Infiniti Q50S Hybrid 1

Breaking into an established scene requires more than persistence and the usual fortitude, especially if the doors remain wedged shut in welcoming newcomers. Sometimes, instead of just banging away head on in an attempt to break in, novelty in application helps, as does taking a left-field approach, especially when the entrenched is seemingly immovable.

Case in point, the premium compact executive sedan segment. While the general C-segment seems to be falling by the wayside, especially here in Malaysia, the upper range part of the segment continues to perform nicely, led by the F30 BMW 3 Series and, in a different manner, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

It remains a prime piece of land, this, and as such there's no shortage of contenders vying for a slice of the pie – though not overly brimming in this market, options are wide enough; there's the Lexus IS, ageing Audi A4 and the object of this week's review, the Infiniti Q50, the latest challenger to enter the fray.

The former two haven't taken much away from the leading duo (there was a time when the Audi did, but like I said, it's ageing, and ageing only means one thing), so it's the turn of the Q50 to bat. There's plenty of novelty in its application, and it's certainly left-field in its approach, but is it good enough to take the spend away from the establishment?

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