2018 INFINITI Q50 Review

Strong performance, plenty of premium features and a competitive price give the 2018 Infiniti Q50 a well-earned seat at the table with other refined and accomplished luxury sport sedans.

The Q50's interior design continues to age gracefully, but age it does. It's the same basic design used since 2014, and it feels a bit behind the more modern, elegant environments in Audi and Mercedes rivals. But don't let that end your consideration. The Q50 is still a joy to drive. If you're looking for power, consider one of the Q50's turbocharged V6 engines. They deliver a jolt of pony car-esque thrill each time you dig into the pedal, especially in the Red Sport top trim. Infiniti also packs in plenty of standard features for you money.

Overall, the 2018 Infiniti Q50 isn't quite as polished as some rival sedans, but it stands as a desirable and stylish alternative to the status quo.

The Infiniti Q50 luxury sport sedan is available in five main trim levels: 2.0t, 3.0t, Red Sport 400 and Q50 Hybrid trim levels. Infiniti also offers three subtrims, Luxe, Pure and Sport.

The Q50 2.0t starts with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (208 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque) paired to a seven-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional. From there, the 2.0t Pure come with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights and foglights, automatic wipers, selectable drive modes, keyless entry and ignition, power-adjustable front seats, simulated leather upholstery, automatic dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, dual 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 Luxe variant adds 18-inch wheels, a sunroof and maple wood interior accents.

Moving up to the 3.0t brings a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (300 hp, 295 lb-ft of torque). all-wheel drive is again optional. The 3.0t Luxe is equipped similarly to the 2.0t Luxe trim while the 3.0t Sport adds 19-inch wheels, performance tires, leather upholstery and additional front seat adjustments.

The Red Sport 400 picks up where the 3.0t leaves off and adds a more powerful V6 (400 hp, 350 lb-ft of torque), unique 19-inch wheels (slightly wider in the rear), adjustable suspension settings, transmission paddle shifters, quilted leather upholstery, dark chrome and red stitching interior accents, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, remote engine start, a 60/40-split folding rear seat and a navigation system. The Red Sport 400 also offers a host of driver aids, including a top-down parking camera system, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking.

The Q50 Hybrid Luxe comes in one trim level similarly equipped to the 3.0t Luxe, but it also borrows from the Sport and Red Sport 400 features. Some extra features, including adaptive cruise control and a premium Bose audio system, are also standard on the Hybrid.

Many of the extra features found on the Red Sport are available as options on the lower trims. Depending on the trim level, other key options an adjustable suspension, additional driver aids and a premium audio system.