Compare the2024 Cadillac CT5-VVS 2023 Infiniti Q50

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 CT5-V 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 Cadillac CT5-V 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.

Both the CT5-V 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, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

There are almost 3 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Infiniti dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the CT5-V’s warranty.

The battery on the CT5-V is in the trunk, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the CT5-V’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Q50’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 42 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 Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Infiniti is rated below average.

The CT5-V’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 60 more horsepower (360 vs. 300) and 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 295) than the Q50’s standard 3.0 turbo V6. The CT5-V’s 3.0 turbo V6 produces 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (405 vs. 350) than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6. The CT5-V Blackwing’s standard 6.2 supercharged V8 produces 268 more horsepower (668 vs. 400) and 309 lbs.-ft. more torque (659 vs. 350) than the Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Car and Driver the CT5-V Blackwing 6.2 supercharged V8 is faster than the Q50 Red Sport 400 (automatics tested):

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the CT5-V’s fuel efficiency. The Q50 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the CT5-V (except Blackwing)’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.

The CT5-V has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q50 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The CT5-V offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Q50 doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Cadillac CT5-V, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q50.

The CT5-V’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 CT5-V’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q50:

The CT5-V stops much shorter than the Q50:

For better traction, the CT5-V has larger standard tires than the Q50 (245/40R19 vs. 225/50R18). The CT5-V Blackwing’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q50 (F:275/35R19 & R:305/30R19 vs. F:245/40R19 & R:265/35R19).

The CT5-V’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Q50 Luxe’s standard 50 series tires. The CT5-V Blackwing’s 275/35R19 front and 305/30R19 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 CT5-V has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Q50 Luxe. The CT5-V’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Q50 Sensory/Red Sport 400 AWD.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the CT5-V’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the Q50 (116 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the CT5-V is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Q50.

The CT5-V’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.9% to 47.1%) than the Q50’s (55.8% to 44.2%). This gives the CT5-V more stable handling and braking.

The CT5-V Blackwing handles at 1.02 G’s, while the Q50 Red Sport 400 pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The CT5-V has .5 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear hip room than the Q50.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the CT5-V’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 Cadillac service is better than Infiniti. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 18% lower rating, Infiniti is ranked 9th.

The CT5-V’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.

The CT5-V offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer 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 CT5-V’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 CT5-V and the Q50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the CT5-V 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.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the CT5-V 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 CT5-V 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 Cadillac CT5-V has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Q50 doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The CT5-V (except Manual)’s optional Automatic Parking Assist with Braking can parallel park by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Q50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The CT5-V Blackwing was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2023 and 2022. The Q50 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

The Cadillac CT5 outsold the Infiniti Q50 by over three to one during 2022.