| First Drive | Barcelona, Spain | Infiniti Q50 |
Key Facts
Model tested: Infiniti Q50 2.2d Premium
Pricing: £31,900
Engine: 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel
Transmission: rear-wheel drive, seven-speed automatic
Body style: four-door saloon
Rivals: Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class
CO2 emissions: 128g/km
Combined economy: 58.9mpg
Top speed: 143mph
0-62mph: 8.5 seconds
Power: 170hp at 3,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,600- to 2,800rpm
In the Metal: 
There's no denying that, parked alongside the Germanic trio of Benz C-Class, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, the Infiniti Q50 will attract attention. The bold grille (perhaps a bit too close to Lexus' for comfort), curvaceous lines and the sheer size of it make it stand out. If the front looks rather Lexus-like the rear has echoes of Mazda's 6 about it. The Infiniti is undoubtedly attractive, but looks rather like a greatest hits compilation rather than something truly unique.
Inside, rear space is among the most generous in the class, with decent leg- and headroom. Up front the seats provide great support and comfort, while the scalloped dash does increase the feeling of spaciousness. The interior is dominated by the twin touch-screen centre console, which offers tablet-like operation and connectivity to apps from Facebook to Twitter, and almost everything in between.
Driving it:
You might just want those apps as a distraction, as the Q50 misses the mark quite considerably as a driving machine. Despite repeated claims of dynamism and sporting appeal the chassis and drivetrain simply don't deliver. The optional - and much lauded by Infiniti - Direct Adaptive Steering, which utilises steer-by-wire technology, compounds this, with various settings allowing changes to weight and immediacy. No combinations of which offer any decent compromise, with inconsistent weighting, zero feel and artificial response from the wheel. It creates more issues than it aims to solve, the need for a back-up column (which engages via a clutch should there be an electronic failure) negating any weight advantages it might bring. It's optional at this level, though even the standard steering is dim-witted and lacking in feel.
Given the steering's inadequacies it's unlikely you'll feel inclined to push the Q50 particularly hard, and really there's little reward should you do so. The ride is decent enough (on smooth Spanish roads in any case), but at anything approaching higher speeds on testing roads the Q50 feels out of its comfort zone dynamically. With no feel from the wheel it's tricky to judge limits, the result a disjointed, remote and ultimately frustrating drive.
The 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine needs working fairly hard to deliver its on-paper promise, the Mercedes-Benz derived unit lacking in smoothness and being particularly intrusively percussive in its upper rev ranges. Keep the Q50 at low revs and a sedate pace and it's quieter and the seven-speed auto is smoother, allowing it to while away the miles, but ask it to cover ground like you might in a 3 Series and it quickly runs out of answers.
What you get for your Money:
The equipment count is high, the range encompassing SE, Premium, Sport and S Hybrid. All get dual-zone climate control, that double touchscreen with massive connectivity, Bluetooth audio and telephony, push button start and, from Premium up, leather seats. DAB is on the options list as part of a pack, as is satnav - these are bundled together adding £2,760 to the price. That Direct Active Steering adds £800 to Premium and SE models - coming as standard on Sport and above - while Infiniti's Safety Shield Pack containing Intelligent Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Emergency Braking and lots more adds a further £2,080.
Worth Noting
That Safety Shield Pack comes with the promise of lots of help to keep you safe, but with everything on it'll beep at you to the point of utter distraction. Best leave your Facebook, Twittering and emailing for your home computer and concentrate on the road ahead - and you'll not need it.
Summary
We had hoped this might be Infiniti's breakthrough model into a competitive class, but the Q50 falls short as a dynamic, sporting executive saloon. It's certainly spacious and comfortable, but the mass of technology does nothing to add to the experience, and the fundamental driving characteristics and (lack of) refinement of the diesel engine leave it trailing some way behind its intended rivals. It's different though, and for some that matters, though it's a brave buyer who'll choose it over the established big-hitters from Germany.
