So we got a 2015 Infiniti Q50 S

If there is such a thing as a start-up among luxury car brands, Infiniti would be one of them. Created at around the same time as Lexus a quarter of a century ago, Infiniti never really made an impact on the automotive landscape until about a decade ago. Since then, there have been a few somewhat interesting cars, and many that were mistaken for just warmed-over versions of Nissans. And then there was that whole naming-system change. The new Infiniti Q50 is the only actual new model that isn’t just a ‘Q’ rebadge of an old model. It’s been out for more than a year, and it seems to be quite promising.

The Q50 looks great, perfect in every way, but we have doubts over whether non-enthusiast bystanders actually recognise it as a luxury-branded model as they do with the Germans.

Inside, cabin materials are as they should be, mostly premium but still giving off a “high-end Nissan” vibe in the details, which isn’t supposed to be a bad thing, but some may take it as such.

Space is great inside for a car in this class, and the boot is generously proportioned.

And, much to our surprise, we actually liked the way the Q50 drives, given the drive-by-wire steering and the aging turbo-free V6 engine, although it looks like these will be addressed for the 2016 model. More on that in the full review.