Review of the 2019 Infiniti Q50’s performance. Note: When the 2019 Infiniti Q50 was first released, this performance evaluation was written. The Infiniti Q50 has two V6 engines that are optional as well as a standard turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Q50 rides comfortably even over potholes in the road and boasts engaging handling.
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For 2020, the Infiniti Q50 only offers a V6 engine, dropping the turbocharged four-cylinder model.
Even though the Infiniti Q50 is a touch outdated, the company is updating it for the 2020 model year.
The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine’s demise, which produced 208 horsepower (155 kW/211 PS) and 258 lb-ft (349 Nm) of torque, is the big news. Although the engine won’t necessarily be missed, its removal has caused prices to rise.
Infiniti is launching the Q50 3.0t Pure, a new entry-level vehicle, in an effort to combat this. Pricing starts at $36,400, which is $750 more expensive than the base model from the previous year, the Q50 2.0t Pure.
Although we usually hate to see prices go up, the Q50 3.0t Pure has a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine that generates 300 horsepower (224 kW / 304 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque, so the price rise isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The 2019 Q50 3.0t Luxe started at $38,400, making the Q50 3.0t Pure more affordable than the base model with the twin-turbo V6 from the previous year.
Naturally, the Q50 3.0t Pure has a limited feature set. Having said that, the vehicle has 17-inch alloy wheels, a dual exhaust system, and LED headlights. Eight-way power front seats, leatherette upholstery, lunar black trim, and a dual-zone automatic temperature control system are a few further highlights.
The base model won’t have any extras, and customers can’t even get premium paint, which is a shame. Customers now have a choice of only four colors: Black Obsidian, Graphite Shadow, Liquid Platinum, and Pure White. On the plus side, an all-wheel drive system is an option for the Q50 3.0t Pure.
A new Infiniti InTouch infotainment system with an upper 8-inch touchscreen and a lower 7-inch display is added to all Q50s in addition to the updated base model. Along with support for Siri and Google Voice, the system touts compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
There are only a few more updates, and drivers will notice two extra USB ports. One is USB Type-A and the other is USB Type-C; both are lighted.
Q60 Infiniti
Every sports coupe has an engine at its core. The Q60 is available with three distinct turbocharged engine options from INFINITI. A 2.0L inline 4-cylinder engine with 208 horsepower is used in 2.0t versions. 3.0L engines with 6-cylinders and a turbocharger, producing 300 horsepower, are standard in 3.0t versions. Premium Red Sport 400 models likewise feature a 3.0L turbocharged 6-cylinder engine, but their power has been increased to 400, offering incredibly rapid acceleration at any speed. Customers will receive a 7-speed automatic transmission, which can deliver power to either the rear wheels or all four wheels depending on the engine they choose. Each trim level also comes with an all-wheel drive variant.
There are four standard trims for the INFINITI Q60: 2.0t, 2.0t Premium, 3.0t Premium, and Red Sport 400. Even the base 2.0t is well-equipped for a luxury coupe. In addition to having LED fog lights, headlights, and brake lights as standard, the base model also comes with push-button start, remote keyless entry, dual-zone automatic climate control, a sequential welcome lighting system, leatherette seating surfaces, 8-way power adjustable front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, satellite radio, and not one, but two LCD touch screens, the top one measuring 8 inches and the bottom one measuring nearly as big at 7 inches. Additionally incorporated are voice recognition, a rearview monitoring system, and an alarm.
The Bose 13-speaker sound system with several subwoofers, multimedia playback on the LCD touch screen, an auto-dimming mirror with a built-in garage door opener, and a power sliding tinted glass sunroof are all included with the 2.0T Premium trim. Similar to 3.0T Standard vehicles, 3.0T Premium models have the larger, V6 engine.
The INFINITI Q60 Red Sport 400 elevates everything. The 400 Red Sport is an incredibly quick automobile with 400 horsepower, and its numerous exterior style upgrades let everyone know exactly how serious it is. It gains distinctive 19-inch wheels, larger brake calipers painted in red, red “S” emblems, and larger exhaust tips. The Red Sport’s interior features a motorized tilt and telescoping steering wheel, leather seats, carbon fiber trim, aluminum highlights, and paddle shifters placed on the steering wheel. Additionally, the Red Sport has computer-controlled dynamic digital suspension, which ought to improve handling.
Numerous airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, stability control, and a brake assist system are among the safety features offered by the Q60. A backup collision intervention system, a blind spot warning system, a predictive forward collision warning system, and a lane departure warning system are all available safety features.
Winner: the 2.0L DOHC VC-Turbo 4-Cyl. Infiniti QX50.
With its variable-compression turbo 4-cyl., Infiniti makes a significant technological advancement, and we can’t help but grin every time we push the gas pedal.
It’s not a novel concept to change compression ratios in order to increase an internal combustion engine’s power and efficiency. Just ask the Infiniti engineers who took a concept that had been in development for 20 years off the shelf, brought it to production level over a number of years in the 2.0L VC-Turbo 4-cyl., and are now seeing it used in the Infiniti QX50 CUV.
Push the QX50’s accelerator hard and get ready to be astonished. You cannot prepare for the abrupt surge of low-rpm power from such a small-displacement engine without a burst of nitrous.
Amazing things are taking place inside the variable-compression turbo engine of the QX50: The VC-Turbo actually reduces the length of the piston stroke, changing the compression ratio from 14.0:1 to 8.0:1 depending on load and demand, all while the engine is operating at a high speed thanks to a proprietary multi-link system between the rods and the crankshaft.
