VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE

Infiniti QX5020142026

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

TOP PICK
2017
Buyer Score 88/100
13
Years Analyzed
8
Total Recalls
151
Total Complaints
11
Reported Injuries
0
Reported Deaths

Best Years to Buy a Infiniti QX50

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

#1 PICK9yr old
2017
Strong Buy · 88/100
Reliability97/100
Value window70/100
Recalls0
Complaints6
Top issue: AIR BAGS
#2 PICK4yr old
2022
Strong Buy · 88/100
Reliability89/100
Value window85/100
Recalls2
Complaints5
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
#3 PICK3yr old
2023
Strong Buy · 88/100
Reliability93/100
Value window78/100
Recalls0
Complaints6
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Infiniti QX50 Years to Avoid

#1 WORST
2019

3 recalls · 81 complaints

2 reported injuries

Top issue: ENGINE

#2 WORST
2016

0 recalls · 16 complaints

5 reported injuries

Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER

#3 WORST
2021

1 recall · 20 complaints

1 reported injury

Top issue: ENGINE

Infiniti QX50 — 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
202306
93
78
88
Excellent
2022253
89
85
88
Good
20211201
87
88
87
Good
2020214
87
87
87
Good
20193812
75
83
78
Avoid
201800
100
77
92
Excellent
201706
97
70
88
Excellent
20160165
92
63
82
Good
201501
99
56
84
Excellent
201402
99
50
82
Excellent

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

Known Infiniti QX50 Problems

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

ENGINE
33
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
22
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
15
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
13
SERVICE BRAKES
12
POWER TRAIN
10
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
10
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
5

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

Shopping by Era

How each generation of the QX50 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: 2018 (Buyer Score 92).

Best: 2018

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 88).

Best: 2017

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best year QX50 to buy?+

The 2017 Infiniti QX50 scores highest on our Buyer Score (88/100) — combining a reliability score of 97/100 with a value score of 70/100. It has 0 recalls and 6 NHTSA complaints on record.

Which QX50 years have the most problems?+

The 2019, 2016, 2021 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2019 QX50 leads with 3 recalls and 81 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 QX50 problems?+

The most frequently reported Infiniti QX50 issues involve: ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. 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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