Compare the2018 Infiniti Q50VS 2017 Chrysler 300

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The Q50 (except )’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The 300 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Q50 (except Pure) offers optional Back-up Collision Intervention which use rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The 300 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Q50 (except Pure) offers an optional Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The 300 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Q50 and the 300 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all-wheel drive, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Infiniti Q50 is safer than the Chrysler 300:

	Q50	300
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	31%
Neck Stress	223 lbs.	280 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	185/312 lbs.	617/568 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Infiniti Q50 is safer than the Chrysler 300:

	Q50	300
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	79	236
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1.4 inches
Abdominal Force	262 G’s	315 G’s
Hip Force	320 lbs.	433 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	50 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	190	302
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	47 G’s
Hip Force	634 lbs.	910 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Q50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000 mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 300’s 3-year/36,000 mile basic warranty expires 1 year and 24,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the Q50 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Chrysler covers the 300. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the 300 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Q50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years and unlimited miles longer than the 300’s (7/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

Reliability

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Q50 have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the 300.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2016 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 13th in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Chrysler is ranked 22nd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2017 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Chrysler vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 19 places higher in reliability than Chrysler.

Engine

The Q50 Red Sport 400’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 37 more horsepower (400 vs. 363) than the 300’s optional 5.7 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Q50 Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid is faster than the Chrysler 300 V8:

	Q50	300
Zero to 60 MPH	4.9 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	13.6 sec	14.2 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Q50 Hybrid gets better fuel mileage than the 300:

		Q50	300
RWD	3.5 V6/7-spd. Auto	27 city/32 hwy	19 city/31 hwy	3.6 V6/Auto
AWD	3.5 V6/7-spd. Auto	26 city/30 hwy	18 city/27 hwy	3.6 V6/Auto

On the EPA test cycle the Q50 gets better fuel mileage than the 300:

		Q50	300
RWD	2.0 turbo 4 cyl./7-spd. Auto	23 city/30 hwy	19 city/31 hwy	3.6 V6/Auto
	3.0 twin turbo V6 (300 HP)/7-spd. Auto	20 city/29 hwy	16 city/25 hwy	5.6 V8/Auto
	3.0 twin turbo V6 (400 HP)/7-spd. Auto	20 city/26 hwy	n/a
AWD	2.0 turbo 4 cyl./7-spd. Auto	22 city/28 hwy	18 city/27 hwy	3.6 V6/Auto
	3.0 twin turbo V6 (300 HP)/7-spd. Auto	19 city/27 hwy	n/a
	3.0 twin turbo V6 (400 HP)/7-spd. Auto	19 city/26 hwy	n/a

Regenerative brakes improve the Q50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The 300 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Q50 Hybrid/2.0t’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. (Start/Stop isn’t accounted in present EPA fuel mileage tests.) The 300 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Q50’s standard fuel tank has 1.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the 300 (20 vs. 18.5 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Q50 Sport’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the 300:

	Q50 Sport	300	300 V8/AWD
Front Rotors	14 inches	12.6 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.6 inches	12.6 inches

The Q50’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the 300 are solid, not vented.

The Q50 stops much shorter than the 300:

	Q50	300
80 to 0 MPH	223 feet	231 feet	Road and Track
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	175 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	121 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Q50’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 300 Limited/300C’s standard 60 series tires. The Q50 Red Sport 400’s 245/40R19 front and 265/35R19 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the 300S/300C Platinum’s 45 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Q50 offers an optional driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The 300’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q50’s optional drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The 300 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Q50 handles at .95 G’s, while the 300 Limited pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.7 seconds quicker than the 300 (25.5 seconds vs. 27.2 seconds).

For better maneuverability, the Q50’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the 300’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Q50 AWD’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the 300’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

The Infiniti Q50 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 300 pounds less than the Chrysler 300.

The Q50 is 9 inches shorter than the 300, making the Q50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Q50 has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The 300 uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Q50 Hybrid uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The 300 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Q50 has 1.6 inches more front headroom and 2.7 inches more front legroom than the 300.

Cargo Capacity

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Q50 offers cargo security. The 300’s non-lockable folding seat and non-lockable remote release defeat cargo security.

Ergonomics

The Q50’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The 300’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left down on the Q50 the driver can raise them all using the key in the outside lock cylinder. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from outside the vehicle using the key in the outside lock cylinder or the keyless remote. The driver of the 300 can only raise the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The 300’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q50 is less expensive to operate than the 300 because typical repairs cost much less on the Q50 than the 300, including $339 less for an alternator and $53 less for front brake pads.

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