Hi, I'm Chris Wardlaw for CarGurus, and this is the updated 2016 Infiniti Q50.
This year, Infinity gives the Q50 lineup new engines,
among other changes. You can get a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder or
a twin-turbocharged 3-liter V6, either one paired with rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.
A hybrid version of the Q50 also continues. Other upgrades include next-
generation direct adaptive steering and
a new dynamic digital suspension system,
but my test car doesn't have either one of them.
Why is that? Good question.
For this test, I picked the base engine because that's what Infinity offers in the most
affordable lease deal, and that's likely to be the version of the Q50 that many
people choose.
So let's go for a drive and see what you can park in your own driveway for about
$400 per month with no money down.
The car I'm driving today is the Q50 2.0t.
It's painted Hagane Blue and it's got a Stone leatherette interior.
The base price $34,855, that includes the $905 destination charge.
Now on top of that, we've got the Premium trim package, which is $3700,
and then it's also got the Premium Plus option group, which is
another $2,150.
That brings the total as-tested price to $40,705.
What's under the hood is a turbocharged 2-liter 4-cylinder engine.
Its sourced from Mercedes-Benz but they build the engine in Tennessee, and it's making
208 horsepower at 5,500 rpm as well as 258 pound-feet of torque, which is
available from 1500 rpm to 3500 rpm.
Now in addition to those powertrain figures,
the engine's got idle-stop technology, which basically shuts the engine off
when you come to a stop at an intersection or you're sitting in traffic. And it's
designed to help improve fuel economy and also reduce emissions. Now the EPA
says that this car should get 26 miles per gallon in combined driving. On my test loop
I got 26.3 miles per gallon, which is absolutely in line with expectations.
Now the rear wheels are driven in this car, and the power is flowing through a
7-speed automatic transmission.
It's got downshift rev matching, but it does not have paddle shifters. It sure
would be nice if there was a set of paddle shifters in this car.
Now drivers can choose between four different driving modes in the 2.0t model.
They include Standard, Sport, Snow, and then there's a Personal driving mode set up
that you can custom tailor to your own preferences.
Now that the dynamic table is set, let's talk about what it's like to drive the
Q50 2.0t.
This is not a particularly refined engine.
It's got direct fuel injection, and that creates this diesel-like clatter that's
faintly audible but is audible nonetheless, especially when you don't
have the stereo system on. The idle-stop technology isn't particularly subtle either.
When it shuts the engine off or when it restarts the engine, the whole
car shutters a little bit, so it seems like there's a little bit of a lack of
refinement there as well.
Now the power is decent, but I wouldn't
say it any more than that.
This engine definitely does not exhibit the refinement,
nor that seemingly limitless feeling of acceleration,
that's typically provided by a turbocharged 2-liter from Audi or Volkswagen.
In addition to new engines, this year Infinity has reworked the suspension system,
and the goal was to improve the handling without negatively impacting
the ride quality.
Now the company says that the 2.0t specifically boasts changes that reduce
lateral acceleration movement to deliver a flatter cornering attitude and
improved grip.
Plus this car comes with something called "Active Trace Control," which helps
to tuck the car into a turn in a tighter fashion, which kind of enhances the
natural rotation of its rear-wheel-drive platform. Now what's the result of all
this? Well, this car demonstrates really impressive handling and body motion
control, coupled with a comfortable yet connected ride quality.
It really is the best thing about driving this car -
the suspension and the ride and handling mix.
Another great thing about the Q50 is the brakes. I have absolutely no
complaint about them, and when I ran this car hard down Mulholland Highway on a
fairly warm day, they exhibited zero fade. Now the only real fly in the ointment here,
aside from the fact that the engine's a little bit dissatisfying and underpowered,
is the steering.
Now this particular version of the Q50 is equipped with a speed-sensing
hydraulic electric steering system, but it sure doesn't feel that way. It needs
to be lighter and more effortless at low speeds, and it needs to have improved
on-center feel and off-center response at
higher speeds. And just in general,
it needs to feel more natural and less artificial at all times.
All right, let's switch gears, so to speak, and talk about the Q50's interior.