The 268-hp engine produces 280 lb.-ft. (380 Nm) of torque at a low 1,600 revolutions per minute (rpm) when under high throttle and during periods of peak demand. It resembles Honda’s patented high-rpm i-VTEC valve management in terms of how it feels, but it activates at a considerably lower engine speed. There is hardly any turbo lag.
Editor Jim Irwin writes, “Plenty of power available.” “Immediate, muscular reaction.”
The all-aluminum engine also has mirror-bore cylinder coatings, a variable-displacement oil pump, direct and port fuel injection, the exhaust manifold incorporated into the head, digital intake valve timing, and hydraulic exhaust valve timing.
The end result is a snappy, high-performance engine that has the same amount of power as the 3.5L V-6 it replaces but uses 27% less fuel. In our tests, a 24/30 mpg (9.8-7.8 L/100 km) city/highway engine produced 25-26 mpg (9.0-8.7 L/100 km) in regular driving.
You’ll have a difficult time locating another 4-cyl. turbo capable of producing the same performance, quickness, and outstanding fuel efficiency in a car this size.
However, this thing works, observes Judge David Zoia as he muses about the expense and complexity of a variable-compression engine. This will outperform most of its rivals while still matching or outperforming them in terms of fuel efficiency.
The good news? The VC-Turbo made its premiere in the high-end QX50, but parent firm Nissan had already made the engine available in the well-liked Altima sedan. We anticipate that the technology would eventually emerge as standard equipment on many future Nissan and Infiniti cars.
Performance – Engine, Transmission, and Other
Every QX50 has been powered with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with variable compression since it was redesigned for the 2019 model year; this engine is known as VC-Turbo. The engine’s 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque are transmitted to the front or all four wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). During steady cruising and forceful acceleration, the engine easily switches between high compression and low compression. Only those expecting a genuinely speedy crossover will be dissatisfied, even though it never thrills when the pedal to the metal. Unfortunately, the CVT makes the engine noise even louder when the throttle is applied heavily, especially in urban areas. The Infiniti focuses comfort and luxury, and its compliant ride is smooth on the highway and composed on bumpy roads. Despite having minimal contact with the road, the steering wheel has accurate responses and requires little effort. Sadly, the Infiniti’s soft brake pedal behaves erratically. The QX50’s nose falls forward under hard braking, resulting in more than one sloppy stop in rush-hour traffic. In our emergency-braking test, it nonetheless stopped from 70 mph in a respectable 164 feet.
Mercedes-Benz Turbocharged Four Coming to the Infiniti Q50
Johan de Nysschen, the head of Infiniti, linked some all-too-close dots at the Detroit auto show when he revealed that the Mercedes-Benz-designed turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will be available in the U.S. for the new Q50, which will replace the G37. Representatives from Infiniti have since confirmed to us that De Nysschen’s comments to Autoweek were accurate.
Johan de Nysschen, the head of Infiniti, linked some all-too-close dots at the Detroit auto show when he revealed that the Mercedes-Benz-designed turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine will be available in the U.S. for the new Q50, which will replace the G37. De Nysschen was speaking with Autoweek, and Infiniti representatives have now told us that the quotes are accurate.
Early in 2012, the two businesses came to an arrangement under which Nissan will assemble four-cylinder engines for Daimler at a plant in Tennessee. The engines will be used by Daimler in the future GLA-class compact SUV and the next-generation C-class, which will start production later this year in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The Benz-engineered motors will also be included in Infiniti’s upcoming Q40 small in addition to the Q50; the Q40’s front-drive architecture was also sourced from Mercedes-Benz. (Read more about the Benz/Infiniti platform sharing agreement here.)
Expect the 2.0-liter engine to produce between 210 and 240 horsepower. The variant with this engine is the only one that, so far, pairs the 3.7-liter V-6 and hybrid exclusively with a seven-speed automatic transmission, giving rise to any ray of optimism that Infiniti will offer the Q50 with a manual transmission in the United States. We’re confident that all-wheel drive will be an option as well, as Infiniti even offers it with the Q50 hybrid. Infiniti knows that a system like this is required to sell luxury vehicles in the United States.
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Do INFINITI engines work well?
With a few exceptions for unique vehicles, Nissan produces the majority of Infiniti engines. They are Nissan engines, it is true, but they should not be confused with the ones that are used in Nissan automobiles. The parent company is Nissan, and its luxury segment is Infiniti. Its higher-end luxury brand can only use the best and highest performing engines. When you get in the driver’s seat, you can tell the difference. The performance of Infiniti engines is superior to that of ordinary Nissan engines. A very unique engine that would be the first of its kind has been in development by Infiniti for decades. The variable compression engine for Infiniti took twenty years to develop. The lightweight V6 twin-turbo engine has a 300 or 400 horsepower option. Infiniti will soon adopt yet another cutting-edge technology. According to rumors, they intend to switch to all-hybrid or electric vehicles in the upcoming years. They are contributing to the effort to rescue the environment. For those who support cleaner energy and improved fuel economy, the transition will be exhilarating. Infiniti has a solid record of developing cutting-edge automobile technology.
Who produces the top 4-cylinder vehicles?
According to AutoWeb, 2014 was the Toyota Prius’s year. The 2014 Prius has a combined EPA fuel economy rating of 48 mpg, with a city fuel efficiency rating of 50 mpg and a highway fuel efficiency rating of 46 mpg. Most other cars find it difficult to surpass this. The 2014 Prius is difficult to beat because to these extra features as well:
- 1.8 liters of four cylinders
- Hybrid gas-electric drivetrain
In the 2017 J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study, the 2014 Toyota Prius topped the Compact Car category. The Prius was included among the top used vehicles for 2015 model year reliability.