2014 Infinity Q50 preview
In other countries around the world Infinity is quite a big name but over it’s never quite seemed to take off with UK buyers. If the new Q50 is going to succeed over here then it’s got to tempt buyers away from the Audi A4 saloon and the BMW 3 Series. So what’s it like?
Let’s start with the interior. The interior is an absolutely crucial area for any executive car and the Q50 gets off to a really good start. The two screens in the center console looks absolutely fantastic and their full of really clever touches. The bottom screen is high definition and uses your phone’s internet connection to enable you to check your emails, connect to Facebook, twitter and any other social media you can think of. However, this does mean that it’s a little slow to respond and it’s so complicated that it takes quite a bit of time to get used to. The Q50 gets also gives you some other good features as standard such as leather seats and alloy wheels. However, it’s expensive to add what would otherwise be seen as standard kit like sat nav and digital radio. Oh yes, and don’t even expect to get these as standard in the top level models.
With the Q50 you have two engines to choose from. There’s a petrol-electric hybrid which is both quick and quiet on the move though it’s also very expensive which makes it hard to justify. There’s also the diesel engine which is the one we feel will be most popular with buyers. However, you’ll find the diesel extremely nosier than any of the Q50’s rivals either on the move or at a standstill.
In the executive car class there are some very fun cars to drive but unfortunately, the Q50 is not one of them. On a positive, the car runs smoothly and is pretty composed at motorway speeds and also pretty adept at dealing with most potholes. However, it’s with the steering that the Q50 has most of its issues. It uses a drive-by-wire system which makes it feel completely disconnected from the wheels and somewhat cumbersome. When you turn it through a corner there’s no real concept of where the wheels are pointing.
The space in the Q50 is good in most areas. At the front of the cabin there’s a decent amount of space and the seats are both big and comfortable. In the back however there’s a different story, where it’s good but by no means excellent by executive class standards. For example, the leg room in the back is very generous but the raised floor and low ceiling means you’re not going t get three adults across the back in any sort of comfort.
On paper at least the boot of the Q50 is a decent size. However, this size is not all that useable due to the awkward shape especially in the diesel where it gets narrower the further back it goes. This is somewhat offset by the fact you can fold the seats (only in the diesel) but you’ve still got a split between the cabin and the boot to contend with. With the hybrid is gets worse as the added technology means that the boot space is further compromised.
Ultimately, the biggest problem faced by the Infinity Q50 is the cars that it’s up against. The standards set by the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes are so high that there is no real way that you can recommend this car over its competition. It’s expensive to run both as a company and as a private car. It’s noisy if you go for the diesel and it’s just not that great to drive. Although the Q50 offers something a little bit different to the established competition in terms of looks and character unfortunately and ultimately your money really is better spent elsewhere.
