Is the 1997 Infiniti Q45 fuel efficient?

It is in line with the rest of the class. The 1997 Infiniti Q45 returns 18 combined MPG, and the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year sits at 19.6 MPG.

What MPG does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Infiniti Q45 at 18 combined MPG, 16 MPG in city driving, and 22 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.

How much does it cost to fuel a 1997 Infiniti Q45 per year?

The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,850 for the 1997 Infiniti Q45. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.

Does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 require premium gas?

Yes. The EPA lists the 1997 Infiniti Q45 as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump.

Has the Infiniti Q45 become more fuel efficient over time?

Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest ( 1990 Infiniti Q45 , 17 MPG) and most recent ( 2006 Infiniti Q45 , 18 MPG) versions sit in the same range.

How much CO₂ does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 emit?

Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 494 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 7,406 kilograms of CO₂.

What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1997 Infiniti Q45?

City driving returns 16 MPG and highway driving returns 22 MPG, a gap of 6 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.

What engine is in the 1997 Infiniti Q45?

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 has a 4.1-liter 8-cylinder engine (EPA description: (FFS)).

What transmission and drivetrain does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 have?

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 comes with a automatic 4-spd transmission and rear-wheel drive.

How does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 compare to the best car in its class?

The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1997 model year is the Volkswagen Passat at 36 combined MPG. The Infiniti Q45 returns 18 MPG, a gap of 18 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

1997 Infiniti Q45 MPG and Fuel Economy

This page collects every fuel-economy figure the EPA publishes for the 1997 Infiniti Q45. Below you will find the headline combined, city, and highway MPG, the estimated annual fuel cost at three different driving levels, the tailpipe CO₂ emissions, and a full breakdown of the engine and drivetrain. If you want to know whether this generation got more or less efficient over the years, the year-over-year table further down covers every model year the EPA has rated.

Key takeaways

The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1997 model year is the Volkswagen Passat at 36 MPG.
EPA estimates this car costs around $8,500 more in fuel over five years than an average new vehicle of the same model year.
Requires premium gasoline, which typically adds about 40 to 60 cents per gallon to the EPA's annual fuel cost estimate.

Fuel economy at a glance

These are the EPA's official ratings for the 1997 Infiniti Q45. The numbers come from a standardised laboratory test cycle and are the same figures that appear on the window sticker of every new car. Real-world mileage varies with driving style, weather, fuel quality, and how heavily loaded the car is.

Combined MPG is a 55/45 weighted blend of the city and highway test cycles. The EPA uses it as the single number you can compare across the entire dataset, including hybrids and EVs (which use the equivalent MPGe figure).

Combined MPG	18 MPG
City MPG	16 MPG
Highway MPG	22 MPG
Annual fuel cost	$3,850
Tailpipe CO₂	494 g/mi
Fuel type	Premium

How the 1997 Infiniti Q45 compares

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 returns 18 combined MPG. Cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year average 19.6 MPG, which puts this car behind the class average by about 8%.

The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1997 model year is the Volkswagen Passat at 36 MPG. The bar chart below puts the Infiniti Q45 alongside the class best and the class average so you can see the full picture.

For broader context, the average new car of the 1997 model year (across all classes) returns 18.9 MPG. Larger vehicles pull the all-cars average down, so do not use that figure on its own to judge a small car or a hybrid. The full list of the most efficient cars of the 1997 model year is on its own page.

1997 Infiniti Q45

18 MPG

Class average, 1997

19.6 MPG

Class best, 1997

36 MPG

Average new car, 1997

18.9 MPG

Annual fuel cost across driving patterns

The headline annual fuel cost the EPA publishes assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year and a fuel mix of 55% city and 45% highway. The dollar figure is calculated using the EPA's current reference price for premium gasoline, which is $4.61/gallon. EPA updates that reference periodically rather than tracking live pump prices, so treat it as a window-sticker estimate rather than today's pump number.

The table below scales the EPA's number to three common driving patterns. The combined MPG and the reference fuel price stay constant, only the annual mileage changes. To get a current-prices estimate, take your local gas price and multiply by 833.3 gallons (the car's annual consumption at the rated MPG).

Driving pattern	Estimated annual fuel cost
Light driver, 7,500 miles per year	$1,925
Average driver, 15,000 miles per year	$3,850
Heavy driver, 25,000 miles per year	$6,417

Year-over-year MPG for the Infiniti Q45

The EPA has rated the Infiniti Q45 across 17 model years, from 1990 Infiniti Q45 through 2006 Infiniti Q45. The numbers below are the best combined MPG figure the EPA published for each year, which lets you see when the car was at its most efficient and how recent generations stack up.

Combined MPG has stayed in roughly the same range across the run. The peak rating came with the 1997 Infiniti Q45 at 18 MPG.

