Compare the2024 Infiniti Q50VS 2024 Cadillac CT5

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 CT5 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q50 and CT5 have Rear Cross Traffic Alert, but the Q50 has Back-up Collision Intervention (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The CT5’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Q50 and the CT5 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 all wheel drive.

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 CT5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 10,000 miles sooner.

The Q50’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the CT5’s (7 vs. 6 years).

Infiniti pays for scheduled maintenance on the Q50 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Infiniti will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the CT5.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Infiniti vehicles are more reliable than Cadillac vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Infiniti 3 places higher in reliability than Cadillac.

The Q50’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 63 more horsepower (300 vs. 237) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 258) than the CT5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Q50 Red Sport 400’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 65 more horsepower (400 vs. 335) than the CT5’s optional 3.0 turbo V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Infiniti Q50 3.0 is faster than the Cadillac CT5 turbo 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Q50 gets better mileage than the CT5:

The Q50 has 2.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the CT5 (20 vs. 17.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Q50 has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the CT5. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

For better stopping power the Q50 Red Sport 400’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CT5:

The Q50’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the CT5 are solid, not vented.

The Q50 stops shorter than the CT5:

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 CT5 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Q50 Red Sport 400 handles at .88 G’s, while the CT5 Premium Luxury pulls only .87 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Q50’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the CT5’s (36.7 feet vs. 39 feet). The Q50 AWD’s turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the CT5 AWD’s (37.4 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

The Q50 is 4.2 inches shorter than the CT5, making the Q50 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q50 has .5 inches more front headroom, 2.1 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the CT5.

The Q50 has a much larger trunk than the CT5 (13.5 vs. 11.9 cubic feet).

With its sedan body style, valet key, locking rear seatbacks and remote trunk release lockout, the Q50 offers cargo security. The CT5’s non-lockable folding seat defeats cargo security.

If the windows are left open on the Q50 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the CT5 can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The CT5 Premium Luxury/Sport’s optional cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Q50 Red Sport 400’s optional 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.

The Q50 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the CT5.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Infiniti Q50 and the Cadillac CT5, based on reliability, safety and performance.