Our test car is the latest, and most affordable, model in the upmarket Japanese the Infiniti Q30 five-door hatchback crossover SUV. It’s also the company’s most important model, sitting as it does in Australia’s most popular, and most competitive, segment.
Interestingly, because Infiniti’s parent company Renault-Nissan has a technical partnership with Daimler, the Infiniti Q30 shares a number of components, including its engines and transmission, with the Mercedes-Benz GLA.
Infiniti Q30 comes in three variants (GT, Sport and Sport Premium) with the choice of three turbocharged engines, two petrol and one diesel. There’s also an all-wheel drive version called QX30 that comes in GT and Premium levels.
STYLING
From any angle Q30 is a classy looking and stylish vehicle with a blend of coupe, hatch and SUV depending on the angle from which it’s viewed. The front is dominated by the Infiniti family grille, an eye-catching double-arch sculpted unit fringed by narrow cat-like headlights.
The profile features a deep and sharp shoulder line that runs through both the front and rear door handles together with a similar, more curvaceous line near the bottom of the door.
With the exception of the headlights in the entry-level GT, which are halogen, all other exterior lights are LED including daytime running lights, foglights, taillights and brake lights. The Sport Premium models have a fix-glass sunroof with powered sunshade.
The GT runs on 18-inch alloy wheels, Sport and Sport Premium get 19-inch alloys.
INTERIOR
Inside the Q30 the sculpted styling continues with a series of intersecting curves along the dashboard. We particularly like the narrow A-pillars which greatly assist exterior visibility.
The cabin features high quality materials with a super-soft, tactile material used to line many of the surfaces, such as door trims and the centre armrest.
Sport Premium models get eight-way powered front seats with three memory settings.
There’s reasonable passenger space although the rear is tight in all dimensions for taller adults. Boot space is better, at 430 litres with a wide opening and square interior.
Drinkholders take up most of the space between the front seats meaning that loose items need to be stored in the smallish centre console which also houses the twin USB sockets.
The entry-level GT comes with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, while the Sport and Sport Premium are available with either a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine or 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel.
The 1.6-litre petrol engine in the Q30 GT delivers 115 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque from 1250 rpm.
The larger turbo-petrol has maximum power up to 155 kW and torque of 350 Nm from 1200 revs.
Our test car, the 2.2-litre Sport turbo-diesel comes up with 125 kW of power and peak torque of 350 Nm from an accessible 1400 to 3400 rpm.
All models share a Mercedes seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that has been re-tuned to suit the Infiniti.
SAFETY
Standard safety features include seven airbags; enhanced braking systems forward collision warning; rear parking sensors; two ISOFIX child seat anchors; and tyre pressure monitoring system.
Sport models add lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition while the Sport Premium also gets intelligent cruise control; intelligent brake assist with distance control; blind spot monitoring; front parking sensors; 360-degree camera (Around View Monitor) with Moving Object Detection; and Intelligent Park Assist.
Infiniti Q30 gets the maximum five-star ANCAP rating.
INFOTAINMENT
The Q30 uses the Infiniti InTouch infotainment system with a tablet-style 7.0-inch touchscreen. Selected information can also displayed on the dashboard directly in front of the driver. All models get integrated satellite navigation with Suna live traffic information.
Other features include voice recognition, speed-sensitive volume control, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming and twin USB socket. Sport Premium models get a premium 10-speaker Bose audio system which is also optional with the Sport.
DRIVING
The first thing we noticed was how quiet it was courtesy of an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system, which emits sound waves through the door speakers to counteract engine and external noises.
The seats are especially comfortable thanks to a new feature Infiniti calls ‘zero gravity seats’ that mould to the curvature of the occupant’s spine to provide a consistent level of support while minimising pressure on their back muscles. Just the thing for a long-distance trip. Let’s hope it catches on.
Steering is nicely weighted, responsive and linear while the ride is firm yet smooth and comfortable.
A Drive Mode Selector allows the driver to switch between Standard, Eco or Sport which change the engine and transmission settings to suit their particular preference at any given time. We switched through the settings during our test and ranged between 5.6 and 7.1 litres per 100 km, averaging out at 6.4 – considerably more than the official figure, not that that’s unusual in most cars these days.
SUMMING UP
Infiniti Q30 is a stunning looking car that attracted plenty of admiring looks during our week behind the wheel. Few of these admirers that talked to us recognised the badge – one even asked if it was Chinese. For the record the badge represent a road disappearing into infinity.
The crossover tag means that Q30 will appeal to those looking for a pragmatic urban vehicle with the added convenience of an SUV and the availability of all-wheel drive in the QX30 variant.
All Infiniti models come with a four year standard warranty although the extra year over the industry norm isn’t matched by any extra distance and so it runs out at 100,000 km.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL LINE-UP
Infiniti Q30 GT 1.6-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch: $38,900 (automatic)
Infiniti Q30 Sport 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch: $44,900 (automatic)
Infiniti Q30 Sport 2.2-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $46,900 (automatic)
Infiniti Q30 Sport Premium 2.0-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch: $52,900 (automatic)
Infiniti Q30 Sport Premium 2.2-litre turbo-diesel five-door hatch: $54,900 (automatic)
Note: These prices do not include dealer or government charges. Contact your local Infiniti dealer for drive-away prices.
SPECIFICATIONS (Infiniti Q30 GT 1.6-litre turbo-petrol five-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.595 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Maximum Power: 115 kW @ 5300 rpm
Maximum Torque: 250 Nm @ 1250 rpm
Fuel Type: Petrol 98RON
Combined Fuel Cycle (ADR 81/02): 6.0 L/100km
CO2 Emissions: 139 g/km
DRIVELINE:
Seven-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4425 mm
Wheelbase: 2700 mm
Width: 1805 mm
Height: 1476 mm
Turning Circle: 11.4 metres
Kerb Mass: 1413 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 45 litres
BRAKES:
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Solid disc
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Four years / 100,000 km
