2014 Infiniti Q50

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Two engines are available, a 3.7L V6 producing 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque and a 3.5L V6 hybrid that makes a combined 360 hp. 2. The only transmission available for the Q50 is a 7-speed automatic. 3. The Q50 3.7L is rated at 20 MPG city and 30 MPG highway while the Hybrid Q50 is officially rated at 29/36 MPG. 4. Pricing starts at $36,700 with the Q50S Hybrid AWD starting at $48,150.

PREVIEW

Infiniti wants to expand, and wants to expand big. Looking globally, it’s poised to add several new models to the lineup including a new premium compact and new halo/aspirational vehicles. The problem is, there are only 26 letters in the alphabet, and most are spoken for by other manufacturers. Mercedes-Benz uses A, B, C, E, S as well as many others and BMW has a few trademarked letters like M, X and Z. Infiniti decided that rather than scrounge whatever left-over letters hadn’t been spoken for yet, it would use the one trademarked by the company for a long, long time; the letter Q.

All cars will begin with the letter Q, followed by a series of numbers ascending in correspondence with vehicle base price. Likewise, all crossovers and SUVs will begin with QX and ascending numbers according to their base price. For 2014 all models will gain this new naming convention, regardless if there are any significant changes to the vehicle or not.

EXTERIOR

At first glance the new Q50 is somewhat familiar looking. Riding the same 112.2-inch wheelbase as the outgoing G37 sedan, the new car is within a few inches of the vehicle it replaces in every dimension.

A little longer, a little wider and a little shorter, the new Q50 has a more menacing stance than the old G. This also can be attributed to the Q wearing Infiniti’s new corporate look, which first debuted on the Essence concept car. Up front is a ‘double arch’ grille, LED headlights and LED daytime running lights that the manufacturer suggests resembles a human face. We looked hard at the front fascia and decided it resembles a human face as much as Johnny Five does.

This new shape is incredibly aerodynamic though with base Q50s and hybrid Q50s achieving a coefficient of drag of just 0.26, and zero aerodynamic lift in the front or rear. Both A and B pillars are thinner than found on the G sedan which improves passenger entry and exit as well as sightlines all around.

INTERIOR

Dominating the center console of the Q50’s interior are two touch-screens, 8-inches and 7-inches in size, stacked on top of one another. They are fully customizable and control all aspects of the HVAC and infotainment systems as well as vehicle settings. The screens are surrounded by a combination of "Kacchu" aluminum, optional maple wood trim and leather surfaces.

The optional 14-speaker BOSE stereo system sounds fantastic thanks to careful speaker location that includes three woofers – one in each front door and one in the rear parcel shelf; great for bragging rights at the next coffee shop car meet. While at it, why not show off the optional solid magnesium paddle shifters that are some of the nicest we have seen.

The Q50 has Infiniti’s InTuition system that stores all customizable features, like driver and vehicle settings, via the Intelligent Key. Switch keys and the settings are changed automatically; no resetting the car every time your significant other of teen goes for a ride.

Speaking of teens, Infiniti Connection is now available as an app for iPhones or Androids and allows settings to be programmed onto the Q50 that will send notifications to your smartphone should your car exceed a certain pre-set speed, or drive outside a predetermined regional boundary.

UNDER THE HOOD

Powering the Q50 is a choice of two engines. The base engine is a familiar 3.7L V6 that still produces the same 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque as found in last year’s G37 sedan. Joining the venerable V6 for the first time in a smaller Infiniti sedan will be a hybrid option. Borrowed from the M35h, a 302 hp 3.5L V6 is paired up to a 67 hp electric motor that produces a combined output of 360 hp. This hybrid system adds some serious weight to the Q50 and raises the base weight from 3,574 lbs. to 3,913 lbs.

Despite the weight increase and power bump, the hybrid is still the more efficient Q50. Rear-wheel drive hybrid models are rated at 29 mpg city and 36 mpg highway compared to gasoline-only rear-wheel drive Q50s that are rated at 20 mpg city and 30 mpg highway. During a few hours of mostly highway driving, saw a 4-5 mpg gap between the two powertrains on average.

The Q50’s 3.7L is responsive when on throttle and overall performance feels very similar to the G37, which shouldn’t come as a huge surprise given engine output remains unchanged and curb weight is nearly identical.

The hybrid, on the other hand, has a bit of a delay when first attempting to accelerate as the electric motor is overwhelmed momentarily and waits for the gasoline engine to engage to get the Q50 moving. Once beyond crawling speeds, the hybrid is noticeably more powerful and seamlessly transitions between electric-only mode and hybrid mode depending on current driving conditions.