The 2020 Infiniti Q50 Signature 4-door sedan offers a healthy dose and a good balance of both luxury and performance. Speaking of the latter, Infiniti has long held reputable prowess and technical know-how in the performance domain dating far back into the 90’s golden era of affordable sports cars. All said, the 2020 Infiniti Q50 sets the bar high with its 300 horsepower V6, AWD, and exquisite styling fit for the contemporary eye.
Equipped with one of Infiniti’s crown jewels, the VQ35 V6 3.0L twin-turbo engine produces a respectable 300 horsepower and 295 lb.ft. But if you want more than just respect on the road, the Q50 Red Sport trim is offered with a meatier 3.0L twin-turbo V6 variant upping the rating to an astonishing 400 horsepower and 350 lb.ft of torque. Both options are mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission.
STYLING
The Q50 hasn’t received a model update since 2016, but its overall matured and contemporary styling still holds up well in today’s design standards. Available is the 2020 Q50 signature trim that adds exclusive cosmetic tweaks to enhance its overall appearance. That gets you a more sophisticated diamond-shaped front grille design, a deck-lid rear spoiler design with chrome accents, 5-spoke 19” wheels with all-season performance tires, and a red signature “S” badge emblem to mark its Signature identity.
Interior appointments include lavish leather and a dual tone black and silver analog and digital cluster duo that integrates seamlessly with the dual screen infotainment system. Other luxury features include a driver-seat power lumbar support, thigh-extension and torso bolsters to extend the overall seating comfort.
Front passengers can enjoy dual climate controls with heated and ventilated seats while the rear passengers can also have their own dedicated climate controls as well.
POWERTRAIN
If performance doesn’t speak for itself, let the “Wards 10 Best engines of 2018’ award tell you. The 3.0L twin-turbo V6 produces an exceptional 300 horsepower and 295 lb.ft of torque mated to a buttery smooth 7-speed automatic transmission with available manual sequential paddle shift mode.
Engine torque is delivered via Infiniti’s in-house Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system that offers both safety and performance benefits. Under high acceleration demands, the all-wheel drive system can transfer the majority of the engine torque to the rear wheels while slippery conditions can equally distribute engine torque to all four wheels for maximum traction.
The Drive-Mode Selector can configure the sensitivity of the all-wheel-drive and power-steering system to meet the driver’s demand as well.
Standard on Infiniti’s lineup will include all the safety essentials that gets blind-spot monitoring, rear view camera, and forward collision detection and mitigation that will automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not stop soon enough with an obstacle ahead.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Starting at just $43,995, the 2020 Infiniti Q50 is a competitive price point against its German rivals like the BMW 3 series or Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Opting for the next level up Q50 Signature trim, starts the pricing at $47,445 and adds some upgrades like a tinted moonroof, leather sport seating, the sportier bumper, a spoiler and 19” wheels. Regardless of trim, the fundamental exhilarating drive is there thanks to its smooth and peppy twin-turbo V6 and well-tuned all-wheel drive.
