Car Review: Infiniti phasing out passenger cars
Nov. 26—And then there was one. That's how many Infiniti sedans are left following an exodus of passenger cars from the near luxury group in favor of SUVs. Can't say we are all that surprised. Still, the list of European, Japanese and domestic sedans remains strong.
Talk about longevity. The Q50 has been around since 2014 with little change over the years. We feel its age is showing at a time when rivals have upgraded, and that remains its biggest challenge.
Available in three well-equipped trim levels — Luxe, Sensory and Red Sport 400 — the sedan offers two punchy engines: a 300 horsepower turbo V6 and a twin turbo V6 rated at 400 ponies. Price points range from low $40s to mid $60s. Each is mated with a seven-speed automatic transmission sending torque to its rear wheels.
Our Red Sport tester delivered impressive straight-line acceleration reaching 60 miles per hour in a scant 5.3 seconds. It feels controlled on the way up, but loses some appeal with loose steering. It is offset with 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels with Dunlop Sport 500 paws that hug the pavement.
We found suspension to be on the stiff side: great over potholes, but not so great powering through turns. Steering lacks feedback while braking stops in a smooth manner in most situations.
Overall, the Q50 is a smooth riding and powerful sedan but lacks the road manners found in other high-end overseas rivals including BMW 3 Series, Mercedes Benz C Class, Audi A4 and Lexus IS.
The exterior look is sleek by design. Its low-slung stance makes for easy entry and exit with large door openings.
While our Red Sport tester stickered at $63,205, we'd recommend checking out the base Luxe model for thousands less coin and many of the same features found in upper trims. To entice buyers, Infiniti includes three years of scheduled maintenance on all trims.
We found interior treatment attractive with leather seating and ample head and legroom in all four corners; although there were complaints of head butting on entry and exit from taller people.
Road noise is evident at highway speeds from other traffic and low-profile tires. Acoustic windows and additional door insulation would help correct this annoyance. Thankfully, the engine omits a pleasant, quiet whir, even under full throttle. The climate control system works well for keeping a set temperature, but the controls aren't logically arranged.
Seating positions are well cushioned and bolstered. Power seats up front and steering wheel adjustments make it easy to find the right position.
While Infiniti has updated its SUV fleet inside, the Q50 suffers from an outdated, nine-year-old dual screen approach for its infotainment services. Controls are difficult to maneuver, type fonts do not match up and screen resolutions differ. Anyone used to a finely tuned framework for apps, climate, entertainment, audio and navigation controls will be frustrated by its lack of refinement.
Trunk cargo space is compromised at 14 cubic feet due to oversize wheel wells cutting into available space — although hinges mounted outside the usable space allow for larger loads to escape damage while closing the lid.
Contact independent automotive columnist Len Ingrassia at editor@ptd.net.
