VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Infiniti Q5020142026

Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.

TOP PICK
2021
Buyer Score 92/100
13
Years Analyzed
18
Total Recalls
358
Total Complaints
12
Reported Injuries
6
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Infiniti Q50

Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.

#1 PICK5yr old
2021
Strong Buy · 92/100
Reliability94/100
Value window88/100
Recalls1
Complaints4
Top issue: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
#2 PICK3yr old
2023
Strong Buy · 89/100
Reliability95/100
Value window78/100
Recalls0
Complaints3
Top issue: FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
#3 PICK7yr old
2019
Strong Buy · 88/100
Reliability90/100
Value window83/100
Recalls1
Complaints15
Top issue: ENGINE

Infiniti Q50 Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2014

6 recalls · 148 complaints

3 reported injuries

Top issue: STEERING

#2 WORST
2015

3 recalls · 103 complaints

8 reported injuries

Top issue: POWER TRAIN

#3 WORST
2017

2 recalls · 36 complaints

Top issue: ENGINE

Infiniti Q50 — Year-by-Year Comparison

Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.

YearRecallsComplaintsInjuriesDeathsReliabilityValueBuyer ScoreVerdict
202600
85
40
69
Excellent
202500
85
55
75
Excellent
202400
100
68
89
Excellent
202303
95
78
89
Excellent
202200
100
85
95
Excellent
202114
94
88
92
Excellent
202000
100
87
95
Excellent
2019115
90
83
88
Excellent
2018227
85
77
82
Good
2017236
85
70
80
Good
20163221
85
63
77
Good
201531038
75
56
68
Caution
2014614836
19
50
30
Avoid

Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.

Known Infiniti Q50 Problems

Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.

STEERING
66
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
42
ENGINE
39
POWER TRAIN
35
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
31
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
26
AIR BAGS
22
SERVICE BRAKES
20

Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the Q50 compares — best year within each era shown.

2018–Present

Modern safety tech, refreshed platforms, updated powertrains. Higher purchase price but lower reliability risk. Best pick in this era: 2020 (Buyer Score 95).

Best: 2020

2013–2017

Mid-decade models in the depreciation sweet spot — typically 35–55% below original MSRP. Inspect carefully for powertrain wear and recall completion. Best: 2017 (Buyer Score 80).

Best: 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year Q50 to buy?+

The 2021 Infiniti Q50 scores highest on our Buyer Score (92/100) — combining a reliability score of 94/100 with a value score of 88/100. It has 1 recall and 4 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which Q50 years have the most problems?+

The 2014, 2015, 2017 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2014 Q50 leads with 6 recalls and 148 owner complaints.

What is the Buyer Score?+

The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.

What are the most common Q50 problems?+

The most frequently reported Infiniti Q50 issues involve: STEERING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, POWER TRAIN. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.

Deep-Dive Research

Found the right year? Verify the specific car.

A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.

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