Infiniti Q30 2.0S 2016 Review - International

Infiniti Q30 2.0S
Launch Review
Lisbon, Portugal

What happens when a radical concept car design is wrapped around Mercedes-Benz A-Class innards, gifted with improved suspension and offered at a lower price? The answer is the Infiniti Q30, a compelling compact luxury hatch that has serious potential. Offered with a seven-speed auto, tidy turbo engines and heaps of luxury features, the Q30 marks a turning point for Nissan's luxury brand.

Conservative designs have been the hallmark of European luxury cars for a long time now. It's easy to spot a BMW or an Audi. But Infiniti is bucking the trend with radical designs like this one, the Q30, targeting much younger buyer than its European rivals.

Will it work? It deserves to, especially when you consider the car is slightly more supple and more refined than the Mercedes it's based on. But it had to be, especially considering the $500 million investment to further develop Nissan's Sunderland plant in the UK, where all Q30s are built.

Plonking down into the plush leather seats of the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel Premium variant, I'm grinning for several reasons. Firstly, comfort. These seats are primo. There are several different seat designs, from luxury to sport seats, but all are body-hugging and supportive.

The leather steering wheel feels great, the stylised gear shifter likewise, and the sense of luxury is substantial with synthetic suede and leather on almost every surface.

The second reason I'm smiling like a Cheshire cat is because the key fob, electric window controls, switchgear, the climate and even steering wheel controls in this five-door, five-seat vehicle are identical to the Benz A-Class. This isn't a criticism, merely an observation.

But the car feels very different to its German cousin the moment I pull away.

On the cobblestones of Lisbon in Portugal it exhibits supple ride comfort, the new suspension set-up absorbing sharper, more acute bumps with more subtlety – and less noise – than the A-Class. It rides a little higher than most luxo-hatches which gives it a bit more suspension travel and this comes in handy over breaks and bigger cracks in the road.

Infiniti's suspension boffins have tuned the Q30's dampers to make it a comfortable cruiser, but that doesn't mean it's devoid of fun.

The extra compliance means that cornering on less-than-perfect road surfaces doesn't phase the Japanese hatch. There's a touch of body roll through corners but the front-end has plenty of feel so you can have a lot of fun if you want – especially in the 155kW turbo-petrol model.

There are two suspension tunes, regular and sport, and the latter is definitely the pick as it delivers better cornering response without compromising ride comfort. It also sits 15mm lower and has seven per cent stiffer spring rates.

Grip limits are easily explored but the car is talkative and fun to throw around, communicating its intentions clearly thanks to a solid body, sharp steering and capable, progressive brakes.

Only all-wheel drive versions of the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel (125kW/350Nm) and 2.0-litre turbo-petrol (155kW/350Nm) were available to drive on the launch, and all Australian Q30s will be front-wheel drive.

We're yet to drive the third engine type coming to Australia, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol (115kW/250Nm) and it could be the pick of the litter – particularly as it'll be the most affordable model, potentially pegged at under $35K.

Both cars we drove are easy-going cruisers but the turbo-petrol is more satisfying to drive hard, showing up the diesel's relative lack of acceleration and sprinting to 100km/h in 7.2 seconds.

The compromise is it's thirstier. I recorded 10.4L/100km in the 2.0-litre petrol and 7.4L/100km in the 2.2-litre diesel. That compares to claimed figures of 6.4L/100km and 4.7L/100km respectively.

The seven-speed DCT automatic offers smooth, refined shifts at urban speeds although it struggles to keep pace when the tempo increases. Paddle-shift manual override is the go when it's time to tango, but overall the dual-clutch autos offered by Volkswagen/Audi are better by far.

Infiniti has done a decent job of sound-proofing the car's cabin – it's appropriately quiet at most operating speeds – and there's plenty of room for front occupants, with adequate room for rear passengers.

The 368-litre boot is about average for this class, offering slightly less room than the Audi A3's 380 litres. Overall comfort levels are impressive and those seats are divine, but the interior design left me a little non-plussed – especially when the fascinating exterior styling promises so much.

There are a few design flourishes across the dashboard and plenty of leather and Alcantara splashed about, but the infotainment screen is a bit small, the satellite-navigation is miles off Audi-spec maps and there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity.

If you're pitching at younger buyers, smartphone integration is crucial. You get Bluetooth connectivity, good voice control and a handful of apps to sync with but for a car that's arriving in mid-2016 it needs more techno doodads.

OK, so all models get autonomous emergency braking (AEB) and options include auto parking, radar cruise control, 360-degree around-view camera, a lane departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights, but I was hoping for something ground-breaking – even gimmicky!

How about gesture control or perhaps a hologram of the Infiniti logo that dances on the dash upon ignition?

But none of the car's weaknesses are fatal, and Aussie cars will be 'generously equipped' when they arrive here in around July 2016.

After this first drive, my overall impression of the new car is largely positive. It's not a class leader, nor is it outstanding, but it is an accomplished car. And for Infiniti, right now, that's a good thing.

The company has only three dealerships in Australia but the Q30 will single-handedly see that number increase – and deservedly so. It's the luxury car-maker's best vehicle thus far and in some respects a more impressive vehicle than its donor car, the A-Class, which has been a sell-out success.

It's not the game-changer Infiniti was hoping for, but the Q30 hatch will bring a lot of new customers into showrooms based on its stunning looks alone. That it's a refined, luxurious and indeed fun vehicle to drive is the icing on the cake.

2015 Infiniti Q30 2.0S pricing and specifications:
On sale: July 2016
Price: From $35,000 (estimated)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 155kW/350Nm
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel: 6.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 149g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: TBC

Also consider:
>> Audi A3 (from $35,990 plus ORCs)
>> Volvo V40 (from $41,990 plus ORCs)
>> Mercedes- Benz A-Class (from $35,990 plus ORCs)