How to Install a Subwoofer on an Infiniti Q50 (Complete Guide)

The Infiniti Q50's Bose system sounds good for a stock setup — but if you've ever ridden in a car with a proper subwoofer, you know what's missing. That low-end punch, the chest-thumping bass that makes your music come alive. Good news: adding a sub to a Q50 is a straightforward weekend project.

I did this install on my 2015 Q50 and documented the whole thing. Here's the full guide — from picking the right gear to the final thump.

Choosing the Right Sub/Amp/Box Combo

Before you buy anything, figure out what you're actually after. There's no universal "best" subwoofer — it depends on how you listen, how much trunk space you're willing to give up, and your budget. Here are five common builds and what I'd recommend for each:

🎯 OEM+ / Daily Driver — "I just want some bass"

This is what I went with. You want bass that fills in what the stock system is missing without rattling your mirrors off or losing your entire trunk. A complete kit is the move here — no guessing on amp matching or box tuning.

Pick: Skar Audio SDR-12 Complete Bass Package (~$300–$350)

• 12" sub (1,200W peak / 600W RMS), monoblock amp, ported box, and full wiring kit — all matched
• This is the exact kit I installed in the video above. Even at minimum gain with zero tuning, it hit right out of the box
• Sticks out about 20" from the rear seats, leaving usable trunk space

🎵 Sound Quality (SQ/SQL) — "I want it musical, not just loud"

If you care about tight, accurate bass that blends seamlessly with your mids and highs — the kind where you hear individual bass notes instead of just a wall of boom — go component and sealed.

Pick: JL Audio 12W6v3-D4 (~$400) + JL Audio JX500/1D amp (~$200) + sealed box (~$550–$700 total)

• The W6v3 is a legendary SQL driver — tight transient response, musical bass that doesn't overpower vocals
• Sealed box keeps it accurate and punchy (smaller footprint than ported, too)
• Not the loudest option, but the most refined. Your passengers will notice the music sounds better, not just louder

💰 Budget Banger — "Loudest thing under $250"

Ramen-noodle budget but you still want to rattle license plates? Skar's EVL line punches way above its price point.

Pick: Skar Audio EVL-12 D2 (~$130) + Skar RP-800.1D amp (~$100) + prefab ported box (~$200–$250 total)

• 1,250W RMS sub paired with a solid 800W monoblock — serious output for the money
• Ported box tuned to ~34Hz gives you that deep, loud bass on a budget
• Won't win any SQ awards, but your neighbors will know you're home

📦 Compact / Space Saver — "I need my trunk"

The Q50 trunk is already on the small side. If you can't afford to lose any cargo space, a powered underseat or spare-tire-well sub is the answer.

Pick: Kicker HS10 Hideaway (~$250–$300)

• 10" sub with built-in 180W amp in a slim enclosure — fits under a seat or in the spare tire well
• Zero trunk space lost. Seriously, zero
• Won't rattle windows, but it fills in the low end that the stock Bose completely misses
• Dead simple install — power, ground, signal, done

Alternative: JBL BassPro SL2 (~$250) — even slimmer 8" powered sub if space is ultra-tight.

🏆 Competition / Hair Tricks — "I want to feel it in my chest"

You're past "OEM plus." You want the kind of bass that flexes body panels and makes your rearview mirror dance. This requires real power, upgraded wiring, and ideally a secondary battery (check out our aux battery install guide).

Pick: Skar Audio ZVX-12v2 D1 (~$300) + Skar RP-2000.1D (~$300) + custom ported box (~$600–$700 total)

• Skar's competition line — 1,500W RMS sub with a true-rated 2,000W amp
• Custom ported box tuned to 30–32Hz in 3+ cu ft is mandatory at this level
• You will need upgraded electrical — Big 3 upgrade at minimum, aux battery recommended
• Available on Amazon (unlike some competition brands that are dealer-only)

Quick Comparison

What You'll Need (Besides the Sub/Amp/Box)

Most kits include a wiring kit, but if you're going component or your kit's wiring is questionable, grab these separately:

