Infiniti is still trying to make its mark in SA and latest sales data from the end of December shows that its two models the Q50 and QX70 sell a combined 27 units a month. Infiniti remains a premium extension of Nissan and the Q50S hybrid sits at the top of the Q50 range and is a competitor to the likes of the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 and the Lexus ES 300 Hybrid . I spent a week getting to grips with Infiniti’s hybrid offering to see how it stacks up.
Hybrid Power
Infiniti hasnt gone entirely eco-friendly with the Q50S Hybrid, the electric motor assists a thumping 3.5-Litre V6 that likes to get a move on. The electric part of the car helps with pulling away from lights, stop streets and when crawling in traffic, the problem is you have to drive particularly slowly in order to keep it on electric power. This is something ‘editor Dave’ is particularly good at doing, however I like to keep up with traffic and as you begin to coax more acceleration from the throttle pedal all 261 kW seem to arrive at once as the petrol engine fires up to assist. It makes the Q50S Hybrid quite jerky in town driving as the petrol engine introduces itself quite aggressively.
Out on the open road though the V6 petrol feels at its best, it has loads of torque to overtake and idles along nicely at 120kph. Thanks to the hybrid system, the Q50S Hybrid claims around 6.8L/100km and during its tenure with us we returned 8.9L/100km and that included a fair whack of enthusiastic driving as the V6 ramps out quite a sexy sound in the upper echelons of the rev range.
Impressive Interior
The Infiniti Q50S Hybrids interior is well designed and looks very stylish even if just about everything is covered in black leather. It does a relatively good job of not looking too much like a Nissan inside, but there are still lingering hints of the shared DNA in the drivers binnacle and the trip computer setup. The technology fest is centralised around two touch screens that sit one on top of the other. The lower unit looks and functions exactly like a tablet with swipe functionality and loads of buttons to press for every function you could possibly think of. It’s also a magnet for fingerprints.
It makes the top screen almost useless as all it seems to do is show a clock, trip computer details and screen a particularly low-res reverse camera. Space for passengers is quite good in the back and the seats offer up good support and comfort. The boot however is a bit small probably to make space for all the batteries and the rear seats cant be folded down, making it a bit less practical than your average sedan.
On the safety side of things the Q50S Hybrid is all about trying to avoid accidents, theres loads of passive aids like lane departure warning and lane departure prevention, blind spot warning and blind spot intervention, forward emergency braking, predictive forward collision warning and automatics also get distance control assist and back up collision intervention. Intervention seems to be the choice word in a lot of those systems meaning that the Q50 will take action on its own if the driver doesnt.
Ride and Drive
I enjoyed driving the Q50S Hybrid, mostly because the V6 is a sweet sounding and linear accelerating machine. Im not so much of a fan of the drive-by-wire steering as it turns the Q50 into something very synthetic and lacking any feel whatsoever. It also makes the steering feel inconsistent so at times it feels light and then the next bend youre suddenly wrestling with a whole load of artificial weight in the wheel.
The ride though is set for comfort, its particularly impressive over long runs where the suspension soaks up ripples and imperfections in the road. Its not bad on the twisty stuff either, theres not terrible lean and the Infiniti feels grippy when pushed. If only the steering matched the confidence the chassis gives.
Infiniti Q50S Hybrid – Verdict
The Infiniti Q50S Hybrid is a bit of an enigma to me, its meant to be a way of showcasing efficiency and greenery in a sporty package, a concept I find contradictory in itself. Nevertheless, its nice to listen to a howling V6 and then have the feel good factor of running zero emissions in town driving. The execution isnt quite as seamless as the theory as the Q50S Hybrid is a bit jerky in town driving, the steering lacks feel and the boot is compromised for space.
The Q50 does look stylish from the outside and that might help it get a few visits to the dealership. The other trick up its sleeve is the price, at R585 000 it undercuts the BMW ActiveHybrid 3 by nearly R150k and matches the Lexus ES 300h but offers loads more power in a more modern environment.
Second Opinion
As far as hybrids go, I do like the Infiniti Q50S Hybrid. The engine and electric combination work reasonably well together, and I enjoyed seeing the rev counter die as the car transitioned from petrol to battery when you come off the throttle. Despite the large capacity V6, the car isn’t as thirsty as you’d think and the safety technology is simply staggering. Sadly there’s a lot of stiff competition in this segment and despite its impressive skillset, I feel the Infiniti Q50S has its back up against the wall. – David Taylor
We Like: Styling, petrol engine, safety and tech
We Don’t Like: Jerky transition from electric to petrol, numb steering, low-res camera
Also Consider: BMW ActiveHybrid 3, Lexus ES 300h
See a comparison between the Infiniti, BMW and Lexus here
Infiniti Q50S Hybrid Quick Specs
| Engine | 3.5-Litre v6 petrol with hybrid electric |
| Power | 261 kWe |
| Torque | 536 Nm |
| Transmission | Seven-speed automatic |
| Wheels | 18-inch alloy wheels |
| 0-100km/h | 5.1 seconds (claimed) |
| Top Speed | 250 kph |
| Fuel Economy | 6.8L/100km (claimed) |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 70 Litres |
