CARGAZING Q50 a legitimate contender Infiniti’s sports sedan has crisp handling, loads of power and technology By Derek Price impressively, it does 0-60 mph CARGAZING.COM faster than the non-hybrid Q50, so you’re getting better performance eople who want a world- and fuel economy at the same time. class sports sedan know the obvious choices. BMW wins the mindshare prize What was tested? Pin this category, followed closely 2015 Infiniti Q50S 3.7 by Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Cadillac. ($43,650). Options: Naviga- But one car that has flown qui- tion package ($1,400), perfor- etly under the radar screen — at mance wheel package least in my mind — is the Infiniti ($1,800). Price as tested Q50. I just hadn’t thought much (including $905 destination about it until Infiniti tossed me the charge): $47,755 keys to one, opening my eyes to Wheelbase: 112.2 in. just what a great BMW fighter it is. It’s a legit sports sedan, for Length: 189.1 in. starters, by putting a big engine Width: 71.8 in. up front that sends power to the Height: 56.8 in. rear wheels, just like God and PHOTOS COURTESY OF INFINITI Q50 Engine: 3.7-liter V6 (328 hp, Sebastian Vettel intended. That Sleek, muscular lines on the Infiniti Q50 hint at its performance. This rear-wheel-drive sports sedan rewards 269 lb.-ft.) means you can turn the traction drivers with its power, handling and sumptuous interior. Transmission: Seven-speed control off and dance on the edge automatic of adhesion as you explore just that drive more like powerful fam- This one nails it. horsepower that sounds and feels Estimated Mileage: 20 city, what those rear tires can do in ily cars. Any four-door car can call It gets other things right, too, like fantastic when you step on the corners, which is the most reward- itself sporty by cramming a bigger the high-quality cabin that coddles gas. The engine has a near-instant 30 highway ing part of driving a car like this. engine under the hood and tight- your passengers in both the front response that helps at playtime, RATINGS And that’s what separates the ening up the suspension, but only and back seats. Everything you when you fling the Q50 around great, honest sports sedans from the best get the handling balance touch has a premium feel to it. corners and test its limits. Style: 9 the legion of mediocre players spot-on perfect. I also love how it looks on the Unfortunately, no four-cylinder Performance: 10 outside. There’s a certain amount option is available. The V6 is rated Price: 9 of subdued but noticeable drama for 30 mpg on the highway and a Handling: 10 that every sports sedan tries to less-than-impressive 20 mpg in the Ride: 8 capture — a bulging hood, mus- city for a combined rating of 23. Comfort: 8 cular fenders, sleek rear roofline — Pricing starts at $37,150, which Quality: 9 but the Q50 combines them in a seems like a good deal when you way that seems less derivative consider all the standard equip- Overall: 9 than some of its competitors. It ment it comes with. Eight-way Video review checks all those necessary style power seats, dual touchscreen boxes but also charts its own, displays, keyless entry with push- 2015 Infiniti Q50 original path, especially when you button ignition and voice recogni- bit.ly/2015q50 look at the energetic creases and tion all come standard. And scoops on its sides that show up Infiniti, long a technology leader, from just the right angles and with makes the Q50 feel like a cutting- just the right lighting. edge car with all the ways to cus- But as much as I enjoy its styling, tomize its settings and connect its cabin and its crisp handling in with its digital systems. corners, my favorite thing about the Drivers who want to sip fuel Why buy it? Q50 should come as no surprise: can step up to the Q50 Hybrid the heartbeat from its 3.7-liter V6. ($44,400). It bumps the gas mileage It’s a spectacular all-around sports Two digital touchscreens in the Infiniti Q50 help you navigate its While it doesn’t make mon- all the way up to 28 mpg in town sedan, from its clean rear-wheel- many digital features. It helps leave the impression of being one of strous torque at 269 pound-feet, it and 34 on the highway, for a com- drive handling to its classy good the most high-tech, cutting-edge cars in its segment. does generate a healthy 328 bined rating of 30. And even more looks and quality interior. CARGAZING