The Infiniti Q50 is one of Nissan's better models. It's a sports sedan that's enjoyable to drive and comes close to the spirit of the established German competitors. Viewed against its peers, the Q50, in 3.0t guise, offers V6 power for the price of competitors' four cylinder turbo engines. As such, the Infiniti has an edge in outright acceleration but sacrifices fuel economy. The Q50 also isn't as polished when it comes to noise isolation, ride comfort, interior appointments and infotainment systems.
While the Q50's introductory price might seem enticingly low, the base model comes with a not so powerful four-cylinder engine and limited option choices. Our 3.0t Premium, with all-wheel-drive, rang in at over $48,000 which puts it right in the hunt with an Audi A4, BMW 330i and Mercedes-Benz C300. That German trio, however, has more comfortable seats and nicer trimmed cabins.
The Q50's punchy V6 turbo gives it oodles of reserve power, making it satisfying to drive. It also cruises from 0-60 mph in a commendable 5.7 seconds -- about half a second quicker than its rivals. Of course, there's a price to pay for this. At 22 mpg overall, the V6 Q50 isn't nearly as frugal as an Audi, BMW or Mercedes competitor which register 26 to 28 mpg in our testing.
Handling agility is a high point for the Q50. The car likes to be driven and it corners with alacrity. Combine that with a strong engine and it makes the Q50 a legitimate sports sedan that's fun to drive. Ride comfort is agreeable but not a standout, especially for a car costing this much. Some road and tire noise is noticeable, too; there are some $30,000 midsized sedans that are quieter than the Q50, let alone most of the competition.
Interior ambience is also half a notch behind the Germans in terms of material choice and fit and finish. Front-seat comfort is good but the lack of a four-way lumbar adjustment is inexcusable particularly in this price bracket.
The Q50 has a slight edge in terms of rear-seat room, though it's far from generous. The trunk is rather small.
While controls are mostly simple, the infotainment system is cumbersome and behind the curve despite recent improvements. For instance, you can't interact with phone functions through the steering wheel and the instrument cluster, and many tasks require multiple taps on the screen. The upper screen always shows the navigation map which may be distracting.
Building a Q50 with desired options requires getting expensive packages, wiping out any perceived price advantage Infiniti might have against its competition.