Compare the2023 Infiniti Q50VS 2022 Acura ILX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Q50 Red Sport 400’s optional pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The ILX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Q50 has standard Back-up Collision Intervention that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The ILX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Q50 offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The ILX doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

The Q50 has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The ILX only offers a rear monitor.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Q50 has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the ILX.

Both the Q50 and the ILX 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 and rearview cameras.

The Infiniti Q50 weighs 584 to 903 pounds more than the Acura ILX. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

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 Acura ILX:

	Q50	ILX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	79	234
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Hip Force	320 lbs.	487 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	196	324
Spine Acceleration	46 G’s	64 G’s
Hip Force	415 lbs.	699 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	190	299
Spine Acceleration	36 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	634 lbs.	945 lbs.

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

Warranty

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

The Q50’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the ILX’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

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 Q50’s reliability 26 points higher than the ILX.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 16 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Infiniti higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 17 places higher in reliability than Acura.

Engine

The Q50’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 99 more horsepower (300 vs. 201) and 115 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 180) than the ILX’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 199 more horsepower (400 vs. 201) and 170 lbs.-ft. more torque (350 vs. 180) than the ILX’s 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Q50 Red Sport 400 is faster than the Acura ILX:

	Q50	ILX
Zero to 60 MPH	4.5 sec	6.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	10.5 sec	17.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	5 sec	7 sec
Quarter Mile	13 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	112 MPH	94 MPH
Top Speed	153 MPH	133 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The Q50 has 6.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the ILX (20 vs. 13.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Q50	Q50 Red Sport 400	ILX
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	14 inches	12.3 inches
Rear Rotors	12.1 inches	13.8 inches	11.1 inches

The Q50’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the ILX are solid, not vented.

The Q50 stops much shorter than the ILX:

	Q50	ILX
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	184 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Q50 has larger standard tires than the ILX (225/50R18 vs. 215/45R17). The Q50 Red Sport 400’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the ILX (F:245/40R19 & R:265/35R19 vs. 225/40R18).

The Q50 Red Sport 400’s 265/35R19 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the ILX A-SPEC’s 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q50 Luxe has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the ILX. The Q50 Sensory/Red Sport 400 AWD’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the ILX A-SPEC.

The Q50 has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The ILX doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard 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 ILX doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

The Q50 offers an available 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 ILX’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Q50 Sport’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 ILX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Q50’s wheelbase is 7.1 inches longer than on the ILX (112.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Q50 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the ILX.

The Q50’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (55.8% to 44.2%) than the ILX’s (63% to 37%). This gives the Q50 more stable handling and braking.

The Q50 Red Sport 400 handles at .88 G’s, while the ILX A-SPEC pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Q50 has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The ILX uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Passenger Space

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Q50 a Mid-size car, while the ILX is rated a Compact.

The Q50 has 10.7 cubic feet more passenger volume than the ILX (100 vs. 89.3).

The Q50 has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 2.2 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear legroom, .8 inches more rear hip room and 2.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the ILX.

Cargo Capacity

The Q50 has a much larger trunk than the ILX (13.5 vs. 12.4 cubic feet).

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Q50’s trunk lid uses gas strut supported hinges that don’t intrude into the trunk. The ILX’s useful trunk space is reduced by its intrusive beam hinge.

The Q50’s standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. The ILX’s standard single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can’t share the rear seat.

Servicing Ease

The Q50 uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The ILX uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the Q50 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the ILX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Q50’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The ILX doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Q50’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The ILX’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

The Q50’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The ILX’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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 ILX’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Q50 detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The ILX doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Q50 Red Sport 400 offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The ILX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q50’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The ILX offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

On extremely cold winter days, the Q50’s standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The ILX doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Both the Q50 and the ILX offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Q50 has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The ILX doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Q50 owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Q50 with a number “1” insurance rate while the ILX is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q50 is less expensive to operate than the ILX because typical repairs cost less on the Q50 than the ILX, including $98 less for a water pump, $2 less for front brake pads, $115 less for a starter, $89 less for fuel injection and $42 less for a fuel pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Infiniti Q50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Infiniti Q50 outsold the Acura ILX by 23% during 2020.