The used Infiniti QX50 to shop in mid October 2026 is the 2019-2025 second generation with the 268-hp 2.0-liter VC-Turbo and a CVT, and the first thing to check on any 2019-2022 car is whether the VC-Turbo engine bearing recall (25V437000) has been done. If you want a V6 and rear-drive feel instead, the older 2014-2017 QX50 is a different car entirely, and you should shop it that way.
Infiniti stopped building the QX50 after the 2025 model year. Car and Driver reported that production of the QX50 and its coupe-roof sibling, the QX55, would end in December, with enough cars built to supply dealers into summer 2026. So every QX50 you see now is either a leftover or used. That cuts both ways. Prices on a discontinued luxury crossover can soften, and you also lose the safety net of a model that dealers will be servicing in volume for the next decade.
Two generations, two different cars
The two generations share a name and very little else. According to Infiniti's own QX50 history page, the 2014-2017 car used a 3.7-liter V6 making 325 hp with a 7-speed automatic and rear- or all-wheel drive, rated around 20 mpg combined. MotorTrend notes it started life as the EX and took the QX50 name for 2014. The second generation switched to the 2.0-liter VC-Turbo four, 268 hp and 280 lb-ft, through a CVT, with front- or all-wheel drive and about 25 mpg combined. Infiniti's legacy page puts the redesign at 2019, and that is also where NHTSA's recall records for the new car begin.
Honestly, the V6 car is the one enthusiasts still talk about. It is smaller inside, thirstier, and getting old enough that rubber, mounts and cooling parts are your real costs. The 2019-on car is roomier and quieter, and it is what most people mean when they search for a used QX50.
What reviewers liked and what bugged them
Review sites were lukewarm on the later car, and you should know why before you pay up for one. Car and Driver's QX50 review praises the ride, the roomy cabin and reclining rear seat, and 31 cubic feet behind the back row (about 65 with it folded). It also calls the engine loud under heavy throttle, says the CVT makes that worse around town, and says real-world mileage fell short of the promise of the variable-compression design. Their AWD test car hit 60 mph in 6.4 seconds. MotorTrend's review lands in a similar place: attractive, quiet when you drive it gently, not sporty, not especially efficient, with EPA figures of 22 city and 28 highway for the 2025 AWD car.
Trim names shifted over the years. For 2025, MotorTrend lists Pure, Luxe and Sport, all with AWD standard, at $44,350 to $52,550 new, and Car and Driver notes that the top Sensory and Autograph trims were dropped that year. If you want the quilted leather and the bigger Bose system, an earlier Sensory or Autograph is where those options live.
Recalls to clear by VIN
We pulled NHTSA's recall data for 2019 through 2026 QX50s on October 15, 2026. The big one is 25V437000. NHTSA's summary says certain 2019-2022 QX50s (plus 2022 QX55s, 2021-2024 Rogues and 2019-2020 Altimas with VC-Turbo engines) may have engine bearing defects that can lead to engine failure, and that a failed bearing can breach the block and throw hot oil, raising fire risk. The campaign covers 443,899 vehicles across those models. The listed remedy is an engine control module software reprogram, and owner letters went out April 8, 2026. That is recent, so plenty of cars on lots have not been in yet.
The smaller campaigns are worth a minute too. 21V402000 covers 2021 QX50s (and other Nissan and Infiniti models) whose front steering knuckle or rear axle housing may have been improperly heat-treated. 24V154000 is a driver air bag inflator that can absorb moisture, on certain 2023-2024 cars. 18V593000 hit 1,671 2019 cars over a passenger knee air bag trim cover, and 21V025000 covered 8,291 2020 cars with an illegible tire placard. You can see the full list in the NHTSA recalls API for the 2020 QX50. One odd thing we noticed: model-year searches for 2014-2017 QX50s came back empty. That may be a filing quirk, so on the V6 car, run the VIN rather than trusting a blank model search. Our Infiniti recall check by VIN walks through that, and the Infiniti VIN decoder confirms the year, engine and plant before you trust a listing.
QX50 or QX60?
The QX50 is a five-seat compact. If you actually need a third row, it is the wrong car, and our used Infiniti QX60 buying guide covers the three-row option. For a five-seat rival, cross-shop an Acura RDX or a Lexus NX before you sign; Car and Driver put the QX50's acceleration right in line with the RDX. The QX50's case is comfort and price. Car and Driver's review says it undercut other luxury SUVs by a few thousand dollars new, and it rides better than its spec sheet suggests.
History report before money changes hands
On a VC-Turbo car, look at service history more than the paint. Regular oil changes matter on a turbo engine with a bearing campaign hanging over it, and a gap of 20,000 miles with no service record is a reason to ask questions or walk. CARFAX says its reports pull accident, title, odometer and service records, and that is where you will see whether the car went back to a dealer after April 2026. Through us, a CARFAX report runs about $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle about $6.75, against roughly $39.99 to $44.99 retail; prices move, so confirm at checkout. We are a licensed reseller and not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. If a seller texts you a cropped PDF with the VIN cut off, buy your own report anyway. A cropped report is the oldest way to hide an accident.
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