INFINITI Q50 vs INFINITI QX50

In the early 2000s, Infiniti had it all, then lost it.

As the 2003 model year dawned, Nissan’s Infiniti luxury brand had finally succeeded at matching the German establishment with the G35—a legitimate challenger to the epochal BMW 3 Series. But while BMW has been able to build on its success, Infiniti failed to maintain momentum. The G35’s descendent—the 2021 Infiniti Q50—is a case in point.

Like the G35, The Q50 emphasizes style and sportiness, but with some questionable decisions made along the way. It’s also getting old. The Q50 was introduced for the 2014 model year, and rivals, including the 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Acura TLX, Lexus IS, and Volvo S60, have all been redesigned or heavily updated since then. The Cadillac ATS, meanwhile, has morphed into the CT4, while the Genesis G70 didn’t even exist when the Q50 launched.

With Infiniti putting most of its resources into SUVs, the Q50 only gets mild updates for the 2021 model year. The only changes are a new Sensory trim level, more driver-assist tech, and a built-in WiFi hotspot.

In addition to the new-for-2021 Sensory, Infiniti also offers entry-level Pure, Luxe, and Red Sport 400 trim levels, along with a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Our test car was a Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD—the sportiest version available.

The Infiniti QX50 was redesigned for the 2019 model year, introducing a fresh new look and a cutting-edge variable-compression turbocharged (VC-Turbo) engine. Safety improvements followed in 2020, and the 2021 model year sees even more changes.

Among the highlights are more safety equipment throughout the trim level lineup, a standard WiFi hotspot, and increased availability of the automaker's ProPilot Assist suite of driver-assistance features.