At a Glance:
- MSRP: From $42,100
- Horsepower: 300 to 400 hp
- 0-60 mph: 5.5 to 6.5 seconds
- Seating capacity: 5
- MPG: Up to 20 city / 29 highway
- Engine: 3.0 L V6
A mighty V6 engine and elegant design have helped make the Q50 a staple in Infiniti’s lineup and one of the few mid-priced luxury sedans worth taking a serious look at. The stalwart Q50, originally released in 2013, remains a popular choice for drivers looking for a classic silhouette with modern features
Interior
Sedans are, nearly by definition, designed as your every day driver. In the Q50, you’ll make your commute swaddled in stitched leather and comforted by a well-insulated cabin that minimizes exterior road noise and maximizes front row driver/passenger space. While it’s true that the Q50’s gauge cluster and controls feel somewhat dated this far into its production run, everything is installed with detail and quality and still appears luxe.
One of the biggest perks of the Q50’s design is how much visibility it allows through front, side, and rear windows (not to mention the top view when the sizable, standard moonroof is opened!). Some premium sedans have thicker roof pillars or rear windows that are so tapered and squinting that they actually increase blind spot range. The Q50 feels nearly transparent by comparison.
Exterior
The Q50 might be Japanese by birth, but its exterior pedigree owes something to old world Western European design. Consider it a modern interpretation of vintage Jaguar, MG, or even Alfa Romeo profiles. In other words, it’s classy with a whiff of aristocracy.
But that doesn’t mean stuffy. Its aerodynamic, low-profile grille projects the Q50’s quickness on the track and its arcing lines are sleek and sporty. You can spend more money to up your profile in the luxury sedan realm, but some of those designs are more pretentious than elegant in our opinion. The Infiniti looks better and costs less than many models from BMW, Mercedes and the lot.
Features
Infiniti jettisoned the Pure and Signature Edition models this year, streamlining the lineup to the Luxe, Sensory, and Red Sport 400 trims.
Standard in the Q50:
- Drive Mode Selector to choose different performance profiles for different conditions and preferences.
- Android Auto™
- Wireless Apple CarPlay®
- Bose 16-Speaker Performance Series Audio
- Leather-Appointed Seating
- 8-way power driver’s and front-passenger’s seats and Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control
- Automatic on/off LED headlights with Daytime Running Lights
- Remote keyless entry system and remote power-opening of windows using
- Speed and rain-sensing flat-blade variable intermittent front windshield wipers
- Rear console-mounted air vents and rear floor heater ducts
- Dual display system screens, LCD/VGA 8-inch upper and 7-inch lower color vehicle-information displays
- Safety Features
- Automatic Collision Notification
- Intelligent Distance Control
- Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention
- Forward Emergency Braking
- Lane Departure Warning
At the Sensory level, you’ll get upgraded wheels and interior wood trim and ambient lighting. Auto-dimming, power folding, heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, courtesy lights and reverse tilt-down feature, as well as navigation with lane guidance and 3-D building graphics are also included.
The Red Sport 400 trim includes some minor interior flourishes such as red contrast stitching, but its key differentiator is the 400hp engine. At this price tier we’d suggest looking at high end luxury models, where you’ll find better interior appointments and matching speed.
Power & Handling
Each Q50 is available with All-Wheel Drive (AWD), which we recommend to help capture and channel the fury of the twin turbo V6. Infinity’s “intelligent” AWD redistributes power as conditions demand, sending power to the front wheels when more traction is needed or shifting all torque to rear wheels for flat out speed gain.
This Infiniti may look like pure sophistication on the outside, but the Q50 has a fiery heart and loves an aggressive merge or pass.
Final Thought
There are few sedans that survive long without undergoing significant changes every few years, but the 2022 Infiniti Q50 is a rare case of a design so classic that it has weathered nearly a decade of competition.
The exterior may lure you in, but we suspect it’s the Q50’s high-performance engine that has helped keep it relevant and apace with the pack of everchanging luxury sedans it competes with.
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