2 Infiniti Models That Are Stuck at Dealerships
As Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti has many upscale models in its lineup. However, Infiniti SUVs and cars are seeing disappointing sales. Here’s a look at two Infiniti models stuck on dealership lots and why that might be happening.
Overviews of the Q50 sedan and QX55 SUV
The 2023 Infiniti Q50 is a luxury compact sedan starting at just under $43,000. It offers two engine options, both 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6s. The standard powerplant makes 300 hp, while the optional engine harnesses 400 hp. They’re the best parts of this car and potent enough to compete with most other luxury sedans.
In addition, the Q50’s interior is solid. The seats are spacious and comfortable, and the car includes plentiful standard features, such as two touchscreens.
Meanwhile, the 2023 Infiniti QX55 luxury compact SUV starts at about $49,000. Unlike the Q50, the QX55 doesn’t focus on performance. It has one engine option, a 2.0-liter turbo-four producing 268 hp. That’s not much power for a luxury SUV, but the automaker put more effort into the QX55’s interior.
The spacious cabin abounds with amenities, including leather upholstery and adaptive cruise control. It has a similar dual-touchscreen setup as the Q50 but far greater cargo capacity. The SUV provides 26.9 cubic feet behind the rear row and 54.1 cubic feet with that row folded, versus the sedan’s 13.5-cubic-foot trunk.
The QX55 and Q50 are the worst-selling Infiniti models
The Q50 and QX55 look OK on paper, but their sales numbers aren’t great. The two Infiniti models are the brand’s worst-sellers. Technically, the Q60 sports coupe is the least popular, but it was discontinued last year, so it doesn’t count. Although American consumers love SUVs, the QX55 is performing the worst.
In the second quarter of 2023, Infiniti sold only 1,286 QX55 SUVs. That averages to about 400 a month nationwide.
The Q50 isn’t doing much better. It moved 1,830 units in the second quarter. For context, the best-selling Infiniti model is the QX60. The company sold 7,730 units of this luxury midsize SUV in Q2 2023, GoodCarBadCar reports.
How can these 2 Infiniti models improve sales?
Infiniti QX55 and Q50 and sales are performing poorly, but their year-over-year numbers are telling. The QX55 SUV is the only Infiniti model selling worse in the second quarter of 2023 than in the same timeframe in 2022. The Q50 sedan actually saw significant year-over-year sales growth. This car is far from perfect, but its hearty engines are big benefits.
What does that show? The QX55 must perform superbly in one or two areas to stand out in its class. The Q50 accomplishes that with its potent engines, so perhaps the QX55 could follow suit.
Overall, though, both Infiniti models are flawed in the same area: their interiors. These luxury cars cost over $40,000 each, yet their interiors aren’t up to par with rivals. Infiniti must improve in this area if it hopes to compete.