PHOTOS COURTESY OF INFINITI Q50 Sleek, muscular lines on the Infiniti Q50 hint at its performance. This rear-wheel-drive sports sedan rewards drivers with its power, handling and sumptuous interior. Q50 a legitimate contender Infiniti’s sports sedan has crisp handling, loads of power and technology By Derek Price CARGAZING.COM eople who want a world-class sports sedan know the obvious choices. BMW wins the mindshare prize in this category, Pfollowed closely by Mercedes-Benz, Lexus and Cadillac. But one car that has flown qui- does generate a healthy 328 etly under the radar screen — at horsepower that sounds and feels least in my mind — is the Infiniti fantastic when you step on the Q50. I just hadn’t thought much gas. The engine has a near-instant about it until Infiniti tossed me the response that helps at playtime, keys to one, opening my eyes to when you fling the Q50 around just what a great BMW fighter it is. corners and test its limits. It’s a legit sports sedan, for Unfortunately, no four-cylinder starters, by putting a big engine option is available. The V6 is rated up front that sends power to the for 30 mpg on the highway and rear wheels, just like God and a less-than-impressive 20 mpg Sebastian Vettel intended. That in the city for a combined rating means you can turn the traction of 23. control off and dance on the edge Pricing starts at $37,150, which of adhesion as you explore just seems like a good deal when you what those rear tires can do in consider all the standard equip- corners, which is the most reward- ment it comes with. Eight-way ing part of driving a car like this. power seats, dual touchscreen And that’s what separates the displays, keyless entry with great, honest sports sedans from push-button ignition and voice the legion of mediocre players recognition all come standard. that drive more like powerful fam- And Infiniti, long a technology ily cars. Any four-door car can call leader, makes the Q50 feel like a itself sporty by cramming a bigger cutting-edge car with all the ways engine under the hood and tight- to customize its settings and con- ening up the suspension, but only nect with its digital systems. the best get the handling balance Two digital touchscreens in the Infiniti Q50 help you navigate its many digital features. It helps leave the Drivers who want to sip fuel spot-on perfect. impression of being one of the most high-tech, cutting-edge cars in its segment. can step up to the Q50 Hybrid This one nails it. ($44,400). It bumps the gas mile- It gets other things right, too, age all the way up to 28 mpg in like the high-quality cabin that of subdued but noticeable drama checks all those necessary style But as much as I enjoy its styling, town and 34 on the highway, for a coddles your passengers in that every sports sedan tries to boxes but also charts its own, orig- its cabin and its crisp handling in combined rating of 30. And even both the front and back seats. capture — a bulging hood, muscu- inal path, especially when you corners, my favorite thing about the more impressively, it does 0-60 Everything you touch has a pre- lar fenders, sleek rear roofline — look at the energetic creases and Q50 should come as no surprise: mph faster than the non-hybrid mium feel to it. but the Q50 combines them in a scoops on its sides that show up the heartbeat from its 3.7-liter V6. Q50, so you’re getting better per- I also love how it looks on the way that seems less derivative from just the right angles and with While it doesn’t make mon- formance and fuel economy at the outside. There’s a certain amount than some of its competitors. It just the right lighting. strous torque at 269 pound-feet, it same time. A CLOSER LOOK AT A GLANCE: FACTS, FIGURES AND RATINGS What was tested? RATINGS Video review Why buy it? 2015 Infiniti Q50S 3.7 ($43,650). Options: Navigation pack- Style: 9 2015 Infiniti Q50 It’s a spectacular all-around age ($1,400), performance wheel package ($1,800). Price as Performance: 10 bit.ly/2015q50 sports sedan, from its clean tested (including $905 destination charge): $47,755 Price: 9 rear-wheel-drive handling to Wheelbase: 112.2 in. Handling: 10 its classy good looks and Length: 189.1 in. Ride: 8 quality interior. Width: 71.8 in. Comfort: 8 Height: 56.8 in. Quality: 9 Engine: 3.7-liter V6 (328 hp, 269 lb.-ft.) Overall: 9 Transmission: Seven-speed automatic Estimated Mileage: 20 city, 30 highway.