Compare the2024 BMW X5VS 2024 Infiniti QX50

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The X5’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The QX50 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The X5 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 QX50 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X5 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 QX50 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X5’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX50 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the X5 and QX50 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the X5 has Cross Traffic Warning with Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The QX50’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

The X5’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 QX50 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the X5 and the QX50 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available all wheel drive.

The BMW X5 weighs 739 to 1724 pounds more than the Infiniti QX50. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the BMW X5 is safer than the QX50:

	X5	QX50
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	35	141
Neck Tension	134 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.06 in
Shoulder Force	112 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.73 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	647 lbs.	1316 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	36	57
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.24 in	.67 in
Shoulder Force	89 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.63 in	1.42 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The BMW X5 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The QX50 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

The X5’s corrosion warranty is 5 years longer than the QX50’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 X5’s warranty.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the BMW X5’s reliability 33 points higher than the QX50.

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.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Infiniti vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 4 places higher in reliability than Infiniti.

Engine

The X5 s/xDrive40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 107 more horsepower (375 vs. 268) and 118 lbs.-ft. more torque (398 vs. 280) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X5 xDrive50e’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 215 more horsepower (483 vs. 268) and 236 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 280) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X5 M60i xDrive’s standard 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 255 more horsepower (523 vs. 268) and 273 lbs.-ft. more torque (553 vs. 280) than the QX50’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

The X550e xDrive can travel with zero emissions for 40 miles. The QX50 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the X5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The QX50 doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the X5’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 QX50 doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The X5 has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the QX50 (21.9 vs. 16 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The X5’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 QX50 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the X5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the QX50:

	X5	X5 M Sport	QX50
Front Rotors	13.7 inches	15.6 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	14.6 inches	12.1 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the X5 has larger standard tires than the QX50 (265/50R19 vs. 235/55R19). The X5’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the QX50 (F:275/40R21 & R:315/35R21 vs. 255/45R20).

The X5’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the QX50’s standard 55 series tires. The X5’s optional 275/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile than the QX50 Sport/Sensory/Autograph’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the X5 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The QX50’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The X5 offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the QX50; 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

The X5 M60i offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The QX50 doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The X5 M60i xDrive offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Infiniti doesn’t offer an active suspension on the QX50.

The X5 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The QX50’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The X5 has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The QX50 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the X5’s wheelbase is 6.9 inches longer than on the QX50 (117.1 inches vs. 110.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the X5 is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2.8 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the QX50.

The X5’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (49.7% to 50.3%) than the QX50’s (57.4% to 42.6%). This gives the X5 more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the X5 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the QX50 (8.7 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the X5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The front grille of the X5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The QX50 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The X5 has .2 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1 inch more rear shoulder room than the QX50.

Cargo Capacity

The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the QX50 with its rear seat up (33.9 vs. 31.4 cubic feet). The X5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the QX50 with its rear seat folded (72.3 vs. 65.1 cubic feet).

The X5’s cargo area is larger than the QX50’s in almost every dimension:

	X5	QX50
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	40.7”/70”	39”/71.7”
Max Width	49”	54.5”
Min Width	44”	41.5”
Height	31.5”	31.2”

The X5’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The QX50’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Towing

The X5’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the QX50’s (5952 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Infiniti QX50 AWD is only 3000 pounds. The X5 offers up to a 7209 lbs. towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stabilization Control on the X5 uses the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The QX50 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the X5 is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the QX50. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

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.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the QX50 Luxe/Sport/Sensory/Autograph, the X5 M60i has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The power windows standard on both the X5 and the QX50 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the X5 is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The QX50 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The X5’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Infiniti Intelligent Key standard on the QX50 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The X5’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The QX50’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The X5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the QX50.

The X5’s Parking Assistant Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The QX50 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the BMW X5 as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Infiniti QX50 isn't recommended.

The BMW X5 outsold the Infiniti QX50 by over seven to one during 2023.

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