2019 Infiniti Q50

Owing to the fierce competition, you can now NOT choose a German car and it wouldn’t be a wrong decision, not at all! But would it be the right one? There are plenty of other cars in the segment that are great too, like the handsome Jaguar XE or the Sporty Alfa Romeo Giulia. Should you then think about buying this hidden gem?

There are plenty of reasons to consider this car. The comfort is segment leading, and so is the space. It also has plenty of trims to choose from. The base 2-liter is extremely economical to both run and maintain. The 3-liter V6 is plenty exciting to putter around. The Red Sport is a real hoot, ferrying people during the day and lighting up the track at night.

For 2019, Infiniti offers Q50 with 3 engine and 4 trim options. The base 2.0 Pure comes loaded with a 2 liter Inline 4 engine. The other trims offer a 3-liter V6 in different states of tune. 3.0 Luxe and 3.0tsport churn out a healthy 300 horsepower, while the Red Sport squeezes out 400 horses from the same powerplant.

Trim	2.0t PURE	3.0 LUXE	3.0t SPORT	RED SPORT 400
MSRP RWD	$35,550	$38,300	$47,950	$51,250
MSRP AWD	$37,550	$40,300	$49,950	$53,250
Key Features	Idle Start/Stop	Includes all Q50 2.0t PURE standard features plus:	Includes all Q50 3.0t LUXE standard features plus:	Includes all Q50 3.0t LUXE standard key features plus:
	17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with all-season performance run-flat tires	300-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6	19-inch Sport-design aluminum-alloy wheels	400-hp 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6
	8-way power driver’s and front-passenger’s seats	18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels	Sport-design front and rear fascia	Exclusive RED SPORT front and rear fascia
	Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control	Maple wood interior trim	Leather-appointed sport seats with manual thigh extension	Unique Dark Chrome interior accents with RED SPORT paddle shifters
	Rain sensing wipers	Power sliding, tinted glass moonroof	Bose 16 Speaker Performance Series Audio	Exclusive 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels
	Remote keyless entry system with door handle touch selective unlocking of driver's door or all doors	Homelink Universal Transceiver	Also includes contents of Essential, ProASSIST and Sensory packages	Also includes contents of Essential and ProASSIST packages
	INFINITI Vehicle Immobilizer System
	INFINITI Intelligent Key backup slot to start vehicle if key fob battery is depleted

We Recommend

Base 2.0t Pure is the most economical variant here, to buy and to maintain, but it is also the most unexciting. The Red Sport 400 is a high-performance variant, and for a fair comparison needs to discussed in a separate article [link article here]. The 3.0 Luxe and Sport are the better variants, offering good power, better interiors, and more excitement as well. Any one of these two would be our pick.

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.-Edmunds

Engine and Transmission

Infiniti comes with a conservative price tag of 35,550 for the 2-liter, rear wheel drive version. With 208 horses under the hood, it doesn’t set any performance standards for its segment. The turbocharged inline-4 is very gentle in its power delivery, with plenty of poke low down. It however runs out of steam once you put your foot down.

The power reaches the wheels via 7-speed automatic gearbox. Both Rear wheel and All wheel drive options are available. The gearbox isn’t a dual clutch though, but that hardly is a problem. You get electronic shift assist, which reduces stress while negotiating traffic.

Models	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
MSRP	$35,550	$32,900	$34,900	$38,195	$40,660	$43,400	$46,235
Engine	2.0-L Turbocharged Inline-4 engine	2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 engine	2.0L, Turbocharged Inline-4 engine	2.0L Turbocharged Inline-4 engine	2L I-4 Turbocharged	2.0 L Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 engine	2.0L, Turbocharged, Inline-4 engine
Transmission	7-speed automatic transmission	8-speed Automatic Transmission	8-speed Automatic	8-speed automatic transmission	8-Speed Automatic	9G-TRONIC 9-Speed Automatic	8-speed Automatic
Horsepower	208 hp @ 5500rpm	255 hp @ 6200 rpm	252 hp @ 6,200 rpm	280 hp @ 5200 rpm	241 hp @ 5,800 rpm	255 hp @ 5800 rpm	247 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque	258 lb.-ft. @ 1500 rpm	260 lb.-ft. @ 1400 rpm	260 lb.-ft @ 1,400-4,000 rpm	306 lb.-ft. @ 2000-4800 rpm	258 lb.-ft @ 1,650 rpm	273 lb.-ft. @ 1800 rpm	269 lb.-ft @ 1300 rpm

All the cars in this segment currently offer more power than the Q50. Maybe once the A4 is introduced for 2019, there could be a sub 200 Hp engine in here. Alfa Romeo sports the most powerful engine here, which does proud to its racing heritage.

Acceleration

The Infiniti is a comfortable car. As such, performance takes the back seat here, much like the target customers. Quarter mile comes up in a little over 15 seconds, while 0 to 60 mph takes exactly 7 seconds. These aren’t impressive figures, but they’ll get you to your destination.

