Power Base
Of the Q500 series, the Sunrise Medical Quickie Q500 R Powerchair offers the best outdoor performance, with good traction and kerb climbing ability inherent to rear-wheel drive, making it the best choice for handling rough terrain and steeper hills. While the focus is on outdoor use, the Q500 is a relatively compact powerchair, and is still suited to day-to-day use indoors - but doesn't offer the same level of manoeuvrability as mid or front-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive is the "traditional" design for wheelchairs, and is considered the easiest to handle and to be the most intuitive drive.
The Q500 R base is a development of the Puma 40 base, with notably improved suspension. The Puma 40 was designed to be easily switched between rear and front wheel drive, which necessitated compromises to the suspension - in reality people stick with either one or the other, and the Q500 R base has been built as a dedicated rear-wheel drive one. The Full Track Suspension allows you to overcome obstacles and barely feel them, while the Spirit Level Technology connects the drive wheels by a pivot bar - this absorbs the pull to one side that one naturally gets when cornering or driving on slopes, and ensures you have the maximum amount of traction at any time. Our experience of the Q500 R has shown it to have a stiffer, "sporty" and more responsive drive - which is what most experienced powerchair users prefer. However, the springs are adjustable to allow a much softer ride instead should you prefer.
You can climb kerbs of up to 8 cm (10 cm with a kerb climber) in the Q500 R, and the standard 60 Ah batteries can be upgraded to 80 Ah ones for an ultra-long 25 mile range. The high-torque 4-pole motors are available in speeds of up to 8 mph, though we find the best performance and range tends to come if you opt for a top speed of 6.5 mph. An optional Gyro-Tracking System upgrade is available, which automatically corrects any deviations from your direction, for example when driving across a camber. We would strongly recommend this if requiring special controls, but even for those using a standard joystick, it can help to provide a much easier drive, with less effort required to maintain your course.
Seating
Sedeo Pro seating is standard on the Q500 R - a highly adjustable system that we can tailor to your size and needs with a wide array of support and positioning options, giving you a bespoke seat with a perfect fit for unrivalled comfort and support. The Sedeo Pro seating system is modular, allowing your seating to be adjusted should your needs change in the future, ensuring the Q500 R provides you with the seating you need for as long as you have it.
Seat widths of 15 - 22 inches and depths of 16 - 22 inches allow the Sedeo Pro to cater to people of all shapes and sizes, and the weight capacity is an impressive 25 stone. The Sedeo range of cushions and backrest options are the ideal choice for comfort, and our preferred options are the Deep Contour backs that feature sides that flex to "hug" you in place, forming to your body shape. Should you require more clinical seating, the full JAY range of cushions and backrests, as well as Whitmyer headrests can be fitted. Other positioning options such as lateral supports and thigh guides are available too, and third-party components can be easily fitted, for example if you have an existing pressure cushion provided by the NHS.
The Q500 R can be upgraded with all the powered positioning options you would expect to be available on a prescriptive powerchair. This includes a 30 cm powered seat riser to get you to eye-level in social situations and to allow you to reach high-up objects. Powered tilt is available either in combination with lift, or separately at up to 50° for high levels of pressure relief. Powered recline can come in an anti-shear option to avoid friction and displacement of your position as you lie back. This is most often combined with the powered elevating and articulating leg rests to allow you to lie back in a relaxed position - ideal if you want to sleep in your wheelchair.
Fully crash-tested, the Q500 R is suitable for occupied transport in an adapted vehicle. It is also pre-prepared for a DAHL docking station, and with the addition of one of these, it is easy to lock in place in a car, whether you wish to be driver or passenger.
Controls
SImple to use VR2 controls are standard on the Q500, and can control up to two powered seating options. If you require a more advanced control system, or intend to have more than two powered positioning add-ons on your Q500 R, then you can upgrade to the R-Net control system. This includes the option for a large, high-definition LCD screen, plus environmental controls – connect seamlessley via Infrared or Bluetooth to control household appliances, your television and computers or smartphones.
If special controls are required, such as head or chin controls and additional switches, the Link-It mounting system allows a limitless combination to be attached, while its clean design doesn’t compromise the appearance of your powerchair.
Appearance
We think the Q-series is the best looking powerchair range on the market, and Sunrise Medical have clearly put a lot of thought into the appearance of the Q500 R. It features a sleek, minimalistic design - with wiring and components hidden, a clean matt-black chassis and sharply-tailored Sedeo Pro upholstery. You can customise your chair further with your choice of coloured inlays (green, black, blue, orange, red, silver and white), which can also be easily replaced should you wish to vary your style. While older powerchairs may feature more clunky industrial appearances, the Q500 is an attractive chair that you'll look good in.
Our Verdict
The Q500 R is a massive step up for Sunrise Medical, who previously had been better known for their mid-wheel drive wheelchairs than their rear-wheel drive ones. It combines the best features from the former Handicare Puma 40 with new technology to create an outstanding rear-wheel drive powerchair that rivals anything on the market. If you're looking for a powered wheelchair that specialises outdoors with a good, responsive ride and has excellent kerb-climbing, but which is capable indoors too, the Q500 R is that. The Sedeo Pro seat provides outstanding comfort, and can be adapted so it continues to do so, should your needs change.
It is a direct competitor to Invacare's Aviva RX40, which we would recommend trying alongside the Q500 R. The Q500 R appears similar to the Q700 R, which is the "next model up" in the Q-series rear-wheel drive range - the Q700 R has softer suspension, and the choice between the two is really down to personal preference.
If you want a more compact powerchair that is still very capable outdoors and has fully-prescriptive seating, then we would suggest the Q300 R, which has a notably smaller base, and therefore manoeuvres much better than the Q500 R.