• Amp wiring kit — 4 AWG or 0 AWG depending on your amp's draw. Kit should include power wire, ground wire, RCA cables, remote wire, inline fuse, and ring terminals
• Line output converter (LOC) — converts the factory speaker-level signal to RCA for your amp. The Kicker KISLOC is what I used. Skip this if your amp has speaker-level inputs built in
• Tap connectors — for cleanly tapping factory wires without cutting them
• Basic hand tools — panel removal tools, wire strippers, electrical tape, zip ties

The Install: 3 Easy Steps

Every subwoofer install on a Q50 comes down to three things: power, signal, and remote. That's it.

Step 1: Run Power from the Battery to the Trunk

Your amp needs juice straight from the battery — not from an accessory tap. Here's the routing path on a Q50:

1. Battery access: Remove the plastic clasps in the engine bay to expose the battery on the passenger side
2. Firewall penetration: Right behind the battery is a rubber grommet. Use a utility knife to cut a small hole (~1 cm) and push your power wire through. It'll come out underneath the glove compartment inside the cabin
3. Interior routing: Pop off the plastic rocker panel covers along the passenger side. There's already a factory wiring channel — run your power wire alongside it, keeping it tucked and away from any moving parts
4. Rear seat pass-through: Remove the lower rear seat cushion. Lift the seatback slightly and find the hole behind it — run the power wire through to the trunk
5. Fuse it: Install your inline fuse within 18" of the battery terminal. This protects the entire wire run

Step 2: Tap the Audio Signal

You need to get a bass signal from the factory system to your new amp. On the Q50 with Bose, the easiest tap point is the factory subwoofer on the rear deck:

1. Remove the trunk ceiling trim clips to access the rear deck area
2. Find the factory sub — it has a single connector with two wires: red (positive) and blue (negative)
3. Tap both wires and run them to your line output converter, or directly to your amp if it accepts speaker-level inputs
4. Run the RCA cables from the LOC to your amp's input

Step 3: Hook Up the Remote Signal

The remote wire tells your amp to turn on only when the car's audio system is active. On the Q50:

1. Access the factory amplifier (behind the trunk ceiling trim, near the factory sub)
2. Find the white wiring harness on the back of the factory amp
3. Bottom row, fifth port in — there's a lavender wire. That's your remote signal
4. Tap it and run it to the remote terminal on your amp

Mounting the Amp

On the passenger side of the Q50 trunk, there's a recessed area that looks like a tool kit holder. The amp fits perfectly in there — and there's a great chassis ground point right behind it. I carved out a bit of the trunk floor foam so the amp sits flush and doesn't move. Covered it with the trunk mat — completely hidden.

Tips and Gotchas

• Ground matters. A bad ground = noise, clipping, and headaches. Sand the paint off at your ground point until you see bare metal. Use a star washer for solid contact
• Set your gains properly. Don't just crank them. Use a multimeter or a gain-setting tool to match your amp's output to the sub's RMS rating. Clipping kills subs faster than anything
• Break in the sub. Run it at low volume for the first 10–20 hours. The suspension needs to loosen up before you push it hard
• Don't tap power from an accessory circuit. Your amp needs a dedicated wire from the battery. Accessory circuits can't handle the current draw and you'll blow fuses or worse
• The Bose system is your friend here. The factory sub tap gives you a clean, already-filtered bass signal. You're not fighting the factory system — you're building on top of it
• Going big? If you're running 1,000W+ RMS, consider upgrading your electrical — a Big 3 wiring upgrade and/or an auxiliary battery will keep your voltage stable under load

Final Thoughts

This was one of the most satisfying mods I've done to my Q50. Even with the Skar SDR kit at minimum settings, fresh out the box with zero tuning, it already had that punch I was missing. After breaking it in and dialing in the gains, it sounds incredible — OEM+ without being obnoxious.

The whole install took about 2–3 hours. If you can pop off plastic panels and strip a wire, you can do this. Three steps: power, signal, remote. That's it.

Got questions about the install? Drop us a line at support@squarewheelsauto.com.

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