Compare the2023 Nissan MaximaVS 2023 Infiniti Q50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Maxima are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q50 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Maxima 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 Maxima 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 Maxima’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 Maxima 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Maxima is safer than the Infiniti Q50:

	Maxima	Q50
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Compression	23 lbs.	45 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	1 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	48%
Neck Stress	124 lbs.	145 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	448/311 lbs.	541/294 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 Nissan Maxima is safer than the Infiniti Q50:

	Maxima	Q50
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	225 lbs.	262 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	27 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	349 lbs.	415 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	15 inches	19 inches
Hip Force	480 lbs.	634 lbs.

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 “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Maxima its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 101 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q50 has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

There are over 5 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Maxima’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 37 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 Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti With 23 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Infiniti.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Maxima
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/30 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

Transmission

The Maxima 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.

Tires and Wheels

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

The Maxima SV’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 Maxima offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare 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.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Maxima is 1.9 inches wider in the front and .9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

Chassis

The Maxima SR/Platinum 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.

Passenger Space

The Maxima has .5 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front hip room and 1 inch more rear hip room than the Q50.

Cargo Capacity

The Maxima has a larger trunk than the Q50 (14.3 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The Maxima’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Q50 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

A power rear sunshade is standard in the Maxima Platinum to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Q50 doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

Both the Maxima and the Q50 have standard heated front seats. The Maxima Platinum also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Q50.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Maxima SR/Platinum 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.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Maxima owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Maxima will cost $505 to $9420 less than the Q50 over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Maxima is less expensive to operate than the Q50 because it costs $55 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Maxima than the Q50, including $94 less for a starter, $39 less for a fuel pump, $313 less for front struts and $542 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Nissan Maxima will be $7140 to $18013 less than for the Infiniti Q50.

Recommendations

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

The Nissan Maxima outsold the Infiniti Q50 by 31% during the 2022 model year.