Compare the2023 Infiniti QX50VS 2022 BMW X1

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX50 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Infiniti QX50 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 QX50 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X1 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests front crash prevention systems. With a score of 6 points, IIHS rates the Forward Emergency Braking in the QX50 as “Superior.” The X1 scores only 4 points and is rated only “Advanced.”

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The QX50 has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The X1 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The X1 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The QX50’s blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. The X1 doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the QX50’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The X1 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

Both the QX50 and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front wheel drive, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available all wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Infiniti QX50 is safer than the BMW X1:

	QX50	X1
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	236	328
Neck Injury Risk	26%	32%
Neck Stress	245 lbs.	360 lbs.
Neck Compression	42 lbs.	60 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	155/130 lbs.	257/329 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 Infiniti QX50 is safer than the BMW X1:

	QX50	X1
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	98	143
Abdominal Force	151 lbs.	154 lbs.
Hip Force	306 lbs.	486 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	73	193
Spine Acceleration	25 G’s	65 G’s
Hip Force	227 lbs.	637 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	339 lbs.	815 lbs.

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

Warranty

The QX50 comes with a full 4-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The X1’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

Infiniti’s powertrain warranty covers the QX50 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X1. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the X1 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

Engine

The QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 40 more horsepower (268 vs. 228) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (280 vs. 258) than the X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Infiniti QX50 is faster than the BMW X1:

	QX50	X1
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	3.5 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	7.2 sec	7.9 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.5 sec	4.6 sec
Quarter Mile	15.6 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	92.2 MPH

Transmission

The QX50 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 X1 doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The QX50 stops shorter than the X1:

	QX50	X1
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	134 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	130 feet	142 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the QX50 has larger standard tires than the X1 (235/55R19 vs. 225/50R18). The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X1 (255/45R20 vs. 225/50R18).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the QX50 has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the X1. The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the X1.

The QX50 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 X1 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the QX50’s wheelbase is 5.1 inches longer than on the X1 (110.2 inches vs. 105.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the QX50 is 2.9 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the track on the X1.

For better maneuverability, the QX50’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the X1’s (36.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the QX50 has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (8.6 vs. 7.2 inches), allowing the QX50 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The QX50 uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X1 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The QX50 has 3.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X1 (104.4 vs. 101.2).

The QX50 has 2.3 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

Cargo Capacity

The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X1 with its rear seat up (31.4 vs. 27.1 cubic feet). The QX50 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (65.1 vs. 58.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the QX50 easier. The QX50’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 26.6 inches, while the X1’s liftover is 28.5 inches.

The QX50’s cargo area is larger than the X1’s in almost every dimension:

	QX50	X1
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	39”/71.7”	35.1”/69”
Max Width	54.5”	51.5”
Min Width	41.5”	39.5”
Height	31.2”	33”

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the QX50’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The X1 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The QX50 AWD Autograph offers up to a 3000 lbs. towing capacity. The X1 has no towing capacity.

Ergonomics

The QX50 has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The X1 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The QX50 Luxe/Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s standard Entry/Exit Assist raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X1 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the QX50 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The QX50’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the X1’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The X1’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The QX50 Sensory/Autograph’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Both the QX50 and the X1 offer available heated front seats. The QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Infiniti QX50 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) for the front seat. Wireless charging costs extra on the X1.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the QX50 is less expensive to operate than the X1 because it costs $191 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the QX50 than the X1, including $25 less for a water pump, $377 less for a muffler, $80 less for front brake pads, $159 less for a starter, $240 less for fuel injection, $128 less for a fuel pump, $128 less for front struts and $506 less for a timing belt/chain.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Infiniti QX50, based on reliability, safety and performance. The BMW X1 isn't recommended.

The Infiniti QX50 outsold the BMW X1 by 18% during the 2022 model year.