2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport: The Next Stage

The Infiniti Q50 Sport is an all-new model for the Japanese luxury brand, but it's worth adding an asterisk to that claim - this is the next-generation G sedan, which has been renamed according to the automaker's new 'Q-centric' scheme, an affectation that now touches every member of the Infiniti line-up.  The previous version of Infiniti's entry-level automobile was aimed at the BMW set, and the Q50 Sport continues this trend by significantly upping the stakes.  More eye-catching than ever before and featuring a host of new technologies designed to wow premium shoppers, the 2014 Q50 Sport is by far the best four-door automobile to have ever worn the Infiniti badge.

No More Mr. Anonymous

Although the similarly-styled G coupe (now the Q60) did come with appreciable flair, it's safe to say that the G sedan blended into the luxury crowd a little too easily.  The 2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport is an entirely different proposition, a vehicle which features a malevolent front fascia whose sculpted headlights peer out over bumper bulges that seemingly dare you to give it a reason to beat you up.  A wide, honeycomb grille contributes to the performance image of the Q50 Sport, and I also appreciated how the body work widens out just ahead of the rear wheels to further enhance the muscular stance of the automobile.  It's been a long time since Infiniti has given its most affordable sedan this much personality, which shone through despite the dull silver finish of my tester (an inexplicably popular premium car colour).

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A larger (yet lighter) platform for the Q50 Sport translates into a more comfortable experience for front and rear passengers, who have a bit more room to stretch out within the four-door's confines despite the vehicle matching last year's wheelbase.  Infiniti has also upped their game in terms of the Q50's trim, with elegant wood serving as an accent more than a focal point, and an all-new dash and console layout that feels much more in line with the car's luxury demographic that last year's model did.

The biggest standout is the pair of LCD touchscreens that dominate the center stack.  The top screen serves primarily as a navigation display, while the bottom unit offers a higher resolution for the vehicle's InTouch system.  InTouch is the next stage in the evolution of Infiniti's consistently excellent multimedia and communications interfaces, and it offers a more customizable display that allows drivers to get in-depth with the Q50 Sport's feature set.  You still get hard buttons for the climate and stereo controls - as well as Audio, Home, and Climate buttons just underneath the LCD that automatically jump to their respective InTouch screens - and there's a dial in the center console as a third way to get around the digital real estate.  All in all, it’s an impressive effort from Infiniti that keeps usability at its core.

Something Old, Something New

Long-time Infiniti fans will be familiar with the 3.7-liter V6 that comes standard with the 2014 Q50 Sport, as in many ways its identical to the mill that motivated last year's sedan.  Rated at 328 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque, and matched with a seven-speed automatic transmission, the engine has been tuned for smoother power delivery that improves on the occasionally coarse nature of other Infiniti models using this same motor.  The Q50 Sport is quite quick: despite no longer offering a six-speed manual transmission as an option (boo-urns!), 0-100 km/h runs in the mid five-second range are par for the course for the sedan, and paddle shifters allow for a bit more driver engagement via the autobox.

The most intriguing part of the Q50 Sport's performance portfolio is the Drive Mode selector.  The system is accessed via a rocker switch on the center console, and consists of Snow, Eco, Standard,  Sport, and Personal modes.  Each is self-explanatory, with Eco and Snow dialling back throttle response and Sport providing stiffer steering and quicker acceleration.  Personal, however, is unique to Infiniti, as it allows for the driver (via the InTouch system)  to select exactly how heavy and fast they want the steering to be, as well as whether throttle response should be sharp and whether Active Trace Control (a braking featuring designed to enhance cornering) should be active.

No other sport sedan in the Q50 Sport's price range offers this level of customization, and it's made possible in part by the car's Direct Adaptive Steering system - the first steer-by-wire effort from Infiniti.  It's honestly an excellent feature, because while I wanted the quick steering and responsive throttle of the Sport mode, I detested the overboosted effort it required to turn the wheel.  The electronic steering itself was not quite as smooth or communicative as I wanted it to be, as it's still a new technology with room for improvement, but Personal allowed me to mix-and-match until I was happy with how the car drove.

A Glimpse Of The Future

The 2014 Infiniti Q50 Sport that I drove was a zero-option car, which meant that it didn't come with the full range of safety and convenience technologies that are a key pivot point for the brand's entry-level onslaught.  That being said, sampling the new Q50 Sport 'in the raw' allowed me to evaluate it based purely on its driving and comfort merits, and in both of those categories it's safe to say that the automaker has succeeded in improving on what was already a compelling car.  The new Q50 Sport is more attractive, upscale, and focused out on the road than ever before, and these three qualities should help Infiniti carve out that bigger slice of the entry-level luxury pie that it has been craving for years.