New Cars for 2016: Infiniti

Q50: In addition to a few trim changes, the somewhat maligned Q50 is getting a shot in the arm. Or, really, a shot in the engine bay. The long-awaited 2.0-liter turbocharged four base engine finally arrives. Sourced from Mercedes-Benz but built in the U.S., the engine should whip up about 250 horsepower. Of far greater interest is the new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that arrives later in the model year. Available in two strengths—nearly 300 horsepower and nearly 400 horsepower—the fresh six replaces the Q50’s zippy but aging 3.7-liter “VQ” V-6. A proper test will reveal whether the new powertrain roster brings back some of the fun-to-drive attitude lost when the old G37 sedan became the Q50, but the modern engines are a step in the right direction.

QX50 (shown above): Tracing the QX50’s lineage brings one to the EX35, a small rear-drive crossover built, since 2007, on the second-generation G sedan’s architecture. For 2016, Infiniti has swapped the U.S.-market QX50’s body for the stretched Chinese version. The gift from everybody’s favorite legroom-fetishizing supernation brings an additional 3.2 inches of wheelbase and a roomier back seat with four more inches of space.