The five-year-old Q50 gets a mild design refresh inside and out to bring it up to date

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Fifth-year refresh After five years without a significant redesign, the 2018 Infiniti Q50 sedan gets a mild refresh inside and out to bring it up to date. Slightly bigger than a compact, though not quite as large as a mid-sized sedan the Q50 is a car with sporty intentions and you can choose from four different engines, with a range that almost doubles the potential horsepower available. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Tough competition The Q50 competes with the Lexus IS, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4. That’s a tough field to take on. How does it stack up now? We drove the top-of-the-line Red Sport edition through the countryside around Nashville to find out. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Five trims There are now five different, renamed trim levels: 2.0L Luxe, 3.0L Luxe, 3.0L Sport and 3.0L Red Sport. There’s also a 3.5L hybrid model. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Small changes The changes for 2018 are fairly subtle. The front and back bumpers are redesigned to look a little sleeker and more aggressive, and 18-inch wheels are now standard, with 19-inch wheels standard on the Sport and Red Sport. The front grille is a little wider and taller, and LED lighting is standard. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Cabin redesign Inside the sedan, the instrument gauges are redesigned and there are new combinations of leather and stitching. Infiniti calls the layout “driver-centric, passenger-minded,” to stress that it’s as accommodating for passengers as it is for the person behind the steering wheel. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

New wheel That steering wheel is redesigned as a three-spoke wheel that’s similar to the Q60’s, and the transmission shifter knob in the centre console also has a different look and feel. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Phone software missing Unfortunately, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to hook up to your cell phone and keep it out of temptation, though the Q50 is fully connected otherwise to your phone. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Room in the back In the back seat, there’s enough headroom and legroom for two full-size adults; a third can sit in the middle, but it’ll be a bit of a squeeze. If you need more space, the solution is simple: buy a larger car. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Practical trunk The trunk space is reasonable if not generous, with 382 litres of cargo room. The rear seats fold flat in a 60/40 split, and there’s a pull-through for skis or hockey sticks. Hey – this is sold in Canada, don’t forget! ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Plenty of heat Heated seats are standard in the front for all Canadian editions, and so is a heated steering wheel. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Keeping it legal We drove on some lovely roads, but there wasn’t the opportunity to really stretch the Q50’s legs and evaluate the car’s handling – police in Tennessee are quick to enforce the state’s speed limits, even pretend police. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Power in numbers Infiniti made a point of showing how the 3.0L engine compares with the competition from Lexus, BMW and Audi. Driving was far too relaxed in the Nashville area to appreciate the comparison, but the numbers speak for themselves. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Easygoing engine The Red Sport has the most powerful engine of them all, but it was easy to drive and it wasn’t aggressive unless you wanted it to be. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

7-speed transmission All Q50s have the same 7-speed automatic transmission. Its shifter paddles, standard on the Red Sport, are now mounted directly to the steering wheel, not on the steering column as before. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Six drive modes There are six different drive modes selectable with a switch on the centre console, which is at least one more mode than most other cars. The Q50 can be adjusted between Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Individual, with Sport-Plus available on the Sport and Red Sport. Each mode varies the throttle response, transmission shift points, dynamic suspension, steering firmness, and active trace control, which uses individual brakes to improve control through corners. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Cool new tips The Red Sport has new, drilled muffler tips. They don’t actually do anything different, but they do look pretty cool. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Only AWD in Canada In Canada, the Q50 is only sold with all-wheel drive. In the U.S., it’s a $2,000 option and the car we drove here at Nashville was RWD. The day was dry, though, and the road surfaces were hot, so traction was never an issue and the RWD was indiscernible. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Driving aids The Q50 is very much a driver’s car, but it’s also loaded with the very latest driver’s assistance technology. Most of the features are optional extras, but our Red Sport came fitted with most everything available. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Driver assistance The driver’s assistance features are now both intuitive and virtually seamless. Press the button on the steering wheel and the car will monitor its entire surroundings with a combination of sonar and visual camera sensors. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Smart sensors On the highway, the Q50 used its grille sensors and camera to know when we were approaching a car in front and would push back gently on the throttle pedal to suggest leaving greater room. This was without setting the active cruise control. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Safety first If the car in front were suddenly to slow down, the Q50 would also slow down to maintain a safe distance, even when the cruise control was not set. It would bring the sedan’s speed all the way down to a halt if necessary. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Eco pedal In Eco mode, the Q50 has a “haptic” throttle pedal, which offers resistance against your foot before the pedal can be pushed down too far.  It’s teaching the driver to go lightly on the throttle, to save gas, but it can easily overridden.  ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Fuel consumption Official fuel consumption for the Red Sport is rated at 12.5 L/100 km in the city and 9.3 on the highway, with a combined consumption of 11.1. The Luxe and Sport, with the less powerful 3.0L V-6 engine, have slightly better consumption of about 0.3 L/100 km on all three ratings. Our own real-world consumption was 11.8 L/100 km. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Big-selling sports models The 208 hp 2.0L inline-four is less thirsty, and the 3.5L hybrid even more frugal, but they sell only a small proportion of all Q50s – perhaps 10% for the 2.0L and less than 3% for the hybrid. The 3.0L V-6 accounts for about half of all Q50 sales, and the Red Sport makes up the difference. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Satisfying drive Inside, the Q50 is as comfortable and spacious as its premium competition, and it doesn’t disappoint during a drive. It’s too bad we didn’t get a chance to drive the 300 hp Luxe or Sport editions, but on paper, they should hold up very well. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Getting pricey The American price for our loaded up Red Sport tester was $59,920 U.S., which is considerably more than its base price of $51,000 U.S. This is about a $2,000 increase over last year’s basic price. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

