Written by Marco Carvajal
2023 Infiniti Q50 Sensory AWD
Infiniti
Infiniti is the premium luxury car brand of Nissan, every infinity car is carefully tuned for excellent driving performance and a luxury interior. Usually, Infiniti cars are not too flashy or even too trendy-looking, but they are all bolt, and superb.
Drivers discovering this brand will be surprised and impressed by how the humble look of Infiniti cars will fascinate you as you start to drive them. Premium features, very good quality, and precise driving are synonyms of Infiniti cars.
Infiniti cars are divided into two main automobile lines, Q for sedan models, and QX for SUVs or crossovers, two parallel lineups that are related in style and driving dynamics. Today I am test-driving the Q50 sedan Sensory with optional all-wheel-drive.
Q50 Sedan
I enjoy driving the 2023 Infiniti Q50 Sensory AWD, nice medium size sports and luxury sedan that makes driving a real pleasure. The interior and exterior of the Q50 are attractive and very comfortable but without going too flashy, keeping elegance in a conservative style.
For me the best part of the Q50 is its driving dynamics, when you ride on this sedan, you feel you want to keep going, it is agile, fast, very precise on corners, highways, and when changing lanes, very fast and very smooth to drive.
The Q50 sports sedan includes very good driving performance, safety features, good usability, award-winning seating comfort, and excellent interior design that brings elegance and luxury to a high level.
The 2023 Infiniti Q50 Sensory I am driving features elegance and style in every detail as it shows a higher level of the finest driving experience.
Infinity Premium Care
One of the benefits of owning a 2023 Q50 is the addition of Infinity Premium Care, a great bonus from the luxury automaker providing top-rated customer satisfaction through this integrated maintenance program.
“For 2023, the INFINITI Q50 continues to deliver finely crafted design, connected technology, and a driver-focused interior” said Craig Keeys, Group Vice President of INFINITI Americas. “The addition of INFINITI Premium Care further enhances the ownership experience for our loyal customers.”
INFINITI Premium Care maintenance program is included on all INFINITI model year 2023 vehicles, lease or retail when sold in the United States. This premium package provides a suite of benefits including up to three years of inspections, oil changes, and tire rotations to keep your Q50 like new with no additional cost for the owner.
Performance
Any Q50 car model is fast and powerful. The Q50 Sensory model I am test driving includes a 3.0 L V6 twin-turbocharged engine producing 300 horsepower, but the Q50 Red Sport 400 increases power to 400 horsepower. The Sensory model produces 295 lb-ft of torque.
The powerful 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbocharged (2997cc) powering the Q50 Sensory is a 24-valve engine, aluminum-alloy block, and heads with a water-cooled air charging system. Double overhead camshaft, 4 valves per cylinder with Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System optimizes opening of intake (electric) and exhaust (hydraulic) valves
Premium and safety technology like Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, Intelligent Cruise Control, and Intelligent Distance Control help keep you safe and engaged with the road ahead. It’s an added layer of protection when you need it most. Control and command of the Q50 are entirely yours every time you take the wheel. Intuitive mounted inputs, including available steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters, customize the drive exactly to your liking.
Smart safety sensors strategically placed around Q50 build a comprehensive safety system, ready to react when you don’t react, keeping you safe onboard this fast sedan.
Intelligent Cruise Control uses sensors to adjust speed and distance from the vehicle in front of you when cruise control is activated.
Fuel Economy
The Q50 Sensory has a normal fuel economy consumption of 19 Miles per Gallon in the City, 27 Miles per Gallon on the highway, and an average combined consumption of 22 MPG. In general, this is a good fuel economy for a fast V6 engine sports sedan.
Design
The Q50 is humble at first sight but as you get close to it you start to discover all the premium and stylish details. The sedan’s chiseled, athletic design showcases premium details throughout. A refined interior let you be in control of this fast machine.
When you are about to enter the Q50’s interior, it welcomes you with external and internal lighting to create a welcoming ambiance that goes parallel with the Q50 stylish design. Bold lines and quality materials accentuate a luxurious cabin.
The Q50 Intelligent-Key system registers all your settings including seat position, cabin temperature, and audio adjustments.
The overall design of the Q50 includes Intelligent climate control, entertainment, and connectivity features that produce a cabin feel like home for everyone aboard. Keep it cool or heat things up with one-button Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control.
The Q50’s standard connectivity features are designed to complement the driving experience.
Driving the Q50 you can enjoy the pleasure of multimedia and controls with the Q50’s standard INFINITI InTouch dual HD display system, similar to a personal concierge hub that is completely customizable to your personal taste and needs.
2023 Q50 Trim Levels
Each Q50 sedan is available with the optional Infiniti Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for an additional $2,000 charge.
The 2023 Q50 is available in three grades with standard rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive available.
- LUXE,
- SENSORY, and
- RED SPORT 400
Pricing for the Q50 starts around $42K for the base model Q50 Luxe and goes all the way to $58K for the top-of-the-line Q50 Red Sport 400 AWD. I am test-driving the Q50 Sensory AWD, a good trim model in the middle of the lineup, priced around $50K.
The base model INFINITI Q50 LUXE is not so basic for a base model in the lineup, it has a lot of luxury and features included. It starts at a pricing of $42,650 MSRP and delivers a generous level of standard equipment that includes wireless Apple CarPlay, USB-based Android Auto compatibility, leather-appointed seats, 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and Bose Performance Series audio.
The 2023 model year LUXE version now offers an available Saddle Brown interior color choice, which was previously introduced only for the next trim level Q50 SENSORY.
The second trip of the lineup the Q50 SENSORY starts at $48,350 MSRP and it adds 19-inch wheels, black open-pore wood interior trim, integrated navigation, sport front, and rear fascias, an Advanced Climate Control System with Plasmacluster Air Purifier and Grape Polyphenol filter.
The Q50 SENSORY model I am test driving is a great car to drive. New for 2023 this model adds an available Radiant Grille Emblem, which was previously available only for the top of the line Q50 RED SPORT 400. This new illuminated emblem adds a stylish visual accent to the Q50’s strong front-end design.
The top trim Q50 RED SPORT 400, is the most generous trim not only with more features but also with the most powerful powertrain, starting at $56,500 MSRP. The Red Sport 400 offers the highest performance in the lineup, with its 3.0-liter VR-series twin-turbo V6 engine delivering increased power with 400 maximum horsepower versus 300 horsepower on lower-trim models Luxe and Sensory, and increased torque of 350 lb-ft versus the 295 torque on the other trim models of the Q50 lineup.
The top-of-the-line Red Sport trim also includes exclusive large 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels for a stronger and more sporty look; updated brakes with four-piston front and two-piston rear calipers; Dynamic Digital Suspension, which constantly adjusts the shock absorber valves within a wide range of damping force to control body motion on difficult cornering.
The Q50 is a great sports sedan to own and drive in the competitive market of sedans. The Q50 excels expectations with its athletic design and premium interior, the 2023 INFINITI Q50 sedan further elevates its appeal when you drive on fast highways where its engine, transmission, and wheel respond with great precision.
