Used 2017 INFINITI Q50 Red Sport 400 Sedan Review

The 2017 Infiniti Q50 is up against some very accomplished competitors in the luxury sport sedan class. But for those looking to buck the trend, the Q50 represents a viable alternative, delivering strong performance, plenty of features and a competitive price.

The 2017 Q50's interior design is showing its age — it is very similar to the G37 sedan that it replaced a few years ago — but the use of quality materials and sturdy construction keep it in favorable territory. That said, the competing Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class have all undergone more recent and significant redesigns, pushing them to the front of the class and perhaps taking the Q50 down a few notches. As a result, we suggest checking out all of the offerings in this competitive class.

As with many of its rivals, the Q50 is offered in more luxurious or sporty trims and with a choice of engines. There's also a hybrid model, but we need to evaluate it ourselves to see if it's been improved enough to escape the disappointment we experienced with a previous version.

The Infiniti Q50 is a luxury sport sedan with seating for five. It is available in four main trim levels: the 2.0t with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (208 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque); the 3.0t with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (300 hp, 295 lb-ft); the more powerful Red Sport 400 that uses the same V6 engine (400 hp, 350 lb-ft); and the Q50 Hybrid model that uses a 3.5-liter V6 paired with a 50-kW electric engine (combined 360 hp). A seven-speed automatic is the only transmission available, but buyers can choose between rear- and all-wheel drive.

In addition to the main trim choices, there are further variants. The main two are Sport and Premium, but there's also a base model for the 2.0t.

The 2.0t base model's feature highlights include 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and foglights, automatic wipers, selectable drive modes, keyless entry and ignition, dual-zone automatic climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, eight-way power-adjustable front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth connectivity, a rearview camera, twin touchscreen displays (8-inch upper and 7-inch lower), and a six-speaker CD player with two USB ports and satellite radio.

The 2.0t Premium and 3.0t Premium trims add a sunroof, a 16-speaker Bose premium surround-sound system and an advanced air filtration system. On top of these items, the 2.0t Sport and 2.0t Sport AWD trims include wider 19-inch wheels with summer performance tires, auto-dimming outside mirrors, upgraded brakes, a sport-tuned suspension, magnesium paddle shifters mounted to the steering column, leather upholstery, manual thigh extensions for the front seats, power lumbar and side bolster adjustments for the driver, driver-seat memory functions, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel and 60/40-split folding rear seats. The 3.0t Sport trim is similarly equipped and adds an adaptive suspension. The Red Sport 400 also gets the suspension upgrade as well as wider rear tires (but not for AWD models) and, of course, red brake calipers.

The Hybrid Premium includes most of the Premium trim features and adds 19-inch wheels, the auto-dimming mirrors, an adaptive steering system, remote ignition, the sport-tuned suspension, a power-adjustable and heated tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, heated front seats, driver-seat  lumbar adjustments, a navigation system, Infiniti InTouch emergency telematics and wood interior trim. Also included are advanced safety features such as a forward collision warning system with automatic braking, a surround-view camera system, front and rear parking sensors, and a blind-spot monitoring system with rear cross-traffic alert. The folding rear seats are not available.

Most features are available on supporting models in bundled option packages. Other add-ons include adaptive cruise control, adaptive steering, a lane departure warning and prevention system, adaptive headlights, automatic high beams, and interior upgrades such as premium leather upholstery and wood accents.

2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport Sedan (3.7L V6; 7-speed automatic)

NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current Infiniti Q50 has received some revisions to its engines, transmission, suspension and steering. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's Q50, however.