Compare the2024 BMW 2 Series Gran CoupeVS 2023 Infiniti Q50

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the 2 Series Gran Coupe the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 174 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Q50 does not qualify as a “Top Safety Pick.”

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the Q50’s (12 vs. 7 years).

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 2 Series Gran Coupe’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 2 Series Gran Coupe third among small premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Q50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Infiniti.

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 M235i xDrive Gran Coupe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 2 more horsepower (302 vs. 300) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 295) than the Q50’s standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the M235i xDrive Gran Coupe is faster than the Q50 Red Sport 400:

On the EPA test cycle the 2 Series Gran Coupe gets better mileage than the Q50:

Regenerative brakes improve the 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Q50:

The 2 Series Gran Coupe stops shorter than the Q50:

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s 40 series front tires.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has a standard space-saver spare (not available on M235i) 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 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 M235i xDrive Gran Coupe handles at .91 G’s, while the Q50 Red Sport 400 pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 400 pounds less than the Infiniti Q50.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe is 11.1 inches shorter than the Q50, making the 2 Series Gran Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe has a much larger trunk than the Q50 (15.1 vs. 13.5 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s available trunk can be opened just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Q50 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

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.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe 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 2 Series Gran Coupe’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 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the 2 Series Gran Coupe 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.

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 2 Series Gran Coupe’s available headlights were rated “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Q50’s headlights are rated “Marginal.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the BMW 2 Series Gran offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe and the Infiniti Q50, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 2 Series Gran Coupe second among small premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Q50 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The BMW 2 Series outsold the Infiniti Q50 by over two to one during 2022.