FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Ride Report Infiniti QX50

Sep 23, 2023 | 7:07 pm

#1

huskyflyer

Join Date: Dec 2022

Posts: 455

Ride Report Infiniti QX50

Class: Premium Elite SUV (UFAR). I reserved a UFAR because it was cheaper than almost every car class for some reason. Other cars in this class include the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC.

Exterior Impression:
I will let the photos do the talking. I quite like the look of the car as it definitely stands out, especially the front and side profile. Not too sure about the rear.

Interior Impression
The two screen set up is a bit odd, but it is not too bad. The top screen is for Apple Car Play and the bottom screen lets you change the car's settings and get different trip data like fuel economy. I quite like the two screen set up as you can see lots of stuff at once while driving. However, it can get confusing as to which screen the central knob is controlling and overall the tech was just not as intuitive as the BMW iDrive. The graphics on the screen are looking dated.

The instrument cluster is also very dated compared to the BMW X3, but is in line with the GLC.

The interior overall is luxurious as most parts of the car is soft touch materials and leather wrapped. However, the leather seats do not feel as premium as the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC. The seats are not that comfortable either as there was like no texture feeling on it and the bolsters were oddly positioned. Overall, the leather seats felt cheap compared to the competition.
I personally think the leather is of higher quality on the Nissan Maxima. I also think the seats on the Maxima are more comfortable (the Nissan Zero Gravity Seats) - I am perplexed as to why Infiniti did not use those seats on the Maxima.

There was something about the interior that felt like I was just in an upscale Nissan or a Mazda - it just did not feel that special like a BMW or Mercedes

The steering wheel is too small and thin for me - I prefer the larger BMW steering wheels that gives you more confidence.

Ride Quality and Handling

Compared to the X3, the engine is sluggish off the line. For this car, you really feel like you have to push hard on the accelerator when accelerating from the red light as a gentle press is not enough to get any real sense of power. There is also a lag when getting off the line. Overall, the engine just did not feel as alive as the X3. I think it also has to do with the fact that this car was a CVT.

I took this QX50 down the Interstate 5 and around the North Cascade Mountains. When going straight down the Interstate, the car is decently comfortable. However, it is not any more comfortable than the sportier X3 and it is not as plush as the GLC.

On the twisty roads around the North Cascade Mountains, this car actually handles pretty well despite its size. However, it does not give you the same confidence as the BMW X3 around the corner (even though I suspect the QX50 comes pretty close in actual performance compared to the X3 around the corners). It is more confident around twisty roads than the Mercedes GLC. I

Tech and Features
Overall, this car has more tech than the X3 and GLC ( I suspect EHI does not buy any optional stuff for the X3, but they do for the cheaper QX 50)
This car had the Infiniti Pro Pilot Assist, and it was awesome! The car could basically drive itself in the city. This feature also means this car comes equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control
This car also had a moon roof (for some reason the latest X3s no longer come with moon roofs in the EHI fleet)
However, this car does NOT have wireless CarPlay.

Fuel Economy
On this road trip overall down the Interstate 5 and around the North Cascade Mountain and with minimal city driving, I averaged around 26.2MPG (or 9.2L/100KM). On Interstate 5 with adaptive cruise control, this car is very fuel efficient, but around the mountains and in the city, the economy worsens quite significantly.

I can get a similar MPG on the BMW X3 in Eco Pro Mode. I feel like the BMW X3 is more efficient in the city compared to the QX50, but on the highway, both cars perform pretty similarly. However, I have gotten an even lower MPG on the X3 on the same stretch of the Interstate 5 (30MPG) , but I feel like the BMW iDrive system understates your real fuel economy sometimes based on what I end up filling at the gas pump.

Overall, the fuel economy is impressive for a car of this size and power. I have gotten worse fuel economy on regular SUVs like Tuscons and Jeep Compass.

On a subtle note, I think the QX50 may be more sensitive than the X3 to regular gas, and that may explain why I felt the engine was sluggish.

Final Impression
It is not a bad choice, but it is not a top choice. If I was offered a BMW X3, I would still take the BMW in a heart beat. If I was offered a QX50 or a GLC 300, it is a draw because at least the QX50 burns less gas, but it does not feel as luxurious as the GLC. However, if you are big on tech, the QX50 is better than the X3 and GLC with the Infiniti Pro Pilot Assist. The rear seat legroom is also better on the QX50 compared to the X3 so the QX50 may be a better car for a family road trip. However, for sheer driving fun (what I want in a car), the X3 remains the king of this class.