No Canadian pricing yet No Canadian pricing has yet been announced, before the Q50 arrives in August, but the 2.0L basic model will probably be priced similarly to the $39,900 tab for the 2017 edition. The mid- and top-range models that are more popular will probably carry an increase of about $2,000 over their current highest price of $45,900 and $52,600. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Subtle changes There haven’t been many changes to the Q50 this time around, with only subtle revisions to the cabin and the outside design. The most significant changes are in the packaging of the trim levels and in keeping the sensor technology up to date, as well as tweaks to the car’s driving ability. ▲

android, first drive: refreshed 2018 infiniti q50 sport sedan

Keeping competitive Together, however, the refreshing of the Infiniti Q50 keeps it competitive with the Lexus IS and the sporty German compacts. In the end, they’re all very similar and it really comes down to which style and layout appeal the most. ▲

Keyword: FIRST DRIVE: Refreshed 2018 Infiniti Q50 sport sedan

CAR'S NEWS RELATED

The Infiniti FX Was The Perfect Performance SUV

2003 Infiniti FX45 Image: Infiniti The performance SUV. The term itself is almost a conundrum; the Sport Utility Vehicle was created as sort of a new age version of the American station wagon, except it’s a vehicle with a higher driving position that can haul and carry more and ...

View more: The Infiniti FX Was The Perfect Performance SUV

2024 Infiniti QX80 Gets Dark Chrome Package, Base Price Climbs To $76,045

The cheapest QX80 is $1,450 more than last year.

View more: 2024 Infiniti QX80 Gets Dark Chrome Package, Base Price Climbs To $76,045

Best reveals from the world’s greatest car show – Photos

Electric Standouts Electric Workhorses Internal Combustion Power Super Specialized and Rare No auto show in the world can compete with the quality of new car debuts during Monterey Car Week in Carmel, California. The annual multi-day festival of all things automotive—classic car concours, product launches, races, auctions, rallies, and plenty of posturing – has replaced the traditional ...

View more: Best reveals from the world’s greatest car show – Photos

Infiniti's QX Monograph Might Be A Preview Of A New QX80

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Image: Infiniti Infiniti could use some help. The brand’s sales could be better; just 32,286 have been sold so far in 2023. That’s total sales for a brand with six models. Just two of the brand’s models are new. The QX60 entered its second generation ...

View more: Infiniti's QX Monograph Might Be A Preview Of A New QX80

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Debuts At Pebble Beach, May Preview Next QX80

The full-size SUV concept features the company’s new three-dimensional grille badge.

View more: Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Debuts At Pebble Beach, May Preview Next QX80

Infiniti to Unveil QX Monograph Concept at Pebble Beach

•    Infiniti is set to unveil the QX Monograph, a concept tasked with previewing the brand’s future design direction. If there's one car company that needs to move fast to boost sales and attract new buyers, it's Infiniti. The good news is that we're about to see something new ...

View more: Infiniti to Unveil QX Monograph Concept at Pebble Beach

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Teased, Debuts August 17 At Pebble Beach

The concept will preview the brand’s design direction.

View more: Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Teased, Debuts August 17 At Pebble Beach

See Kia Stinger GT Drag Race Infiniti Q50 Red Sport In Close Sedan Showdown

There was only a 0.2-second difference in their quarter-mile times.

View more: See Kia Stinger GT Drag Race Infiniti Q50 Red Sport In Close Sedan Showdown

Nissan may be planning four US-built EV models

Infiniti Teases Electric Cars Intended To Boost Future Sales

Infiniti Gets a New Logo

Infiniti Aims to Reinvent Brand Image, Dealerships, Even… Smell?

