Compare the2022 Acura ILXVS 2022 Infiniti Q50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Servicing Ease
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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.

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, lane departure warning systems, 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 214 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.

Warranty

There are over 33 percent more Acura dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the ILX’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the ILX second among small premium cars in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Q50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Acura vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Acura 10th in reliability, above the industry average. With 29 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is ranked 23rd.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the ILX gets better mileage than the Q50:

			MPG
ILX
	FWD	2.4 DOHC 4-cyl.	24 city/34 hwy
Q50
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	20 city/29 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	20 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	19 city/27 hwy
		Red Sport 400 3.0 turbo V6	19 city/26 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Acura ILX uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The Q50 requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Acura ILX, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The ILX offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Q50 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Tires and Wheels

The ILX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q50 Luxe’s standard 50 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The ILX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Q50’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

Chassis

The Acura ILX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 850 pounds less than the Infiniti Q50.

The ILX is 7.4 inches shorter than the Q50, making the ILX easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The ILX 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.

Servicing Ease

The ILX has a maintenance free battery for long life without checking the battery’s water level. The Q50 doesn’t have a maintenance free battery, so the water level in the battery’s cells must be checked often to prevent damage.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the ILX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the ILX will cost $3555 to $13530 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

The ILX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the ILX will retain 46.43% to 47.69% of its original price after five years, while the Q50 only retains 41.03% to 45.59%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the ILX is less expensive to operate than the Q50 because it costs $309 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the ILX than the Q50, including $270 less for a muffler, $198 less for front struts, $308 less for a timing belt/chain and $524 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Acura ILX will be $15803 to $36959 less than for the Infiniti Q50.

Recommendations

The Acura ILX outsold the Infiniti Q50 by 6% during the 2021 model year.