Infiniti

Q50

With its eye-catching design, bundles of built-in technology and excellent performance stats, the Infiniti Q50 is a great alternative to the more renowned premium brands.

Test Drive

Infiniti Q50 2.0T Sport Automatic

Infiniti may have been selling cars in the UK since 2008, but the premium arm of Nissan has stayed pretty much under the radar and has been viewed as a very niche brand.

But all that is about to change because Infiniti is launching an attack on a market where nine out of 10 cars sold are from German manufacturers and it is using all its technical know-how in its bid to make buyers sit up and listen.

The Q50 is the first in a long line-up of models that are about to hit the UK showrooms. In a major rebranding exercise all Infiniti cars will carry the Q prefix right up to the Q100 which is the company’s Red Bull Racing F1 car driven by Infiniti Director of Performance Sebastian Vettel.

And there’s no denying the bold attitude that has gone into the Q50 with its macho yet elegant appearance and state-of-the-art technology.

The test car, priced at £41,545 (including £7,420 extras), looked fabulous from any approach.

That’s thanks to LED daytime running lights, a sporty front bumper design, twin tailpipes with chrome finisher, 19-inch alloys, heated exterior mirrors, scratch resistant paint, LED fog lights front and rear, body coloured mirrors with LED indicator feature, an electric sunroof and a beautifully streamlined and curvaceous body.

Once inside, it’s impossible not to be wowed by the level of technology that greets you.

It includes two touchscreen displays, Bluetooth with voice recognition, a six-speaker pitch perfect audio system which is compatible with all modern media devices and Infiniti’s InTouch system which includes a selection of bespoke apps and also gives you access to all your smartphone contacts, emails and music.

Then there is the dual zone adaptive climate control with rear air conditioning vents, a rear view camera, follow-me-home lights and soft leather seats that can be heated and electrically adjusted to find the perfect position for comfort and practicality. These settings can then be stored in the car’s memory system.

So it would be fair to say the car delivers a true air of sophistication and Infiniti has left no stone unturned in its quest for ultimate comfort. In fact engineers actually turned to NASA space research to design a seat that remains fatigue-free on the lengthiest of journeys. After numerous trials involving zero gravity, seat simulators and plenty of lab research, the result was a new design that offered additional spinal support. And according to Infiniti, tests have shown that their innovative seats improve a person’s body circulation by 15 per cent.

And the pioneering spirit doesn’t end there as the Q50 is the first vehicle to feature an electronic steer-by-wire system. It replaces the standard rack and pinion set-up and you can customise its response. It does take some getting used to and at times the lack of feedback is a little daunting and impersonal.

But once you do get to grips with it, the car is a delight to drive. The road-holding is excellent and bends can be attacked with confidence.

The test car was powered by a 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine which delivered all the bite and acceleration you could wish for as it moved smoothly and rapidly through the seven-speed automatic transmission.

It can sprint from 0-62mph in just 7.2 seconds and tops out at 152mph, delivering combined fuel efficiency of 43.5mpg along the way.

There is very little engine, road or wind noise of note thanks to the car’s efficient insulation and the highly effective suspension system somehow manages to iron out many bumps and dips.

The generous 500-litre boot capacity means luggage restrictions need never apply and the ski hatch is a practical solution when transporting unusually-shaped items.

As one would expect, safety features are also comprehensive on the rear-wheel-drive vehicle and include anti-lock brakes, electronic brakeforce distribution, hill start assist, cruise control, a speed limiter, tyre pressure monitoring system, traction control, brake assist and six airbags.

By introducing the Q50, Infiniti has made it clear that it is not afraid of testing out new technology. Some will be met with open arms and wild accolades of achievement and others with a little more trepidation and caution.

But whatever the response, Infiniti has big plans for the future.

In fact, over the next five years, it intends to increase its model range by 60 per cent and more than double its powertrain options.