Review: Infiniti Q50 (2013)

Infiniti Q50 (2013): At A Glance

• Insurance Groups are between 39–46
• On average it achieves 74% of the official MPG figure

Infiniti Q50 (2013): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 400–500 litres
• Euro NCAP rating of five stars

Dimensions
Length	4790–4800 mm
Width	1820 mm
Height	1430–1455 mm
Wheelbase	2850 mm
Full specifications

The Infiniti is fairly ordinary inside. There's no doubting the quality nor the attention to detail in the finish, but it lacks personality. The new touchscreen control - called InTouch - is good though and works like a smartphone with a similar controls and the ability to download apps. You can even get your emails on the move thanks to a text-to-speech function and sync with your Google calendar.

However, elsewhere there are no special touches or neat features that mark the Q50 out from competition. It certainly doesn't feel particularly modern or stylish, especially if you compare it to the latest Lexus IS. On the plus side it does have impressively comfortable seats - designed using NASA research - and plenty of space, although taller passengers in the back will find their head brushing the rooflining.

What's the Infiniti Q50 (2013) like to drive?

• Engines range from 2.2t Automatic to Hybrid AWD
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 28–54 mpg

The G saloon was hampered by the lack of a diesel engine, but Infiniti isn't making the same mistake with the Q50 - it comes with a new 2.2-litre diesel engine. Well we say new, it's actually a Mercedes-Benz unit that's used across a wide range of models from the SLK to the M-Class. In the Infiniti it develops 170PS, but more impressively has 400Nm of torque which peaks from just 1600rpm.

In theory this should mean strong performance and while it's not sluggish, it's not a refined or quiet engine, so utilising that power is far from a pleasant experience. Compared to similar sized diesel engines from Audi, BMW and Jaguar, it seems coarse. We only had the opportunity to drive it with the optional seven-speed automatic rather than the standard six-speed manual. While the auto offers reasonably smooth changes, it doesn't shift gears very quickly meaning the overall driving experience often feels strained.

The one thing the 2.2d has going for it is economy. It averages a claimed 64.2mpg with the manual gearbox, which means emissions of just 114g/km - impressive figures for a car this size. The other model in the Q50 range is the Hybrid, which is available with four-wheel drive. Powered by a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine combined with an electric motor, it's the quickest mainstream hybrid on the market, managing 0-62mph in just 5.1 seconds.

It's the same hybrid system that's used in the M35h, but the seven-speed automatic gearbox has been tuned to improve performance. As a result it's a very different hybrid than we've become used to. There's no CVT gearbox so you don't get that odd continuous whine whenever you accelerate. Instead it sounds genuinely sporty with a nice exhaust note and a strong V6 sound. It doesn't feel quite as quick as the figures suggest, but it's certainly no slouch. The advantages of the hybrid system are also evident in economy - a claimed 45.6mpg with CO2 of 144g/km from a car with more than 360PS.

The Q50S Hybrid also comes with Direct Adaptive Steering - the world's first electronic steer-by-wire technology. That means there's no physical connection between the steering wheel and the steering rack (although there is a traditional column in place as a safety back-up in case the system fails). The theory behind it is that by getting rid of the mechanical losses in a conventional system, the steering response is faster and vibration at the steering wheel is made non-existent.

It sounds clever but what's it like in practice? Well, it's better than the standard steering system on the 2.2d which lacks feel and response. With the Direct Adaptive Steering you can alter both the weight of the steering and the responsiveness from light and casual to heavy and direct. In the latter it feels mighty strange for a saloon and is almost too direct.

Opt for an in the middle setting and it's better, although it still feels very artificial and doesn't imbue you with the same confidence in corners as rival saloons. It's an interesting system to play with but you do question why they can't just make the standard steering set-up good in the first place, maybe with a sport setting to add response. In short it seems over complicated.

Engine	MPG	0-62	CO2
2.0t Automatic	44–45 mpg	-	146–151 g/km
2.2d	63–66 mpg	8.5–8.9 s	114–118 g/km
2.2d Automatic	59–63 mpg	8.5–8.7 s	124–128 g/km
2.2t Automatic	44–45 mpg	7.2–8.5 s	146–151 g/km
3.0T Automatic	31 mpg	5.1 s	206 g/km
Hybrid	42–48 mpg	5.1–5.4 s	144–159 g/km
Hybrid AWD	42 mpg	5.4 s	159 g/km

Real MPG average for a Infiniti Q50 (2013)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.