The ILX has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
The ILX’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the Q50 and is only available on Q50 Sensory/Red Sport 400.
Both the ILX and the Q50 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, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available 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 Acura ILX is safer than the Infiniti Q50:
|
ILX |
Q50 |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
57/324 lbs. |
185/312 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
3 Stars |
Chest Compression |
.5 inches |
1 inches |
Neck Injury Risk |
40% |
48% |
Neck Compression |
40 lbs. |
85 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 Acura ILX is safer than the Infiniti Q50:
|
ILX |
Q50 |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Chest Movement |
.9 inches |
.9 inches |
Abdominal Force |
143 G’s |
262 G’s |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
14 inches |
19 inches |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the ILX the rating of “Top Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 213 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q50 has not been fully tested, yet.
The Acura ILX has a better fatality history. The ILX was involved in fatal accidents at a rate 23.4% lower per vehicle registered than the Q50, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.