Founded in 1989, Infiniti is the luxury division of Nissan. Created to compete with makes like Acura and Lexus, Infiniti has a small lineup consisting of sedans and crossovers. The company has varied in popularity and quality over the years, and its focus and brand strategy has changed numerous times. Infiniti’s cars are known for their reliability and low starting prices that are less expensive than other luxury brands.
This list will go over all of Infiniti’s models, including its concepts, and the company’s bold plans for the future.
10 Q50 ($36,400)
The least expensive sedan in Infiniti’s lineup, the Q50 is marketed as an entry-level sports sedan. It comes standard with a 208 hp V6, which can be upgraded up to 400 hp. The car features two different sport trims, each with their own list of features. The top tier trim comes with a 7-speed transmission and standard all-wheel-drive. All models come with a dual-screen infotainment system with optional smartphone integration. Safety-wise, the Q50 comes with features you’d expect from a modern luxury car, like collision avoidance and autonomous braking systems.
9 Q60 ($41,350)
The only coupe in Infiniti’s lineup, the Q60 prides itself as a performance sedan. The highest trim level, the Sport 400, has a twin-turbo V6 with 400 hp. Because of its sporty nature, the Q60 has appropriate accent features, like optional red leather and carbon fiber trim. The car comes with standard rear-wheel-drive, along with a 7 speed automatic or manual transmission. AWD is optional. The Q60 uses a ‘zero-lift’ aerodynamic design.
8 Q70 ($50,400)
A large sports sedan, the Q70 is positioned in the company’s top tier in terms of quality. The Q70 offers safety features like backup collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, and ‘Around View’ monitoring system. Its base has a 330 hp V6, with a V8 on higher up models. AWD is available and is standard on higher models. The Q70L has a longer wheelbase, hence the L, and is slightly more expensive (at $51,900).
In light of a recent drop in sales, the Q70 will not return for a 2020 model. It’s one of two vehicles that the company is discontinuing, including our next entry, and further shrinks the company’s already small sedan department.
7 QX30 ($30,350)
The QX30 was designed in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, and was based on the former’s GLA. A small crossover, it was one of Infiniti’s only cars to be assembled entirely in Europe. The QX30 is positioned as a subcompact car, aimed at entry-level buyers and urban drivers. The car is pretty basic, with a range of drive modes, inelegant cruise control, and a 208 hp I4 engine. This engine is standard on all models with few variations.
Despite its low price, the QX30 sold poorly, and was discontinued after the 2019 model year. Infiniti has since departed the European marketplace altogether.
6 QX50 ($37,250)
The company’s compact crossover, the QX50 is set to take the place of the QX30 as Infiniti’s least expensive SUV. Infiniti is quick to point out that the QX50 features the company’s first variable compression engine, which they say strikes a balance between performance and fuel economy. This has helped the QX50 attain better MPG than most vehicles in its class. It’s also got a nice, spacious interior, plus an available 17 speaker audio system by Bose.
5 QX60 ($44,350)
The QX60 is one of Infiniti’s best-selling models. Despite not being the biggest model in the company’s lineup, it’s still a safe choice for many when it comes to buying a midsize luxury SUV. It offers three rows of seating, with 40.5 feet of cubic feet of storage with the third row down. It has a 3.5L V6 engine that cranks just under 300 hp. The duel-screen infotainment system has available Amazon Alexa integration, along with a litany of driving aids.
4 QX80 ($65,500)
Based on the Nissan Armada, the QX80 is Infiniti’s biggest and most expensive SUV. The company puts a lot of effort into making it as perfect as possible, which is understandable considering it’s also one of Infiniti’s best selling vehicles. It’s got a huge interior, with nice accents and three rows of seating. Higher trim models come standard with 4WD, featuring Infiniti’s ‘All-Mode’ traction control. The QX80 recently received a facelift, streamlining its original, polarizing look for something a little sleeker and sophisticated. And its 5.6L V8 can pull up to 413 lb. feet of torque.
3 Concepts
Infiniti’s concept cars are, for lack of a better word, weird. While the QX Sport Inspiration and the redesigns of the QX50 and QX80 look plausible, other models seem downright otherworldly. There’s the QS and QX Inspirations, electric concepts that look like something out of a science fiction movie. There’s the prototype 9 and 10, neither of which look like they could ever be street legal. One potentially cool idea is called Project Black S, which is a partnership between Infiniti and Renault’s F1 team. The idea is to make an Infiniti sports car that has the same power of a formula one racecar, with a hybrid engine that offers insane acceleration. It seems like a tall order, but it’s something that we really want to see happen.
2 Safety
If there’s one thing Infiniti hasn’t lagged behind in, it’s safety. The company is quick to point out on its website how many of their cars earned five-star crash safety ratings, and they have data to back it up. On the NHTSA’s website, nearly every Infiniti car released after 2011 earned five stars. None of them scored lower than a four, not counting the ones where the data was not available. While the Q70 has had issues with its LATCH child seat brackets, drivers can rest assured that the majority of Infiniti’s cars will protect them in case of a collision.
1 Overall Reputation
Lately, Infiniti has been in a bit of a pickle. Sales are down, and while their SUVs continue to sell well, many of them are being bought up by rental car agencies. While quality continues to be high, many of Infiniti’s models have been criticized for being dated, especially in the interior and infotainment departments. This has led the company to shutter its European operations and kill off both the Q30 and the Q70. The Q30, in particular, has proven to be a thorn in Infiniti’s side, as the car was beset with quality and reliability issues and was panned by critics.
Infiniti does have a solution, albeit a risky one. The company recently announced plans to go all-in on the EV market, introducing a new drivetrain that uses gasoline to charge an electric battery. While Infiniti makes bold claims about the potential for this technology, it seems to defeat the purpose of buying an electric car in the first place.
It’s a gamble that could easily kill the company for good, or perhaps put it at the forefront of innovation. Either way, Infiniti is about to enter a strange, new world, one that could redefine the idea of the car forever.