Compare the2018 Infiniti Q50VS 2018 Subaru Legacy

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 Legacy doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 Legacy only offers a rear monitor.

Both the Q50 and the Legacy 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 side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Infiniti Q50 is safer than the Subaru Legacy:

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

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 Legacy’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 Subaru covers the Legacy. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Legacy ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Q50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Legacy’s (7 vs. 5 years).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2017 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 23rd in initial quality. With 6 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 25th.

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 Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 13th in reliability, above the industry average. With 30 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 23rd.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2017 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Subaru vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 3 places higher in reliability than Subaru.

The Q50 has more powerful engines than the Legacy:

As tested in Motor Trend the Q50 Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid is faster than the Legacy 3.6R Limited 3.6 DOHC 6 cyl.:

As tested in Car and Driver the Q50 Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6 is faster than the Legacy 3.6R Limited 3.6 DOHC 6 cyl.:

As tested in Car and Driver the Q50 Red Sport 400 is faster than the Legacy 2.5i 2.5 DOHC 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Q50 2.0t AWD gets better city fuel mileage than the Legacy 3.6R Limited 6 cyl. (22 city/28 hwy vs. 20 city/28 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Q50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Legacy 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 Legacy doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

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

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

The Q50 stops much shorter than the Legacy:

For better traction, the Q50 Red Sport 400’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Legacy (F:245/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. 225/55R17).

The Q50 Red Sport 400’s 245/40R19 front and 265/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Legacy Sport/Limited’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q50 offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Legacy’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Q50 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Legacy doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

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 Legacy’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 Legacy doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q50’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the Legacy (112.2 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

The Q50’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.5% to 46.5%) than the Legacy’s (58.9% to 41.1%). This gives the Q50 more stable handling and braking.

The Q50 handles at .95 G’s, while the Legacy 3.6R Limited pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.1 seconds quicker than the Legacy 2.5i Limited (25.5 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

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 Legacy doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Q50 has .2 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Legacy.

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

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Q50 to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and tire rotation based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Subaru doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Legacy.

The Q50 (except 2.0t)’s optional easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Legacy doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

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 Legacy’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Legacy Premium//Limited’s optional power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

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 Legacy can only operate 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 Legacy’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Q50’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited.

When the Q50 with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Legacy’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

On extremely cold Winter days, the Q50’s optional (except Pure) heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The Legacy doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Q50 has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Legacy Premium/Sport/Limited.

Both the Q50 and the Legacy offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Q50 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Legacy Base doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Q50 is available in both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The Legacy doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q50 is less expensive to operate than the Legacy because it costs $386 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the Q50 than the Legacy, including $102 less for a starter.