Infiniti Q50 2.0t GT 2014 review

A price closer to $50,000 than its key competition is designed to push the Q50 further up shopping lists and improve slow Infiniti sales.

The medium prestige sedan's arrival with a Mercedes-Benz sourced 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine takes to three (a diesel and a V6 petrol hybrid) the number of drivetrains on offer to Australian prestige car buyers, who are yet to take to the luxury arm of Nissan in any great numbers.

The Q50 range - with a Benz 2.2-litre turbodiesel and a 3.5-litre petrol-V6 electric hybrid - has been on sale since February but only 133 Q50s (out of an Infiniti total of 280) have found homes this year.

The two-litre direct-injection alloy engine produces 155kW and 350Nm while claiming a thirst of 7.3L/100km with a stop-start fuel saver system.

Infiniti Australia managing director and CEO Richard Emery says the Q50 turbo petrol model is an exciting addition to the Australian Q50 range.

"This is an exceptional driver's car and, like the turbo-diesel and hybrid-powered Q50, it embodies Infiniti's brand hallmarks of impressive performance, provocative styling and clever but intuitive technologies," he says.

The turbo four-cylinder rear-drive sedan, which goes on sale October 1, has a seven-speed auto and runflat tyres as standard.

Also standard fare on the 2.0t GT base-model are 17-inch alloy wheels, two touchscreens for infotainment controls and satnav, LED headlights, Bluetooth audio and phone link, climate control, active noise cancellation system, digital radio reception, tyre pressure monitoring, leather trim, power front seats and keyless entry.

The mid-spec S ups the wheel size to 18 inch and also adds adaptive steering with active lane departure control, a Bose 14-speaker sound system and a sunroof.

The top-spec S Premium rides on 19-inch alloys and adds active cruise control, active and automatic braking systems, active lane departure and blind spot warning systems, the clever around view camera system and active headlights.

Infiniti is pushing its sedan as an emotional fresh design (inside and out) amid the staid and conservative chiefly-German opposition, as well as having enough room for adults front and rear.

The Infiniti Q50 2.0t GT is priced from $50,900 but between the October 1 on-sale date and December 31, the Q50 2.0t GT will be sold at a promotional estimated drive-away price of $55,900, which includes four years or 80,000km (whichever occurs first).

There will also be the option of adding 18-inch alloys and a sunroof to the base model by ticking the $3000 Enhancement Pack option box; the S will be from $56,900 and the S Premium $60,500.

Driving

The sporting pretence of the brand is immediately apparent during the first few minutes of the drive, with a firm ride tuned to the suspension.

There's some compliance to the underpinnings, enough that the rugged and rutted roads used on the launch drive of the two-litre turbo were traversed without serious discomfort.

The two-litre turbo is a flexible and enthusiastic engine and is well-matched to the seven-speed auto - brisk and enthusiastic driving saw fuel economy figures around 9 or 10 litres per 100km, dropping to high 6s on the freeway at about the 1700-odd kilogram kerb weight will be a factor.

The top-spec model's steer by wire system isn't as convincing and would take some adjustment time behind the wheel - on the open road it's best left in standard setting, with sport mode kept for corners where it weights it up and is very direct, but anyone who likes to drive won't be sold on the disconnected set-up.

Rear seat room is good enough for adults but anyone above 180cm will be short of headroom.

Boot space of 500 litres is good despite the prominent wheelarch intrusion but the foot operated park brake seems old-school for a brand with hi-tech tendencies.