Infiniti Q50 2.0t S 2014 Review

“Nice Lexus, mate!” was my father-in-law's reaction after spotting the sleek, Japanese prestige sedan parked in the driveway.

It's the sort of comment welcomed by anyone who has just splashed out $50,000-plus on the latest, luxury four-door... Except when the racy mid-sized sedan in question isn't a Lexus, but an Infiniti – the latest offering from Nissan's luxury off-shoot.

But you can't blame a bloke for confusing the two. Just two years into its 'second coming' on the Australian market, Infiniti remains almost invisible, not helped by slow sales nor more attention-grabbing rivals of the likes of Mercedes' new C-Class.

And at first glance the cheapest Infiniti, with its Lexus-like badge and sharply-creased body, could be easily mistaken for a Lexus IS.

Despite being Infiniti's 'volume seller' and arguably it's most convincing and best-value Australian model to date, the Q50 found just 163 buyers to the end of October, nine months after it went on sale. That puts it firmly at the bottom of the medium passenger car segment, luxury or otherwise. And with just 15 sales in October, it only beat oddballs like the Proton Suprima S and MINI Paceman. Even parent company Nissan offloaded two more of its electric LEAF.

So it was little surprise that during a recent sampling of all three Q50 petrol variants, we didn't spot one other Infiniti on the road. Instead, we were bombarded on the daily commute with large billboard images of the Q50, urging potential buyers to 'Ignite your Curiosity'.

In other words, ignore the badge, take the plunge and go for a test drive. It's not bad advice, as while not perfect the petrol Q50 is well-built, keenly priced, and in some ways a cutting-edge alternative to an Audi A4 or BMW 3 Series.

It's certainly a fun steer and easy to live with, not to mention pampering and loaded with the latest driver aids and smart phone-style features, depending on spec level.

The Q50's styling is more generic (read: less confronting) than previous Infiniti offerings, including the even less loved M and G models. In fact, from certain angles there are hints of Jaguar, and of course Lexus, which doesn't hurt its curbside appeal.

The rear-drive, petrol-powered Q50 also delivers a polished on-road performance. It blends enough grunt, ride comfort and agility to satisfy the majority of buyers. It's refined and smooth, the free-revving 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine combining well with the seven-speed automatic transmission, delivering urgent if not exhilarating acceleration.

The ride is firm but rarely harsh, it remains balanced and composed in corners, build quality is high, and it's quiet in-cabin except for some pleasing engine burble at higher revs.

While some might desire more oomph than the 155kW/350Nm on offer in the 1645kg petrol-powered sedan, the upside is decent if not class-leading fuel economy. With scant regard for fuel efficiency, the trip computer never exceeded 10L/100km during our test – well off the 7.3L/100km official rate but not bad for a sporty drive.

It's worth noting the up-spec 'S' and 'S Premium' variants get paddle shifters while the entry-level GT doesn't, although unless on a racetrack most drivers will be happy with reasonably snappy changes offered in Sport mode.

For savings of $6000 and $9600 respectively (compared to the S and S Premium), the entry $50,900 (plus ORCs) GT also misses out on some handy driver aids, including lane departure and blind-spot warning, adaptive cruise control, forward collision avoidance and autonomous braking, and a superb, back-up collision avoidance system that among other things, makes reversing into tight spots child's play.

Most can be switched off if annoying or interfering, although we're glad we didn't touch Active Trace Control, which automatically dabbed the brakes after carrying too much speed into a long, hairpin corner.

However, apart from the absent safety nannies the GT offers similar feel and ambience to the up-spec versions, including a classy black/silver interior theme that wouldn't look out of place in a Euro car.

Also lifting the mood a notch in the GT we drove was a $3000 'Enhancement Pack' that added sunroof and 18-inch alloys. The GT also benefits from the excellent, twin-stack touchscreen arrangement that dominates the dash, including separate sat-nav display with iPad-style, app-based infotainment screen below.

It requires some familiarity before mastering the interface, but generally works a treat. However, like smartphones it can distract when driving, with the constant urge to tap and scroll through an extensive menu that includes digital radio and various 'driving' calculators.

The entry-level GT also misses out on the somewhat controversial, 'steer-by-wire' electric steering fitted to other Q50s, although for some that might be a blessing, depending on your preference for the very direct, slightly artificial feel of steer-by-wire versus the more natural, progressive response from the hydraulic set-up.

We found the digitised steering system too sensitive as well as heavy at higher speeds, with the go-kart-like response more suitable around town. The almost constant need for adjustment did force both hands on the wheel though, which is not a bad thing.

After fiddling with the 'Personal' setting in Drive Mode Select in the Q50 S, we finally settled on a 'light' steering effort and 'standard' response, although it was still no match for the GT's well-calibrated 'normal' steering.

Inside, the Q50 offers very comfortable and supportive seats for front passengers, with two or even three, average sized adults able to squeeze into the leather-lined back. The boot won't take large boxes but is big enough for the weekly grocery shopping.

Surprisingly, the only technical 'glitch' we experienced was on the less technologically advanced GT. Twice the sat-nav system refused to load, but on both occasions it sorted itself out after re-starting the engine.

So both the petrol and diesel Q50 impress as a daily driver. You get top notch build quality, fuss-free performance and plenty of fruit, at pricing that undercuts many rivals. A four-year/120,000km warranty is a bonus, although below-average resale values would be a concern for many.

What's clear is that Infiniti needs more models like the Q50 before it can 'break through' as an aspirational brand in Australia. At least it's off to a (belated) good start.