Warning, below is an opinion. Only ready if you truly have nothing better to do...no refunds on your time.

I am currently driving a Q50 loaner while my 2013 G37x is at the dealer I felt compelled to give my initial impression:

There is nothing special about this car! It "feels" generic. It feels like a rental car. It doesn't seem to be especially well put together or made with expensive materials. My loaner has the leatherette and it feels really thin and cheap. The user interface for the radio/nav, etc is decent but I hate the shiny screen that shows all your fingerprints. Perhaps a higher level model might have some aspects that are good but I'm trying to imagine who Infiniti is trying to lure in with the more basic (lesser equipped) models. I like the exterior design. That is a winner, in my opinion. However, the interior design is very much like many cars these days...center stack could have come from a Ford.

So, bottom line, I can't see anyone lusting over this car. There is nothing that draws you to it. I can only see someone being drawn to the car if Infiniti has great lease deals or the customer had a great experience with their G and decided to stay in the family. That is NOT a winning recipe for success. This car just doesn't move the needle.

It's a shame. With the resources available from the parent company, I would have expected a better offering. As is, it plays like a stop-gap until the "real" new generation comes out. Fingers crossed.

OK, I'll get down from my soapbox.

 

^totally agree. Had a Q50 as a loaner and was so disappointed with everything.

 

You helped me decide to purchase my 2012 as it is coming off lease this month.
Thanks

 

I like the exterior design as well - especially the front. The interior looks a little over-wrought, with too much going on. I especially don't like the two different looking screens on the center stack - much prefer the more buttoned down, purposeful looking dash in my G.

 

To me, the build quality is definitely a step up. ZERO groan, squeak, rattle, or any unwanted noise. Brand new Q40 still have a bit of noise although not constant but noticeable with bad bumpy roads. But the Q50 is solid. Interior design is not necessarily nicer but still pretty ok. However one thing I absolutely LOVE about the interior is the lower seating position. There is a crap load of head room versus the G which even after I did the low seat mod, my hair still touches the roof. Trunk un/loading is a lot easier too.

 

Pretty accurate one, IMO.

The not-quite-leather seats are pathetic. And while I find the center console and dash to be busy, it's still an upscale improvement over the somewhat hard and minimalist approach to the G's dashboard. Personally, I find the exterior styling to be corporate bland, and indistinguishable from so many other sedans on the market today. Essentially, the Q50 isn't worth the sticker price, and I'll never be buying one.

But the biggest complaint about the Q50... it's not at all the same kind of driver's car that my 6MT Sedan is. Not even close. And it didn't have to be that way.

 

Had a Q50 loaner as well, and echo everything said here. Drove it for a week. COULD NOT WAIT to get my G back.

I thought the headroom was actually less than my G.

I liked the exterior styling, and the AT or diff seemed geared to allow quicker response from a stand-still.

Several times at car start, the computer took too damn long to boot up. Like, over a minute. And it's the only way to adjust everything - audio, environment, etc. Way too cumbersome navigating that thing while driving in traffic. I wanted to punch that damn screen. And yeah the fingerprints.

Also agree re: "driver's car". But I read they're supposedly replacing the 2015's twitchy electrically-assisted power steering with a G-inspired hydraulic rack setup in 2016, which should help a ton.

 

Here's another good article about the 2016 Q50's steering going back to the good ol' G derived system.

Infiniti Q50S to Get G37-Derived Steering System for 2016 ? News ? Car and Driver | Car and Driver Blog

I love the look of my Q40. The 50 does have a good updated look about it but it is pretty derivative of many other sedans on the road. I laugh when people think it's a Mazda. I think it looks sexy but it really doesn't stand out. I find the rear end especially generic.

When I test drove the 50 just didn't have the in-tune with the road feel of the 40. They tried to move towards a more refined feel, which they achieved, but most reviews say that's what
it's downfall is.

I just couldn't pay more for a base 50 when I got a loaded 40 for nearly 9k off of the sticker price. Sticker just under 40,000 price a bit over $31,000.

The BWM 3 series gets the same critique. That they moved towards refinement and away from pure driving joy. The BMW has the M if you want to pay for it but Infiniti just has the S, which at least looks as if it will get the steering rack that we all already enjoy.

I'm hoping that the 50 will get a nice refresh in late 2017 when the 2018 model comes out.

 

AWD, Premium, Nav... for $31K?

That's a lot of car for the price. Throw in another $5k in mods, and you've got an amazing vehicle that surpasses the Q.

 

same here!

 

I had one as a loaner and loved it....except for the steering. When I selected sport for the steering setting, it felt ridiculously artificial and overly stiff. The one I had was fully loaded with the new bose setup. The stereo seams somewhat more powerful and has a little more depth. It did seem a little boomy tho. It was a rear wheel drive and definitely felt stronger off the line than my x. The steering was also very twitchy. Could've been the 19 inch Summer tires as opposed to my 17 inch tiger paws, but overall, a very sexy sleek car that I would definitely own. Oh, and the tranny is wayyyy smoother.

 

The Q50 just has no soul. It does a lot of things right .....but too much has been lost.
Acura has done the same thing... Remember the old TL? It begged ya to beat it.
I guess it is the future of cars. I've seen it in planes too. The old jets I flew were seat of the pants. The new ones I teach are fly-by-wire and super automated. Safer? Yes. More fun? No way.

 

Same here.didn't like it at all.had a q50 for 4 days.couldn't wait to get my m37 back.it feels cheap

 

Okay then.

If we want to stay in the Infiniti family and want the G experience what are our options? Yes, I know the Q40....but...

Do we go with another manufacturer?

Sean

 

I had a 2015 Q50 AWD base loaner and a Q50s hybrid AWD.

The Q50 base AWD is too refined. The Q50s hybrid AWD .... Amazing power off the line and highway passing power. Smooth and powerful ! I just don't like the clunky steering...
The hybrid is hands down powerful, quicker, smoother than the best G37 sedan (stock)