VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Infiniti QX502014–2026
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Best Years to Buy a Infiniti QX50
Buyer Score combines reliability (65%) and depreciation value (35%) — higher is better.
Infiniti QX50 Years to Avoid
2 recalls · 97 complaints
2 reported injuries
Top issue: ENGINE
1 recall · 30 complaints
10 reported injuries
Top issue: ENGINE
0 recalls · 16 complaints
5 reported injuries
Top issue: UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 1 past investigation into the QX50 became recall.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of September 15, 2026.
Infiniti QX50 — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 100 | 50 | 83 | Excellent |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 100 | 65 | 88 | Excellent |
| 2024 | 0 | 7 | — | — | 100 | 78 | 92 | Excellent |
| 2023 | 0 | 5 | — | — | 100 | 88 | 96 | Excellent |
| 2022 | 1 | 8 | 3 | — | 99 | 95 | 98 | Good |
| 2021 | 1 | 30 | 10 | — | 83 | 98 | 88 | Caution |
| 2020 | 1 | 15 | — | — | 98 | 97 | 98 | Good |
| 2019 | 2 | 97 | 2 | — | 83 | 93 | 87 | Avoid |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 100 | 87 | 95 | Excellent |
| 2017 | 0 | 7 | — | — | 100 | 80 | 93 | Excellent |
| 2016 | 0 | 16 | 5 | — | 89 | 73 | 83 | Good |
| 2015 | 0 | 1 | — | — | 100 | 66 | 88 | Excellent |
| 2014 | 0 | 2 | — | — | 100 | 60 | 86 | 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.
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: 2020 (Buyer Score 98).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year QX50 to buy?+
The 2020 Infiniti QX50 scores highest on our Buyer Score (98/100) — combining a reliability score of 98/100 with a value score of 97/100. It has 1 recall and 15 NHTSA complaints on record.
Which QX50 years have the most problems?+
The 2019, 2021, 2016 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2019 QX50 leads with 2 recalls and 97 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, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.