I sorta get the feeling that 80% of all of the reviews I've seen and read have said the same thing---
It's a really good car but it's not a game changer in the same way that the ATS was last year.
The problem is that they don't have models under it yet. It's being judged unfairly. If you look at it as the successor to the G37, it's a home run.
Still think this is a good start to a new era of Infiniti, despite Intouch and some curiously missing options. 10 years from now people will look back and say "Infiniti sure has come a long way since the Q50". I mean, they got the fit and finish right, the interior finish and material quality, the styling (minus the rear, I agree with some that it's too Sonata/Elantra BUT it's not their fault Hyundai copies them relentlessly).
Regardless of your feelings about the Q50, you have to admit, Infiniti beats most of the competition in technology hands down, and their powerplants have been bulletproof to the point of boredom for the automotive press. They just need to inject some emotion into the next few models, some balls maybe, because the Q50 comes off as a little soft as a driver's car (and runflats don't help).
I know the Q60 will change minds. The 370Z is due for a platform upgrade and a revolutionary drivetrain, which I imagine the Q60 will share to a certain extent. Turbocharged 6, just like the M3 and M4 are getting. IPL Q60 will get a bigger turbo or chip upgrades for more output. I think they're done playing games with the IPL brand and will shock buyers with how serious they've gotten, next year. Lexus is serious about F now, with the IS-F, IS F Sport, GS F Sport and soon, the GS-F with a rumored V8 or turbo 6. Infiniti won't sit idly by watching Lexus school them at the Nurburgring time after time. Infiniti has some big things coming; they have no choice but to bring the fury.
We still don't know what the Q70 (or Q80 and up) could look like either. If they want to play tit-for-tat with Lexus and BMW, they have an LFA competitor in the Essence, which looked production ready years ago, and the new design language is firmly rooted in the Essence.
Back to the review. Beef jerky leather? Compared to what? I test drove a couple and found no fault with the leather. If it was hard and uncomfortable, I would have complained, because my 6' 7" frame puts some pressure on a chair. I thought the seats were so excellent I didn't have much to say about them. Sport models may differ as I didn't drive one and can't comment. I'm surprised the reviewer failed to mention the beloved comparison vehicles don't even offer leather in some trims (IS F Sport, Mercedes C Class). Unless you're rolling in a Bentley, Maserati, Spyker or anything else with hand-selected diamond-pleated grade AAA glove leather interiors, you're not going to get super supple leather. You know what else you won't get? Leather that nice for less than 120k, starting. For this point alone, the author is ridiculous. However, if the author had to dig this deep to nitpick, it goes to show his expectations (due to fit, finish, and presentation) were so astronomical, he expected Bentley leather also. That alone speaks volumes about the Q50, if I'm not reading too much into it. Kinda like if Kia managed to clone a Rolls Royce, and used hard plastic panels for the doors, you'd say, "why isn't there hand-stitched leather surrounding birdseye maple trim on these doors", because the presentation set you up to expect that also.
Sorry for the TL;DR but I've been gone for a while.
