Compare the2018 Infiniti Q50VS 2018 Audi A6

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Forward Emergency Braking optional in the Q50 as “Superior.” The A6 scores only 3 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

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 A6 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 A6 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 A6 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 A6 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Audi A6:

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 A6’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the Q50 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A6. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the A6 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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 Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti 23rd in initial quality. With 8 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 26th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2018 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 13th.

The Q50 has more powerful engines than the A6:

As tested in Motor Trend the Q50 Hybrid 3.5 DOHC V6 hybrid is faster than the A6 2.0T 2.0 turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Q50 Hybrid AWD gets better fuel mileage than the A6 2.0T 8-spd Auto Quattro (26 city/30 hwy vs. 22 city/31 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Q50 Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The A6 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

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 A6 2.0T are solid, not vented.

The Q50 stops much shorter than the A6:

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 A6 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 A6’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 A6 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Q50 handles at .95 G’s, while the A6 3.0T Premium Plus Quattro pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Q50 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the A6 2.0T Premium Quattro (25.5 seconds @ .76 average G’s vs. 26.8 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Q50’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the A6’s (36.7 feet vs. 39 feet). The Q50 AWD’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the A6’s (37.4 feet vs. 39 feet).

The Q50 is 4.6 inches shorter than the A6, making the Q50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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 A6 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Q50 has 4.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the A6 (101.5 vs. 97.2).

The Q50 has 3 inches more front headroom and 3.2 inches more front legroom than the A6.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Infiniti service is better than Audi. J.D. Power ranks Infiniti first in service department satisfaction. With a 5% lower rating, Audi is ranked third.

The Q50 3.0t offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A6 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

If the windows are left open on the Q50 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the A6 can’t use the remote to operate the windows.

Consumer Reports rated the Q50’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the A6’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Q50’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the A6’s headlights are rated “Marginal” to “Poor.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Q50 has standard extendable sun visors. The A6 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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 A6’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q50 is less expensive to operate than the A6 because it costs $90 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Q50 than the A6, including $119 less for an alternator, $121 less for front brake pads, $505 less for a starter, $124 less for fuel injection and $190 less for a fuel pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Infiniti Q50 will be $3919 to $7546 less than for the Audi A6.

The Infiniti Q50 outsold the Audi A6/S6 by over two to one during 2017.