Models	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
0-60 MPH	7	6.0 sec	6.0 sec	5.5 sec	6.9 sec	5.5 sec	6.3 sec
Quarter mile	15.4 @ 90 mph	14.6 sec @ 96 mph	14.6 sec	14.1 sec @ 100 mph	15 sec*	14.1 sec @ 99 mph	15.0 sec
Engine	2.0 Liters	2.0L	2.0L	2.0 Liters	2.0L	2.0L	2.0L
Emission (Tons/yr. of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	NA	TBD	-	NA	NA	TBD	6.3*

While the Q50 is still at the start line, Giulia and C-class have already crossed the finish line. Both these cars take 14 seconds to run a standing quarter mile. 0 to 60 comes up in a blinding 5 and a half second. Rest of the cars here take 6 seconds or over.

Ride and Handling

The V6 powered models are great handlers. Power band is flat with plenty of oomph everywhere. Put your foot down and the turbo powers you across the tarmac. The little 2-liter is a bit underpowered though, not only compared to the 3-liter V6, but other 2 liters in the segment.

All variants can be had with either a Rear-wheel drive or an All-wheel drive. The latter is extremely smooth and has sharp handling characteristics. Higher trims (3.0t Sport and Red Sport) get adaptive dampers, but the standard suspension offers a great ride quality as well. There is an optional steer-by-wire system, which is a lighter electronic steering system. Although the system sounds good in theory, it robs the driver of any feel and feedback, which makes it a feature you should opt out of.

Braking

Braking statistics for the 2019 Q50 Infiniti haven’t been declared yet, but it gets a decent braking system that should perform well under panic braking situations. The front and rear discs are average for this class, 12.6 and 12.1 inches in the front and rear respectively. It isn’t particularly light, heavier than all others in the segment.

Model	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
Brake Front (in.)	12.6	12.6	13.8	13	13.1	13	12.8
Brake Rear (in.)	12.1	12.4	-	12.5	12.2	11.8	12.8
Curb Weight (lbs.)	3671	3649	3516	3521	3583	3500*	3500
60-0 MPH (ft.)	NA	185	-	124	TBD	153	184*

It would be unfair to talk about braking performance when braking figures aren’t available for a majority of this chunk. What we do have are brake disc sizes and curb weights. The Jag has the lightest body here, and so does the Merc (expected). Genesis offers the largest disc in the G70 (front), which should see it shed speed with urgency.

The tiny 2-liter engine truly shines in the fuel efficiency department. It can run for 23 miles on a single gallon of fuel in the city. The same amount of fuel can stretch to 30 miles on the highway. These figures are indeed quite impressive, and the car wouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket every time you go for a spin.

Model	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
MPG (city)	23	22	21	24	21	22	24
MPG (highway)	30	29	28	33	30	33	34
MPG (combined)	25	25	23	27	24	26	28

Alfa Giulia is the best engine in this segment, offering the best power output with great efficiency figures. The little turbocharged mill was made by a race of advanced aliens who are clearly superior to humans, and then infused with some dark magic we shouldn’t ask about. While this isn’t true, sadly, it could very well be. The engines would happily run for 33 miles on the freeway while sipping on a gallon of gasoline. Jaguar’s less powerful engine can stretch the gallon a mile more.

The Q50's interior features quality materials like available maple wood trim and standard leatherette upholstery, but its cabin doesn't match the opulence of some competitors.-Cars.usnews

Seating and Comfort

The Q50 can comfortably seat 4 adults, and 5 too if the need arose. The gently sloping roof restricts headroom a little, but shorter passengers wouldn’t even notice. Higher trims get even better interiors with soft leather. The front seats are great too, and the large glass area makes the cabin feel airy and roomy. The low hood frees up viewing area up front, improving road visibility.

Model	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
Passenger Capacity	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Front (cu. ft) Head room	40.2	38.3	39.7	38.6	38.2	37.1	NA
Front (cu. ft) Shoulder room	56.7	56.4	56.3	56.1	55.9	55.3	NA
Front (cu. ft) Leg room	44.5	42.6	42.6	42.4	44.8	NA	NA
Rear (cu. ft) Head room	37.5	37.0	36.9	37.6	36.9	37.1	NA
Rear (cu. ft) Shoulder room	56.1	54.8	54.6	53.6	53.4	55	NA
Rear (cu. ft) Leg room	35.1	36.4	34.8	35.1	32.2	NA	NA

For 2019, the Stinger has the second-best cabin space here, right after the Q50. The front headroom isn’t as good as the others though. The interior space for the C class and XE isn’t known, which makes this comparo a little unfair.

Infotainment System

The infotainment system on the Infiniti comes with dual display system screens, (8-inch upper and 7-inch lower). It supports voice commands too. Other standard features on offer are:

• 6-speaker audio system with high-definition AM/FM radio
• CD with MP3 playback capability
• Radio Data System
• Speed-sensitive volume control
• USB Connectivity with 2 ports
• Bluetooth Audio Streaming

Apart form these, you get SiriusXM services for a limited time, like SiriusXM radio for 3 months, and SiriusXM Travel Link services for 4-years with trial access to weather, news, sports, etc.

Cargo volume

The trunk space in the Q50 is a moderate 13 cubic feet, quite average for the segment. The space is plenty for groceries and similar cargo. Anything more than two briefcases, and the rear passengers will have to scoot over to make space.

