Old school brute strength
2015 Infiniti Q50 AWD a mix of performance and luxury goods
If you ever needed proof that the Japanese are quickly closing in on the established German luxury brands, the 2015 Infiniti Q50 stands out as a fine example.
Released in 2013 as the successor to the G37 and rebadged with the new Q moniker, the Q50 got a radical new look that still stands out in the crowded compact luxury sedan segment.
With a prominent new grille, a wavy new hood, angry jewelled LED headlamps, and a swoopy, sculpted profile, this baby holds its ground on looks alone. Personally, I prefer the grille found on the last G sedan, as this spindle-grille version looks a little too similar to the new Lexus IS, but at least the Q50’s face isn’t as garish as its Lexus rival.
The Q50 has also grown in size compared to the G37 — its length is extended by 127 millimetres — but the side silhouette still recalls the G’s basic elegant outline. These changes give the Q50 a more aggressive look that comes across as bolder than the more conservatively styled BMW 3 Series and Audi A4.
Things get even better when you pop open the hood.
Rather than opt for the trend du jour — turbocharged fourcylinders — Infiniti decided to stick with simple old school brute strength. The Q50 keeps essentially the same large V6 engine that was found in its predecessor, a 3.7-litre giant that makes a very fulfilling 328 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. The big engine comes standard across the lineup (except the hybrid model, which gets a 3.5-L V6) and is mated to a smooth seven-speed automatic transmission.
Straight-line performance, as you’d expect, is brisk, with a stated zero-to-100 km/h time of just 5.2 seconds for our base all-wheeldrive tester. With nimble handling and gobs of power, passing slower cars is a breeze in this car.
The best part of all? That power comes at a reasonable price.
My base AWD tester rings in at a starting price of $39,950 (all prices before freight and PDI). A moonroof package adds $1,250, and my tester’s striking Hagane Blue metallic finish adds $285, for a total price of $41,485.
The base rear-wheel-drive model starts even lower, at $37,550. To get similar power in other luxury cars, you’d have to pay $51,200 for the 300-hp, twin-turbo BMW 335i, $54,100 for the 333-hp Audi S4, and $47,000 for the 306-hp AWD version of the Lexus IS 350. Granted, the BMW and Audi come with turbocharged engines, which means better fuel efficiency and higher torque figures at lower rpms. But, clearly, there is horsepower value to be had in the Q50.
There is also significant value to be found inside. The car comes standard with a lot of neat toys and luxury features — a rear-view camera, comfortable eight-way leatherette power seats, even a heated steering wheel.
Commanding the most attention, however, is the Intel-powered In Touch dual-touch screen display, a unique layout that is a welcome departure from the previous G37’s recessed screen and button-heavy layout. The only downside is that without the navigation add-on (a $3,600 option), the top eight-inch screen is basically a glorified digital clock and displays functions that could otherwise be shown on the second seven-inch LCD. Nevertheless, it looks years ahead of BMW’s infotainment setup.
I also appreciated the fact Infiniti kept physical buttons and a rotary knob to access things like climate control, audio and phone contacts. More control, the better, I say.
Not so good, however, was waiting for the system’s various apps to load on startup. It’s not a long wait, but it is annoying, especially when you want access right away.
The rest of the interior looks and feels modern and premium, with a nicely sized leather-wrapped steering wheel to hold, fine leather stitching on the panels, and an attractive cold-to-the-touch aluminum material called Kacchu adorning the centre stack.
The driver area is very spacious, and leg room in the back is decent for this class. It’s also very quiet inside, with the engine’s growl only audible when really hitting the throttle. Practically speaking, however, the lack of standard 60/40-split rear seats is a bummer (you have to opt for the $4,300 Deluxe Touring and Technology Package to get that), and the trunk, while fairly sized at 382 L, is a bit shallow thanks to the spare tire under the mat.
For a base model, there is a good level of luxury amenities here to satisfy most everyone. But more goodies and tech can be added with the aforementioned $4,300 package, which also includes direct adaptive steering (an all-electric steer-by-wire system that Infiniti says is a world-first technology), object detection, forward-collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and adaptive cruise control.
So, with all that said, why would anyone pay more for German luxury? Aside from the obvious answer of brand cachet, the rejoinder to that question can be summed up in two words: driving refinement.
Make no mistake, the Q50 is no slouch on the road. The car’s rearwheel biased all-wheel-drive system (100 per cent of power is sent to the rear wheels by default, and up to 50 per cent of torque can be diverted to the front wheels when slippage is detected) means it’s fairly easy to get the Q50 to swing out its rear end if you want to do some hooning in the corners.
Taking off at the lights is also a pure joy, especially as you watch the other cars dawdle in a cloud of your exhaust in the rear-view mirror. But one of the disadvantages of the big V6 is that it takes a while to spool up peak power, with real oomph coming in at around 4,000 rpm, before letting loose all of its horses all the way at 7,000 revs per minute. Peak torque comes at a relatively high 5,200 rpm, whereas its turbocharged rivals can offer max torque and power at far lower revs.
I averaged a thirsty 12.8 litres of premium fuel per 100 km in mixed driving, higher than the estimated 12.5 city and 8.7 highway ratings. Granted, it is winter and I leaned in with a heavy foot a few times (OK, many times), and the AWD model is heavier (1,718 kg compared to 1,638 kg for RWD). But I expected a bit better, given the car’s low drag coefficient (0.26) and seven-speed transmission.
The Infiniti Q50 offers an intriguing value proposition. With fine looks, standard luxurious amenities, and a beefy standard engine, the Q50 is arguably the best entry-level luxury value right now. I would certainly rank it higher than lower-powered and similarly priced Japanese rivals such as the Lexus IS 250 and new Acura TLX.
And if it’s not quite yet swinging with the Germans, it’s at least in the same ballpark now.