Compare the2021 Lexus ES SeriesVS 2021 Infiniti Q50

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus ES Series have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Infiniti Q50 doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The ES Series has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Q50 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The ES Series’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the ES Series and the Q50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, around view monitors 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 Lexus ES Series is safer than the Infiniti Q50:

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ES Series its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 35 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q50 has not been fully tested, yet.

There are over 18 percent more Lexus dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the ES Series’ warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the ES Series’ reliability 45 points higher than the Q50.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus 12th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 15th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2019 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in reliability, above the industry average. With 22 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 11th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ December 2019 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus first in reliability. Infiniti is ranked 13th.

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

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Lexus ES Series uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Q50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus ES Series higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Infiniti Q50 (3). This means the ES Series produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q50 every 15,000 miles.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Lexus ES Series, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The ES 300h has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Q50 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The ES Series has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Q50; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the ES Series is 2.1 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

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

The ES Series has 1.8 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 4.1 inches more rear legroom and 1.8 inches more rear hip room than the Q50.

The ES Series has a larger trunk than the Q50 (13.9 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the ES Series’ power trunk can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Q50 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Infiniti. J.D. Power ranks Lexus second in service department satisfaction. With a 3% lower rating, Infiniti is ranked fourth.

The ES Series offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Q50 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The ES Series’ power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Q50’s parking brake has to released manually.

The power windows standard on both the ES Series and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the ES Series is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Q50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 ES Series’ headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Q50’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

A power rear sunshade is optional in the ES Series and manual rear side window sunshades are standard in the ES Series Ultra Luxury to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q50 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the ES Series keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Q50 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus ES Series offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Insurance will cost less for the ES Series owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the ES Series will cost $1800 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the ES Series is less expensive to operate than the Q50 because it costs $18 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost less on the ES Series than the Q50, including $104 less for a muffler, $28 less for a fuel pump, $89 less for front struts and $21 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus ES Series, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti Q50 isn't recommended.

The Lexus ES Series outsold the Infiniti Q50 by almost two to one during 2019.