- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.0TT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
298kW, 475Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 9.3L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
4 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2017 Infiniti Q50 3.0T Red Sport new car review
What is it?
Nissan's struggling luxury brand has added some sizzle to its range with a twin-turbocharged V6 engine installed in its Q50 sedan.
Boasting 298kW and 475Nm the Q50 Red Sport isn't a full-blown sports sedan and is instead aimed at the likes of the Audi S4 and BMW 340i.
How much does it cost and what do you get?
The Red Sport tops the Q50 with a $79,990 (plus on-road costs) asking price, which is pretty competitive against the $99,900 Audi S4 and $89,900 BMW 340i even though Infiniti needs sharp pricing to tempt buyers away from the established brands.
For the money you get 19-inch alloys, sports seats, leather trim, dual-zone air-conditioning, keyless entry and ignition and a 14-speaker Bose sound system that incorporates navigation, Bluetooth streaming.
What's under the bonnet?
As mentioned at the start, the heart of the Red Sport is the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6. With nearly 300kW of power it certainly has some punch on the road. However, the power delivery can be a bit harsh at times, tending to come in with burst that fires the stability control into action.
Once you get used to it there's no doubting this is a potent engine and it makes the Q50 feel sporty.
You can alter the driving character (throttle, gearbox and suspension settings) between Standard, Sport, Sport+, Snow and Eco modes, depending on the conditions.
What's it like to drive?
Altering the drive settings, especially the dramatically named Dynamic Digital Suspension, has a noticeable impact on the character of the Red Sport.
In standard settings it feels reasonably comfortable and compliant. But dialling up Sport or Sport+ significantly increases its stiffness, leaving the suspension susceptible to even small bumps in the road.
Even in the sportier settings the Q50 lacks the poise and finesse that its European rivals can boast. It feels heavier and slower to react to inputs so it can't match its competition in terms of driving thrills.
What's it like inside?
In a word - busy. The leather upholstery and aluminium trim give it a premium feel in part but the amount of buttons and screens give it a messy appearance.
While other premium car makers are simplifying cabin design, the Q50 has a lot going on. For example, instead of a single infotainment screen, the centre of the dashboard features two - one for the navigation and one for the rest of the infotainment functions.
Not only does it feel unnecessary and give the cabin a busy appearance, the two screens have very different resolutions. The lower screen for the infotainment system is a hi-res touchscreen while the navigation is low-res and looks like it has been pulled straight from Nissan's parts bin.
In many ways it sums up the Q50 - some things are done very well but there's too much obvious cost savings to make it a real threat to the luxury big guns.
Is it safe?
One of the strengths of the Red Sport is it comes equipped with 'Infiniti Safety Shield' which includes forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring and intervention, rear cross traffic alert with braking, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.
A surround view camera and front and rear parking sensors are also included as standard.
Would I buy it?
The Red Sport adds some pizzazz to an otherwise anonymous Q50 range, accounting for a scant 0.8 per cent of the mid-size premium market. It's a nice engine but the whole car needs more refinement to make it a serious contender to the likes of the S4 and 340i.
Arguably its biggest appeal is the fact it its exclusivity - an ironic result of not being as popular as its European counterparts. If you want something that stands out from the regular luxury brands then the Infiniti fits the bill.
But, having said that, be aware you'll pay for it come resale time when it is likely to take a bigger hit than something from Germany.
What else should I consider?
2017 Infiniti Q50 3.0T Red Sport. Photo: Supplied
There are plenty of sporty mid-size sedans on the market at the moment to choose from. The Audi S4, BMW 340i and Mercedes-AMG C43 may be more expensive but offer a more polished driving experience and present better than the Q50 Red Sport.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce and Jaguar XE 25t R-Sport lack the sheer grunt of the Infiniti but compensate with a more agile and dynamic drive.
2017 Infiniti Q50 3.0T Red Sport pricing and specifications
Price: From $79,900 plus on-road costs
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol
Power: 298kW at 6400rpm
Torque: 475Nm at 5200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Fuel use: 9.3L/100km