Infiniti QX50 Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2019 draws 6.36 complaints per run and the 2017 1.5, a 4.2-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age, so 68.3% land after the 4-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Engine, with 105 complaints, typically at 5.3 years.

Infiniti QX50 years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Infiniti QX50 — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2024	1	4	4	too new
2023	1	4	4	too new
2022	1.07	15	14	too new
2021	1.54	40	26	too new
2020	1.83	33	18	yes
2019	6.36	140	22	yes
2017	1.5	12	8	yes
2016	2.25	18	8	yes

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Among the 4 Infiniti QX50 years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2019, 2016, 2020; the three worth hunting are 2017, 2020, 2016.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Infiniti QX50 — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	24	9.1%	covered
1 year	23	17.7%	covered
2 years	16	23.8%	covered
3 years	21	31.7%	covered
4 years	28	42.3%	you pay
5 years	43	58.5%	you pay
6 years	65	83%	you pay
7 years	34	95.8%	you pay
8 years	8	98.9%	you pay
9 years	3	100%	you pay

ROWS 10·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 4 years / 50,000 miles. Only 31.7% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 68.3% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (6 years / 70,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 67% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Infiniti QX50, the early trouble is Electrical System and Unknown Or Other — reported at around 3.5 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Engine at 5.3 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Infiniti QX50 — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Engine	105	5.3 yrs	4	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	44	5.5 yrs	—	—
Electrical System	40	3.5 yrs	3	1
Unknown Or Other	38	3.9 yrs	4	—
Forward Collision Avoidance	35	3.1 yrs	—	—
Power Train	33	4.4 yrs	4	1
Service Brakes	19	2.1 yrs	3	—
Fuel/propulsion System	14	3.3 yrs	1	2

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the QX50's vehicle class. Per production run, the Kia Soul draws 11.34, the Subaru Impreza 1.61 and the Honda Fit 3.24, against 2.49 for the QX50.

FIG.05·Infiniti QX50 — rivals in the same class
Same class as the QX50	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Kia Soul	5,584	39	2010–2026
Subaru Impreza	2,763	183	1993–2026
Honda Fit	2,196	94	2007–2020
Honda HR-V	1,836	37	2016–2026
Buick Envista	90	5	2024–2026
Kia Niro	111	29	2017–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Infiniti QX50

Recalls23 campaigns Fuel economy27 mpg best Common problems281 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space19 cu ft Used prices510 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2014–2026

Frequently asked questions

Is the Infiniti QX50 reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.49 against 3.73 for the average car, and in the middle of its class rivals.

Which QX50 years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2019, 2016, 2020. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2017, 2020, 2016. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do QX50 problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 5 years of age. The most reported system is Engine, typically at 5.3 years, followed by Engine and Engine Cooling.

Will the warranty cover QX50 problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 4 years / 50,000 miles, and only 31.7% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 67% of the complaints here.

Is the QX50 more reliable than the Kia Soul?

Yes: 2.49 complaints per production run for the QX50 against 11.34 for the Kia Soul.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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