Year	Combined MPG	Open year page
2006	18 MPG	2006 Infiniti Q45
2005	18 MPG	2005 Infiniti Q45
2004	18 MPG	2004 Infiniti Q45
2003	18 MPG	2003 Infiniti Q45
2002	18 MPG	2002 Infiniti Q45
2001	18 MPG	2001 Infiniti Q45
2000	18 MPG	2000 Infiniti Q45
1999	18 MPG	1999 Infiniti Q45
1998	18 MPG	1998 Infiniti Q45
1997	18 MPG	this page
1996	17 MPG	1996 Infiniti Q45
1995	17 MPG	1995 Infiniti Q45
1994	17 MPG	1994 Infiniti Q45
1993	17 MPG	1993 Infiniti Q45
1992	17 MPG	1992 Infiniti Q45
1991	17 MPG	1991 Infiniti Q45
1990	17 MPG	1990 Infiniti Q45

Compare against other Midsize Cars for 1997

If you are cross-shopping the 1997 Infiniti Q45, the most useful comparison is against the other cars in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year. The list below shows the highest-MPG peers, ranked from most to least efficient. Click any of them to open its full page.

The Volkswagen Passat leads this group at 36 MPG, 18 MPG ahead of the 1997 Infiniti Q45.

1997 Volkswagen Passat

36 MPG 1997 Dodge Stratus

27 MPG 1997 Plymouth Breeze

27 MPG 1997 Mazda 626

26 MPG 1997 Mercedes-Benz E300 Diesel

26 MPG 1997 Toyota Camry

23 MPG

1997 Infiniti Q45

18 MPG

Specifications

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 runs a 4.1-liter 8-cylinder engine paired with a automatic 4-spd, sending power through rear-wheel drive.

Engine, transmission, and drivetrain together drive most of the variation in fuel economy across trims. A larger engine moves the car with less effort but burns more fuel. A turbo lets a small engine punch above its weight, often without much MPG penalty. All-wheel drive adds traction and weight, and usually costs a couple of MPG compared with two-wheel drive of the same engine.

Vehicle class: Midsize Cars
Engine: 4.1L 8-cylinder
Transmission: Automatic 4-spd
Drivetrain: Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel type: Premium
Annual petroleum use: 16.5 barrels per year

Common questions about the 1997 Infiniti Q45

Quick answers to the questions people most often search for when looking up the 1997 Infiniti Q45.

Is the 1997 Infiniti Q45 fuel efficient?

It is in line with the rest of the class. The 1997 Infiniti Q45 returns 18 combined MPG, and the average car in the Midsize Cars class for the same model year sits at 19.6 MPG.
What MPG does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 get?

The EPA rates the 1997 Infiniti Q45 at 18 combined MPG, 16 MPG in city driving, and 22 MPG on the highway. Real-world numbers depend on your driving style, the weather, and how loaded the car is.
How much does it cost to fuel a 1997 Infiniti Q45 per year?

The EPA estimates an annual fuel cost of $3,850 for the 1997 Infiniti Q45. That figure assumes 15,000 miles of driving per year, a 55% city and 45% highway split, and the EPA's published average fuel price for the rated fuel grade.
Does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 require premium gas?

Yes. The EPA lists the 1997 Infiniti Q45 as requiring premium gasoline. Running it on regular can reduce performance and may affect engine warranties, so it is not a recommended way to save at the pump.
Has the Infiniti Q45 become more fuel efficient over time?

Combined MPG has stayed close to flat across the run. Both the earliest (1990 Infiniti Q45, 17 MPG) and most recent (2006 Infiniti Q45, 18 MPG) versions sit in the same range.
How much CO₂ does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 emit?

Tailpipe CO₂ emissions are 494 g/mi. Multiplied across a typical year of driving (15,000 miles) that works out to about 7,406 kilograms of CO₂.
What is the difference between the city and highway MPG of the 1997 Infiniti Q45?

City driving returns 16 MPG and highway driving returns 22 MPG, a gap of 6 MPG. A spread that wide is typical of cars with conventional automatic or manual transmissions, where stop-start city traffic eats more fuel than a steady highway cruise.
What engine is in the 1997 Infiniti Q45?

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 has a 4.1-liter 8-cylinder engine (EPA description: (FFS)).
What transmission and drivetrain does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 have?

The 1997 Infiniti Q45 comes with a automatic 4-spd transmission and rear-wheel drive.
How does the 1997 Infiniti Q45 compare to the best car in its class?

The most efficient car in the Midsize Cars class for the 1997 model year is the Volkswagen Passat at 36 combined MPG. The Infiniti Q45 returns 18 MPG, a gap of 18 MPG. If you are comparing on fuel economy alone, the class leader is worth a look.

Source: U.S. EPA fuel economy dataset. Annual fuel cost figures assume 15,000 miles of driving per year and a 55% city, 45% highway split. Real-world mileage varies with driving conditions, vehicle maintenance, fuel quality, and driver behaviour.