The dashboard houses a pair of handsome and highly legible primary gauges for the speedometer and tach, with a crisp information screen nested between them. The central dash is dominated by two touch screens to operate all manner of vehicular operations. Despite this, Infiniti’s designers still opted to provide actual buttons for climate controls and a traditional knob for audio volume, and even a redundant controller for infotainment system operation. This is one area where Infiniti should be commended for their common sense and not following some of their peers in developing a cockpit with only digital “buttons” to control everything.

The infotainment system itself is intuitive and required very little familiarization time to pair the phone, program favourite stations and make fine adjustments to the audio. The Bose-tuned system sounds pretty decent too.

Warranty:
4 years/100,000 km; 6 years/110,000 km powertrain; 7 years/unlimited distance corrosion perforation; 4 years/100,000 km roadside assistance

Competitors:
Acura TLX
Audi A4
BMW 320i
Cadillac ATS 2.0T
Lexus IS200
Mercedes-Benz C300

Although not the most athletic sport sedan in the class, nor the most luxurious, the entry-level Q50 is a solid offering amongst its peers. Considering styling that still looks fresh and aggressive even a few years into its life cycle, Infiniti’s most affordable sedan is certainly worth considering at its starting price just under $40,000. With a few key option packages, our test car checked out at nearly $48,000 putting it right in the sweet spot with its peers, similarly equipped.

Despite mom’s protests, peer pressure isn’t all bad. The improvements to Infiniti’s overall line up are proof of this, however in its most basic trim, the Q50 2.0T still has a bit of work to do to become the most popular one in the class.

Pricing: 2016 Infiniti Q50 2.0T AWD
Base Price: $39,900
Options: Premium Package, $4,000; Driver Assistance Package, $2,000
Destination: $1,995
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $48,280

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