• Pros

• Most people were attracted to the looks of the QX50.  It’s a sporty version of the style de jour, the crossover, similar in size to the Audi Q5, and it’s a good looking vehicle.  
• This used to be known as the EX35.  Infiniti added three inches to the wheelbase to make the back seat tolerable for adults. There is adequate room in the back seat now, and the QX50 looks more like a mid-size crossover than a small one.
• The 3.7 liter, V6 engine has plenty of power.  Passing power is always quickly available.
• The QX50 can be had with all of the modern day safety features, including blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, pre-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking.
• Rides well on smooth roadways.  
• Front seats are comfortable and supportive.  Interior is nicely designed with soft materials.  Storage is adequate, but not abundant.  
• Wonderful, light lift gate in the back.  Most manufacturers have gone to electric motors to open the lift gate, realizing it’s beyond most of us to open our own rear hatchbacks anymore.  The result is you stand there waiting for eight seconds while the tailgate slowly grinds open and slowly grinds closed.  And if you try to override the motor and move the tailgate manually, you can’t do it.  Infiniti decided to forgo the electric motors and just made the tailgate out of aluminum.  It takes two fingers to open, and two fingers to close, each in a second-and-a-half.  Bravo.  
• Our test car, well equipped, listed at around $42,000.   While that’s a lot of schcarole, a comparably equipped Audi Q5 with the six-cylinder engine (albeit a nicer car) could easily run you 10K more.  Even the nicely powered four-cylinder version of the Audi Q5 could run your 4K more.  

• Cons

• It’s sporty without really being sporty.  The steering is light, with little road feel.  The ride is on the firm side, especially on crummier roads.   The handling is decent, but you pay the ride penalty without really getting much of the “sport.” 
• Too many damn buttons on the dashboard.  We’re fans of knobs and buttons for frequently used controls.  But look at this.  Think about the length of time you have to take your eyes off the road to find the button to switch from your iPod to the radio.  Infiniti needs to rethink and update the infotainment controls.  And remember, this picture is closer than your eyes will be to the controls when you’re driving.
• The engine, while powerful, sounds and feels a bit coarse, compared to others we’re driving these days.  It does it’s job, but doesn’t do it quite as smoothly or quietly as some competitors.  
• The wider-of-ass may find the passenger compartment a bit narrow.  
• We got an average of 15.9 mpg.  90% city driving, but still… 15.9?

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