We were recently given the keys (keyless entry fob for the pedant in you) to a 2015 Q50S 3.7. Q50S 3.7 translates to the marque’s luxury sports sedan with a 3.7-liter engine. The S at the end indicates Sport.

We set out on a mission to determine just what Infiniti meant by “luxury sports sedan” and fell in love immediately. The 3.7-liter 6-cylinder in the Q50S is a 328 horsepower beauty that sends power to the rear wheels via a flawless 7-speed automatic transmission.

The old Infiniti G Sedans and Coupes were the first non-exotic/supercar vehicles we ever referred to as sexy. The Q’s are the newer version of the G’s and bump that appeal up a notch. A grille that is reminiscent of other luxury brands but somehow stays uniquely Infiniti serves as the jumping off point for the sculpted exterior.

Sweeping curves run the length of the profile from the grille and are almost feminine in appearance. Sharp creases along the hood and the Q50’s beltline remind you the S in the name stands for Sport. The Q50 looks like nothing else on the road. Our test vehicle was fitted with stunning optional 19” multi-spoke RAYS aluminum wheels that were the cherry on the sophisticated and sporty sundae.

The interior of the Q50S is just as well balanced with seats that offer support and long term comfort. We spent a couple of hours in them and would just as happily have spent a couple more. The front seats seem infinitely adjustable. That adjustability includes a thigh extension, one of our favorite features it seems only the luxury brands are aware of. The front of the lower half of the seat extends or retracts and makes long term driving that much more comfortable. Leggier drivers would probably appreciate this feature even more.

Headroom, legroom, and hip room are all fantastic for each of the four seating positions. Rear seat legroom is not quite executive car large, but it felt pretty close to it according to our junior testers.

Fit and finish were befitting a vehicle with luxury in its description. Most of the materials inside looked and felt premium, like the good stuff. We did take issue with a couple of elements of the interior. There was a wood trim we didn’t care for. It was a little too gray, or a little too shiny, or maybe just a little too not our taste. The steering wheel left us wanting too. The collection of wheel-mounted controls is exactly what a modern driver expects content wise, and they were easy to read and use. The buttons and switches themselves were plain and felt a bit cheap. We have had a similar complaint with Nissans leaving us wondering if Infiniti got hand-me-down parts from their older sister.

The Infiniti infotainment system is unique in that it utilizes two large screens mounted in the center stack. An 8” screen at the top and accesses most frequently used applications such as navigation, audio, and HVAC. Lesser used apps are housed in the lower 7” screen. The system itself was easy to use and didn’t take much time at all getting used to. Analog controls for HVAC flank the lower screen while redundant audio controls are below. The audio controls were easy enough to use, but they were difficult to see and required a moving your eyes to the bottom of the stack and looking past the shifter. This only means a few more seconds of distraction, but that’s generally all it takes.

Infiniti has recently boasted Formula 1 drivers gave input into vehicle dynamics and performance, even boasting prototypes were run around the Nürburgring to test and improve the drive. Knowing this we had high expectations. Having those expectations, we were not disappointed. The Q50S was everything we want in a sports sedan. Acceleration was instantaneous. Steering, aided by the available Infiniti Direct Adaptive Steering^TM was precise and razor sharp. The vehicle did everything we asked it to without hesitation. We hated giving this one back at the end of our week with it based on the drive alone.

The Bottom Line

We have driven plenty of vehicles that claim the dual titles of luxury and sport. They are usually a sports car with some luxury touches, or a luxury car with a sporty suspension and bigger engine. The Q50S is the first to be wholly both.

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