Cheapest armoured car in South Africa

Built For SEMA, Debuted At Elmia: Magass Design’s Infiniti G37 Coupe

Next-Gen Infiniti QX80 Spied Testing In Michigan

Nissan Rogue, Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 Recalled for Dangerous Seats

Reminder: Do Not Sit On an Infiniti Doing Donuts

Patrol buddies? This could be the 2024 Nissan Patrol's luxury twin as the Toyota LandCruiser rival's reveal approaches

This Infiniti G35 with a Vaydor Body Kit Is Selling for $110,000

The Infiniti QX4 Was the Brand's First Foray Into Luxury SUVs

OTHER CAR NEWS

; Top List in the World https://www.pinterest.com/newstopcar/pins/
Top Best Sushi Restaurants in SeoulTop Best Caribbean HoneymoonsTop Most Beautiful Islands in PeruTop Best Outdoor Grill BrandsTop Best Global Seafood RestaurantsTop Foods to Boost Your Immune SystemTop Best Foods to Fight HemorrhoidsTop Foods That Pack More Potassium Than a BananaTop Best Healthy Foods to Gain Weight FastTop Best Cosmetic Brands in the U.STop Best Destinations for Food Lovers in EuropeTop Best Foods High in Vitamin ATop Best Foods to Lower Your Blood SugarTop Best Things to Do in LouisianaTop Best Cities to Visit in New YorkTop Best Makeup Addresses In PennsylvaniaTop Reasons to Visit NorwayTop Most Beautiful Islands In The WorldTop Best Law Universities in the WorldTop Richest Sportsmen In The WorldTop Biggest Aquariums In The WorldTop Best Peruvian Restaurants In MiamiTop Best Road Trips From MiamiTop Best Places to Visit in MarylandTop Best Places to Visit in North CarolinaTop Best Electric Cars For KidsTop Best Swedish Brands in The USTop Best Skincare Brands in AmericaTop Best American Lipstick BrandsTop Michelin-starred Restaurants in MiamiTop Best Secluded Getaways From MiamiTop Best Things To Do On A Rainy Day In MiamiTop Most Instagrammable Places In MiamiTop Interesting Facts about FlorenceTop Facts About The First Roman Emperor - AugustusTop Best Japanese FoodsTop Most Beautiful Historical Sites in IsraelTop Best Places To Visit In Holy SeeTop Best Hawaiian IslandsTop Reasons to Visit PortugalTop Best Hotels In L.A. With Free Wi-FiTop Best Scenic Drives in MiamiTop Best Vegan Restaurants in BerlinTop Most Interesting Attractions In WalesTop Health Benefits of a Vegan DietTop Best Thai Restaurant in Las VegasTop Most Beautiful Forests in SwitzerlandTop Best Global Universities in GermanyTop Most Beautiful Lakes in GuyanaTop Best Things To Do in IdahoTop Things to Know Before Traveling to North MacedoniaTop Best German Sunglasses BrandsTop Highest Mountains In FranceTop Biggest Hydroelectric Plants in AmericaTop Best Spa Hotels in NYCTop The World's Scariest BridgeTop Largest Hotels In AmericaTop Most Famous Festivals in JordanTop Best European Restaurants in MunichTop Best Japanese Hiking Boot BrandsTop Best Universities in PolandTop Best Tips for Surfing the Web Safely and AnonymouslyTop Most Valuable Football Clubs in EuropeTop Highest Mountains In ColombiaTop Real-Life Characters of Texas RisingTop Best Beaches in GuatelamaTop Things About DR Congo You Should KnowTop Best Korean Reality & Variety ShowsTop Best RockstarsTop Most Beautiful Waterfalls in GermanyTop Best Fountain Pen Ink BrandsTop Best European Restaurants in ChicagoTop Best Fighter Jets in the WorldTop Best Three-Wheel MotorcyclesTop Most Beautiful Lakes in ManitobaTop Best Dive Sites in VenezuelaTop Best Websites For Art StudentsTop Best Japanese Instant Noodle BrandsTop Best Comedy Manhwa (Webtoons)Top Best Japanese Sunglasses BrandsTop Most Expensive Air Jordan SneakersTop Health Benefits of CucumberTop Famous Universities in SwedenTop Most Popular Films Starring Jo Jung-sukTop Interesting Facts about CougarsTop Best Hospitals for Hip Replacement in the USATop Most Expensive DefendersTop Health Benefits of GooseberriesTop Health Benefits of ParsnipsTop Best Foods and Drinks in LondonTop Health Benefits of Rosehip TeaTop Best Air Fryers for Low-fat CookingTop Most Asked Teacher Interview Questions with AnswersTop Best Shopping Malls in ZurichTop The Most Beautiful Botanical Gardens In L.A.Top Best Mexican Restaurants in Miami for Carb-loading rightTop Best Energy Companies in GermanyTop Best Garage HeatersTop Largest Banks in IrelandTop Leading Provider - Audit and Assurance In The USTop Best Jewelry Brands in IndiaTop Prettiest Streets in the UKTop Best Lakes to Visit in TunisiaTop Highest Mountains in Israel