets, glovebox and small nook in front of the gear selector won't impress you with their size.

　　

Cargo space

　　The trunk opening and aft-most cargo area are wide, though short in length. The hinges articulate and don't impinge on cargo area, which is nice. With 13.5 cubic feet of space, this will suit the needs of four adults traveling for a weekend. The rear seatbacks split and fold for longer cargo.

　　

Child safety seat accommodation

　　There are two outboard sites. The lower points are hidden in slots in the lower seat cushion but not too hard to get to. The top anchors are easily accessible atop the parcel shelf. The large rear door opening helps facilitate loading/unloading the seat.

　　

Technology

　　The Q50's driver aids are well-tuned and cohesive. While the upper nav screen display is a bit old-school-looking, it's straightforward to use. The lack of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto isn't a deal-breaker in that respect.

　　

Audio & navigation

　　The sound quality is good, with bass that sounds tight. A tuning knob would be preferable to buttons. The permanent upper nav screen is handy, though its graphics are dated. Screen flow is intuitive and works well, but the grayscale icons make it a little difficult to see things.

　　

Smartphone integration

　　Bluetooth pairing is easy and not too slow. There is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but the media navigation is at least good enough. There are two USB ports, an auxiliary audio jack and two 12-volt power points.

　　

Driver aids

　　Its driver aids — lane keeping, forward collision alert, adaptive cruise — work consistently well and are not too obtrusive when set to the least sensitive levels.

　　

Voice control

　　The native voice controls work well within the fairly rigid framework with the usual assortment of commands. We had no issues with miscommunication, but Siri and Google aren't accessible.

　　

Which Q50 does zzdcar recommend?

　　Go with the 2.0t if you're sticking to a budget, and skip the Red Sport 400 unless you require maximum horsepower. That leaves the 3.0t to hit the sweet spot, with an excellent array of standard features, including a 300-horsepower V6, for less than $40,000. Choosing between Luxe and Sport trims depends on your driving style and your appetite for nicer features, although many Sport features are available in optional packages for the Luxe as well.

　　

2019 INFINITI Q50 models

　　The Infiniti Q50 is available in four trim levels: 2.0t Pure, 3.0t Luxe, 3.0t Sport, and Red Sport 400. The numbers equate to each trim's engine.

　　The Q50 2.0t Pure starts with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (208 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque) paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional.

　　Standard features include 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic LED headlights, LED foglights, automatic wipers, selectable drive modes, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, keyless ignition and entry, power-adjustable front seats, simulated-leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, the Infiniti InTouch interface (8-inch upper touchscreen, 7-inch lower touchscreen and center console controller), two USB ports, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and satellite radio.

　　Moving up to the 3.0t trim brings a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (300 hp, 295 lb-ft of torque), also available with all-wheel drive.

　　The 3.0t Luxe version offers most of the 2.0t Pure features but adds 18-inch wheels, a sunroof, wood trim, and voice commands.

　　The 3.0t Sport variant increases both performance and luxury with 19-inch wheels, performance tires, adjustable suspension settings, larger brakes, transmission paddle shifters, sportier styling, auto-dimming side mirrors, leather upholstery, aluminum interior accents, heated front sport seats (include manual thigh adjustment and power bolster adjustment), driver-seat memory functions, a heated power-adjustable steering wheel, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, a surround-view camera, rear parking sensors, a navigation system, and a 16-speaker Bose audio system.

　　Many of the Sport's extra luxury features are optional on the Luxe.

　　The Red Sport 400 features a more powerful V6 (400 hp, 350 lb-ft of torque), unique 19-inch wheels (slightly wider in the rear), quilted leather upholstery, dark chrome and red stitching interior accents, and blind-spot monitoring. Some of the 3.0t Sport's extra luxury items are also standard, but not all. You have to get the Sensory package to add the power-adjustable steering wheel, auto-dimming side mirrors, driver-seat memory functions and the 16-speaker Bose audio system.

　　Both 3.0t Sport and Red Sport 400 trims offer the ProActive package, which includes adaptive headlights, automatic high beams, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, blind-spot warning, full stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, and a full drive-by-wire steering system.

　　

2019 Q50 Highlights

Type: SedanRED SPORT 400Sedan

　　Trim: 2.0t PURE3.0t LUXE3.0t Signature Edition3.0t SPORTRED SPORT 4002.0t PURE

　　

Base MSRP	$35,650
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	25 MPG
Cost to Drive	$181/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	13.2 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 60,000 miles