Compare the2023 BMW 5 Series SedanVS 2023 Infiniti Q50

The BMW 5 Series Sedan has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q50 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The 5 Series Sedan has a standard PostCrash iBrake, 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 5 Series Sedan’s 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 5 Series Sedan and the Q50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 5 Series Sedan its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 96 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q50 has not been fully tested, yet.

The 5 Series Sedan’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Q50’s (12 vs. 7 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the 5 Series Sedan for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Infiniti doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Q50.

There are over 73 percent more BMW dealers than there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 5 Series Sedan’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 5 Series Sedan second among midsize premium cars in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The Q50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in initial quality. With 39 more problems per 100 vehicles, Infiniti is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks BMW above average in long-term dependability. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Infiniti is rated below average.

The 5 Series Sedan has more powerful engines than the Q50:

On the EPA test cycle the 5 Series Sedan gets better mileage than the Q50:

Regenerative brakes improve the 5 Series Sedan’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Q50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the 5 Series Sedan’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. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Q50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the BMW 5 Series Sedan, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The 5 Series Sedan’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Q50 doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the 5 Series Sedan’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q50:

For better traction, the 5 Series Sedan has larger standard tires than the Q50 (245/45R18 vs. 225/50R18).

The 5 Series Sedan’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. The 5 Series Sedan’s optional 245/35R20 front and 275/30R20 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s 40 series front and 35 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the 5 Series Sedan offers optional 20-inch wheels. The Q50’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional 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.

The 5 Series Sedan has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Q50’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The 5 Series Sedan 540i/M550i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Q50 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The M550i offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Infiniti doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Q50.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the 5 Series Sedan’s wheelbase is 4.9 inches longer than on the Q50 (117.1 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the 5 Series Sedan is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

The 5 Series Sedan’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50.9% to 49.1%) than the Q50’s (55.8% to 44.2%). This gives the 5 Series Sedan more stable handling and braking.

The front grille of the 5 Series Sedan uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The 5 Series Sedan has 2 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom and 1.4 inches more rear legroom than the Q50.

The 5 Series Sedan has a larger trunk than the Q50 (14 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 5 Series Sedan’s trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The 5 Series Sedan also offers an optional power trunk, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button or just by kicking your foot under the back bumper. The Q50 doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Infiniti. J.D. Power ranks BMW 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 4% lower rating, Infiniti is ranked 9th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Q50, the 5 Series Sedan offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The 5 Series Sedan offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, warning and navigation instruction 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 5 Series Sedan’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Q50’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the 5 Series Sedan and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 5 Series Sedan 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.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the 5 Series Sedan to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q50 doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

Both the 5 Series Sedan and the Q50 offer available heated front seats. The 5 Series Sedan also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q50.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the 5 Series Sedan 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.

The 5 Series Sedan offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Q50.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 5 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 5 Series Sedan owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the 5 Series Sedan will cost $2055 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the 5 Series Sedan is less expensive to operate than the Q50 because it costs $318 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the 5 Series Sedan than the Q50, including $55 less for front struts and $402 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW 5 Series Sedan and the Infiniti Q50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Infiniti Q50 by almost two to one during the 2021 model year.