Now in my opinion, one of the big selling points for the Q50 is the interior.
Between the design and the quality of the materials,
it definitely conveys an upscale, premium ambiance, and I think that people who buy
this car will be very satisfied with that.
Another thing that I like is that Infinity can pull off this Stone, or
light gray-colored, interior without making it look dull and cheap. There's a warmth to it
that definitely conveys a sense of luxury. Now one thing that Infinity might
want to rethink is these light-colored carpets. Depending on the climate where
you live,
these things are going to get trashed really fast. They probably should switch
to a black carpet.
Now despite the fact that the Q50's got a coefficient of drag measuring 0.26,
which is fairly low,
there is a lot of noise in this cabin. It's not wind noise. Instead, it's road
noise and its engine noise, and I think that infiniti needs to do a better job
of attenuating those things.
Now the front seats are very comfortable, but my test car cost more than
$40,000 and it still has leatherette, which is basically a fancy
word for vinyl. And there's no ventilation option here, so if you live
in a humid climate,
these seats are going to trap a lot of sweat. Now leather is only $1,000 extra,
but to get it on the Q50 2.0t,
you've got to load the car up with all the
option packages, and then you're talking
about a $44,000 automobile.
Now as far as the back seat is concerned, the bottom cushion is
agreeable, but the backrest is reclined a little bit too much.
I'd much prefer a more upright seating position, even if it meant less headroom,
and that would also provide a little bit more leg room in the back seat.
Now in the trunk,
this car has got 13.2 cubic feet of cargo space.
That's not a lot for a vehicle that is EPA-rated as a midsize car. Plus, the
shape in there is not particularly useful either,
and there's no way to open the trunk without actually using your hands.
In addition to all the safety features with InTouch services,
the Q50 is available with a long list of driver-assistance and safety
technologies. But my test car has got none of them because they are offered in
the optional Driver Assistance package, and that's missing from this particular
example of the Q50. Now for $2,250, you can add it.
And what it gives you is a predictive forward-collision warning system,
front and rear automatic emergency braking, a blind-spot monitoring system
with cross-traffic alert. and a moving-object detection system.
You know, the kind of stuff you think would come standard on a $40,000 car.
Now some of the features that Infinity offers for the Q50 are only available
for V6 models, and that includes things like adaptive headlights, blind-spot
intervention, lane-departure warning and prevention, something called "Active Lane
Control," and pre-crash front seat belts.
So if you want the safest Q50, get the V6 engine. As far as crash testing is
concerned, it's incomplete for the new 2016 Q50. The Insurance Institute for
Highway Safety did not carry forward
last year's model's Acceptable rating in
the small overlap frontal-impact test, and the federal government hasn't
carried forward any of its frontal-impact test results from last year either.
Now what that indicates to me is that Infinity has made structural changes up
front that are designed to improve on these results, but we don't know for sure
right now if those changes are netting any improvements in terms of safety.
Now in terms of all other crash test rating parameters, the Q50 proves itself very
safe in a collision.
More than half of all luxury cars are leased, and Infinity offers leasing
deals on this, the Q50 2.0t Premium, as well as the more powerful Q50 3.0t
Premium. Now as we shoot this video review, the 300-horse twin-turbo V6 in
the 3.0t is going to cost you an extra $40 per month, and even
though I haven't driven that car,
my bet is that the extra cost is worth it. Plus, it comes with a fully-electronic
steering system that could prove to be better than what's installed in this
turbocharged 4-cylinder model.
Now if you decide to save the $40, the Q50 2.0t is a stylishly
agreeable mode of transportation in a segment loaded with vehicles that easily
meet or exceed that standard. Prices do climb, and rapidly, when you add features
that might rightly be expected as standard equipment, though. Things like
leather seats, a navigation system, and forward emergency braking.
But hey - the Q50 2.0t looks upscale and it has a premium badge on it,
so even the stripped-down version conveys the right message to the right people,
doesn't it? Be sure to check out my full review of the Q50 2.0t on
CarGurus.com. And if you found this review helpful, please share this video
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all of us at CarGurus, thank you for watching.
All right, are you ready?
