Compare the2018 Infiniti Q50VS 2017 Honda Accord Sedan

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
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 Accord Sedan 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 Accord Sedan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Q50 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Accord Sedan 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.

To help make backing safer, the Q50 (except Pure)’s optional cross-path warning system uses wide-angle radar in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Q50 offers optional Infiniti Connection, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Q50 and the Accord Sedan 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 crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems and blind spot warning systems.

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 Honda Accord Sedan:

	Q50	Accord Sedan
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	29%
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	51 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	185/312 lbs.	636/216 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 Honda Accord Sedan:

	Q50	Accord Sedan
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	79	161
Hip Force	320 lbs.	388 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	196	303
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	58 G’s
Hip Force	415 lbs.	569 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	190	289
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	39 G’s

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

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

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ April 2017 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Honda vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 2 places higher in reliability than Honda.

Engine

The Q50 has more powerful engines than the Accord Sedan:

	Horsepower	Torque
Q50 2.0t 2.0 turbo 4 cyl.	208 HP	258 lbs.-ft.
Q50 3.0t 3.0 turbo V6	300 HP	295 lbs.-ft.
Q50 Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid	360 HP	n/a
Q50 Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	400 HP	350 lbs.-ft.
Accord Sedan 2.4 DOHC 4 cyl.	185 HP	181 lbs.-ft.
Accord Sedan Sport 2.4 DOHC 4 cyl.	189 HP	182 lbs.-ft.
Accord Sedan EX-L V6/Touring 3.5 SOHC V6	278 HP	252 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Q50 Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid is faster than the Accord Sedan EX-L V6/Touring 3.5 SOHC V6 (automatics tested):

	Q50	Accord Sedan
Zero to 60 MPH	4.9 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.6 sec	14.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	103.6 MPH	98.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

The Q50’s standard fuel tank has 2.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Accord Sedan (20 vs. 17.2 gallons).

Transmission

The Infiniti Q50 comes standard with an automatic transmission, for driver comfort, especially in the city. Automatic costs extra on the Accord Sedan.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q50	Q50 Sport	Accord Sedan LX	Accord Sedan Sport/Touring
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	14 inches	11.1 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12.1 inches	13.8 inches	11.1 inches	11.1 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 on the Accord Sedan are solid, not vented.

The Q50 stops much shorter than the Accord Sedan:

	Q50	Accord Sedan
70 to 0 MPH	156 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	108 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	150 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q50 has larger standard tires than the Accord Sedan (225/55R17 vs. 205/65R16). The Q50 Red Sport 400’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Accord Sedan (F:245/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. 235/40R19).

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 Accord Sedan LX’s standard 65 series tires. The Q50 Red Sport 400’s 265/35R19 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Accord Sedan Sport/Touring’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q50 has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Accord Sedan LX.

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 Accord Sedan doesn’t offer run-flat 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 Accord Sedan’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q50’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Accord Sedan (112.2 inches vs. 109.3 inches).

The Q50’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.5% to 46.5%) than the Accord Sedan’s (58.8% to 41.2%). This gives the Q50 more stable handling and braking.

The Q50 handles at .95 G’s, while the Accord Sedan EX pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.9 seconds quicker than the Accord Sedan EX-L (25.5 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .54 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Q50’s turning circle is 1.4 feet tighter than the Accord Sedan LX/EX’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.1 feet). The Q50 AWD’s turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Accord Sedan Sport/Touring’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Passenger Space

The Q50 has 1.1 inches more front headroom and 2 inches more front legroom than the Accord Sedan.

Cargo Capacity

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Q50’s trunk lid uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The Accord Sedan’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Q50’s optional folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The Accord Sedan’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Servicing Ease

The Q50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Accord Sedan 4 cyl. uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Q50 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Accord Sedan. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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 Accord Sedan 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 Accord Sedan’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the Accord Sedan EX/EX-L/Touring’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

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 Accord Sedan’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Q50 Premium/Sport offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Accord Sedan doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q50’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Honda only offers heated mirrors on the Accord Sedan EX/EX-L/Touring.

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 Accord Sedan’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Q50 offers optional automatic dimming rear and side view mirrors which automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Accord Sedan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 Accord Sedan doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q50 is less expensive to operate than the Accord Sedan because typical repairs cost less on the Q50 than the Accord Sedan, including $51 less for a starter and $59 less for fuel injection.

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