- 2014 Infiniti Q50 Review - Pricing
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Whether you see the exterior design as a somewhat more adventurous take on the M Sedan, or an especially curvaceous expansion of the former G37’s handsome look, the new sheetmetal’s just striking: the sensuality of the bigger Infiniti M sedan works in exotic new ways on the Q50, especially at the exaggerated intersection of curves and surfaces behind its rear doors. The boomerang brackets at the grille resemble the ones on the Lexus, but their hourglass shape is more at ease with the rest of the silhouette. We’ve seen dramatic cars that don’t look so exciting a year later; but the Q50 isn’t one of them.
We especially appreciate the creasing and surfacing, which add visual interest especially from any side angle. For instance a fender line continues along the side from the front, then fades around the A-pillar where another one starts. According to Infiniti, it’s modeled after elements of nature, like waves. The Q50 is also lower than the G Sedan, yet two inches wider, which has an affect on the car’s stance. The coefficient of drag is down to a low 0.26, while the double-arch grille in front and all-LED lighting details offer a combination of aggressive and smooth.
The interior’s organized around a sweeping theme that cordons off the controls to the driver with an arc running down the console. The asymmetry helps keep the look a little sportier, a little more cockpit-like. It’s dominated by what’s sure to be the Q50’s lightning rod for controversy: Infiniti InTouch, a twin-screen system that maps out the brand’s place in the world of CUE and MyFord Touch, with a handful of redundant hard keys left behind. A large touchscreen displays frequently used functions from atop the dash, while a second touchscreen runs other infotainment and other systems on a separate pane below. For example, destinations are chosen on the lower screen, but display on the upper one. In effect, it’s dual monitors–and an interesting choice that could reduce complexity, or increase it.
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The Q50 3.7 is powered by the familiar VQ37—a 3.7-liter V-6 with 328 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. And then a new Q50 Hybrid model has joined the lineup, offering 360 combined horsepower plus improved performance and fuel economy.
In either version, a seven-speed automatic with a manual mode is the sole transmission offered. Paddle shift controls are available. All-wheel drive will be an option on either model. The manual gearbox is gone this year—it got thrown by the wayside in Infiniti’s quest to put more refinement and technology into the Q50—but we’re told it’s not completely a lost hope for next year.
Although the engine itself hasn’t changed, it’s no longer nearly as ragged and coarse as it was in the G37. Engineers put a lot of effort into smoothing and isolating, with new intake and exhaust manifolds, as well as other measures that aid drivability in the middle of the rev range.
The seven-speed automatic transmission has been refined a bit, too, but the big change is that it’s been given a taller final-drive ratio. Infiniti has lost 50 pounds in the new car—mostly in the structure—and you take off from a standing start with plenty of verve despite the taller effective ratio. Lower revs in higher-speed cruising (less than 2,500 rpm at 75 mph) is the other big advantage—to contribute to the quiet inside and raise this powertrain’s mileage up to 20 mpg city, 30 highway with rear-wheel drive.
Paddle shift controls are available, and you get nice throttle-blipped downshifts and remarkably little driveline shock. Overall, the 3.7-liter sings up its range with much more harmony than it ever did in the G. All-wheel drive will be an option in all Q50s. The manual gearbox is gone this year—it got thrown by the wayside in Infiniti’s quest to put more refinement and technology into the Q50—but we’re told it’s not completely a lost hope for next year.
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New safety technology offered on the 2014 Q50 will include Active Lane Control. Its cameras pick up on slight steering shifts due to road surfaces and crosswinds, and correct for them. Also available are adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitors, lane-keeping assist, and lane-departure and forward-collision warning systems. Infiniti has bolstered the body structure, adding more high-strength steel and effectively reengineered the entire vehicle. They’ve also been able to cut some weight overall: Crash-test ratings are improved somewhat over those of the last-generation (G37) versions, and the new model is an IIHS Top Safety Pick+.
There are a total five core packages for the Q50 lineup, each offered in either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive: Infiniti Q50 3.7, Premium, and Hybrid Premium, then also the Q50 S 3.7 and Q50S Hybrid. Options are lumped into a few large packages. The Deluxe Touring Package (for $3,100) adds Direct Adaptive Steering plus a power-adjusting steering wheel, memory settings, real wood trim, rain-sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, and an Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection. Yet another new feature in the Q50 is Infiniti Connection—a security- and concierge-related telematics service that has a companion smartphone app and provides remote monitoring (for teen drivers, for example), SOS call and collision notification, and a personal assistant service.
Images Credit: Infiniti Cars
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