Model	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
Cargo Volume (ft.3)	13.2	23.3	10.5	13.0	10.8	12.6	16.1

Kia Stinger decimates the competition with its class leading figure of 23 cubic feet. None of the cars in this segment come close in terms of trunk space. If you frequent the airport with considerable luggage, then all others would be a compromise.

The exterior of the Q50 is punctuated by a sharply creased hood up front and exaggerated haunches in back. A revised front bumper opens wide at the bottom, swallowing up road and spitting out wonderful exhaust notes from the dual tailpipes.-The Car Connection

Seating and Comfort

The 2019 Infiniti Q50 weighs the same as the 2018 model, 2671 pounds. It is also moderately long, just a smidge under 190 inches. The wheelbase is a generous 112 inches, freeing up precious legroom in the rear. 5 inches of ground clearance allows for back roads driving, and most of the speed bumps fail to upset the car. Off-roading is discouraged though.

Model	Infiniti Q50	Kia Stinger	Genesis G70	Alfa Romeo Giulia	Lexus IS 300	Mercedes C300 4Matic	Jaguar XE
Curb weight (lbs.)	3671	3649	3516	3521	3,583	3500*	3500
Length(in)	189.6	190.2	184.4 in	182.6	184.3	184.5	183.9
Width(in)	71.8	73.6	72.8 in	73.7	71.3	71.3	77.4
Height(in)	57.2	55.1	55.1 in	56.5	56.3*	56.3	55.8
Ground clearance (in)	5	TBD	5.1 in	NA	5.3	3.8	-
Wheelbase (in)	112.2	114.4	111.6 in	111	110.2	111.8	111.6
Track width (in) F/R	60.8/61.6	62.8/64.8	-	61.3/63.9	60.4/61*	61.5/60.9	62.8/62.4

Kia Stinger is the longest car here, at just over 190 inches. It also has the longest wheelbase, at 114 inches. Consequently, it is the hardest to squeeze into a tight parking spot. The nimble Giulia is the smallest, at 182 inches. In typical Italian fashion, it is also one of the prettiest here, alongside the handsome British Jaguar.

Design and styling

The engine resides under a very long and low hood. This lends to this already muscular car a visually striking front quarter. The headlights and taillights are uniquely shaped, and complement each other. The roofline slopes gently, and the C-pillar increases in thickness around the shoulder line. The front grille is unique too, and quite large with honeycomb mesh. It isn’t Overall, the car feels more premium than it actually is.

Standard safety features on the 2019 Q50 Infinity are as follows:

• INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System includes dual-stage front supplemental air bags with an occupant-classification sensor. Air bag inflation rate is adjusted depending on crash severity. If the front-passenger’s seat is empty, a sensor will deactivate the air bag
• Driver's and front-passenger's side-impact supplemental air bags 
• Roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant's head protection
• Front seat belts with pretensioners and load limiters, driver’s and passenger's seat Emergency Locking Retractor and passenger’s seat ELR and Automatic Locking Retractor
• Second-row 3-point seat belts with Emergency Locking Retractor and Automatic Locking Retractor
• Zone Body construction with reinforced passenger compartment and front and rear crumple zones
• LATCH System (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren) helps simplify proper installation of compatible child restraint seats
• Slide-away brake pedal assembly
• Emergency inside trunk release
• Predictive Forward Collision Warning 
• Forward Emergency Braking

Infiniti Q50 vs Kia Stinger

Kia Stinger is the new kid on the block. Introduced to the US shores in 2018, it ticks almost all the correct boxes a premium compact sedan should. Power and performance figures are great, looks are, well, striking to say the least. Cargo volume is excellent, nearly double the segment average.

Sales figures though, tell a different story. The Stinger hasn’t caught the fancy of the youth as Kia hoped it would. With excitement as its USP, the Stinger would be a great gift for your adrenaline powered teen. If you are looking for one yourself, then better stick to the comfy Infiniti.

Infiniti Q50 vs Lexus IS 300

Lexus has been the segment benchmark since forever. The 2019 IS300 model is a great allrounder even today. It isn’t the most exciting, or the best handler, and even with your foot down you wouldn’t feel the power surge. But it is a handsome car with a very comfortable ride. In essence, both the Q50 and IS 300 have the same strengths and weaknesses. The Infinity offers a little more cabin space though.

Infiniti Q50 vs Alfa Romeo Giulia

Alfa excels where the Infiniti doesn’t set foot. With the highest power rating, quickest acceleration and Italian suave, it is the exact opposite of the slow and comfy. Giulia’s steering and pedal responses are urgent, and the car loves to be ridden hard. Practicality takes a big hit, with small passenger space and trunk. It is the perfect car for enthusiasts who love to hang around the track during their day off. Consequently, it is not the car for people who are primarily looking for a commuter.

If you are thinking of buying this car, you are making a good decision. It is extremely comfortable, even segment leading, and offers a generous amount of space on the inside. The efficiency is great as well in the base engine, the 2-liter inline-4. If you can buy the performance variant, the Red Sport, then it is a practical yet exciting car, a winning combination.