The Infiniti Q50 ticks all the right boxes for those looking for a classy, intelligent, athletic sports sedan.
The car boasts a sleek exterior of flowing lines based upon the Essence concept car Infiniti debuted four years ago to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Now it features potent new engines to match the sleek shape. The base engine is a direct-injected, 208-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0L, which also produces 258 pound-feet of torque at just 1,500 rpm. Also available is a 3.0L V6, which benefits from twin-turbocharging. In standard tune, it makes 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, while the high-output version delivers 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet.
The Q50 Hybrid benefits from a 3.5L V6 with Infiniti Direct Response, which combines a gasoline engine with a lithium-ion battery and 50 kW electric motor. The result is 360 total horsepower. A 7-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control and manual shift mode is standard on all engines.
The Q50 is available with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, though the base trim only offers rear-wheel drive.
The Q50 comes in three flavors -- Base, Premium and Sport -- while the Hybrid is available in Premium and Sport only. Standard on the Base car are 17-inch alloy wheels with run-flat performance tires, speed-sensitive power steering, auto on/off LED headlights with LED fog lights, zero-lift front and rear aerodynamics and remote-open windows. Inside can be found creature comforts such as dual-zone automatic climate control, one-touch up/down windows all around, aluminum appointments, 8-way power driver and passenger seats, a 6-speaker audio system with twin USB ports and steering wheel-mounted controls, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity and dual Infiniti InTouch LCD displays.
Q50 Premium models add pleasantries like a power tinted moonroof with one-touch open/close functionality, heated front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror with HomeLink, and a 14-speaker Infiniti Studio on Wheels Bose audio system. Finally, Q50 Sport models include 19-inch alloy wheels with ventilated aluminum sport disc brakes and a sport-tuned suspension, leather front seats with improved bolstering and 10-way power adjustability on the driver's side, and magnesium paddle shifters. Both Q50 Hybrid models add regenerative braking, which captures energy normally lost during braking and uses it to help recharge the lithium-ion battery.
A number of packages are available on Premium and Sport models. The Leather Package adds leather seating front and rear, with driver's seat two-way power lumbar, while the Deluxe Touring Package includes maple wood trim, 60/40 split-fold rear seat, rain-sensing wipers, and Direct Adaptive Steering, which allows independent control of wheel angle and steering based upon driving conditions. Two technology packages add auto-leveling adaptive headlights, a blind spot warning and intervention system, intelligent cruise control to help reduce the chances of a rear collision and a lane departure warning system.
Aggressive Styling
Balanced, Athletic Handling
Premium Luxury Features
Hybrid Availability
Potent Turbocharged Engines
The Infiniti Q50 enters 2016 with two new engines. A new 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is the base and delivers 208 horsepower, while a new 3.0L V6 twin-turbo is available in two states of tune, to produce either 300 or 400 horsepower. Both engines are mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission with manual shift mode.
Elsewhere, Infiniti's Direct Adaptive Steering has been revamped for greater feedback, and a new Dynamic Digital Suspension gives the Q50 improved handling and agility by constantly adjusting shock valves within a range of damping force to control body motion.
The 2016 Infiniti Q50 is a stylish, sophisticated, high-performance sports sedan, with European competitors squarely in its sights. Even in the base trim, the Q50 offers a host of luxury and technology features that are hard to beat. And the new twin-turbo V6, with up to 400 horsepower available, easily trumps output from the top-tier models from BMW and Audi.
