Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti finally has a compact offering: it’s called the Q30 and it made its world debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
Infiniti says that its premium compact hatchback was designed for a new generation of buyers “who are not willing to be defined by their choice of vehicle body type.”
Deliberately styled to look like a hatchback and a crossover at the same time, the Q30 stays remarkably close to the design of the original 2013 concept, featuring an unconventional stance and asymmetric interior.
As you probably know, the Infiniti Q30 shares the MFA platform with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and promises to deliver “exceptional ride and handling.” At its launch in Europe, the Q30 will be offered with two petrol and two diesel engines.
The diesels are a 1.5-liter and a 2.2-liter with either 107hp (109PS) or 168hp (170PS), while the petrol engines are both 1.6-liter units with outputs of 120hp (122PS) and 154hp (156PS), respectively. Specifically for the US market, Infiniti will also offer a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine with 208hp (211PS). The engines will be mated to either six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch transmissions.
The model will be available in three grades: the base SE, Premium and Sport. Each has its own unique personality, including design, dimensions and driving performance. For example, the Sport model has a 15mm lower ride height, a firmer suspension and bespoke design elements including sportier bumpers, gloss black front grille and 19-inch alloy wheels.
The Q30 Premium features LED front fog lamps, body-colored and heated door mirrors, as well as chrome dual rectangular exhaust finishers and 18-inch alloy wheels.
In addition to these trim levels, Infiniti will launch the Q30 City Black Edition, a “first edition” model specially created for European customers which will feature the highest quality materials and most advanced technologies. The Q30 City Black will be available from mid-September as an exclusive Europe-only model.
The Infiniti Q30 will go on sale in selected European markets later in 2015, with first deliveries expected in the UK in January 2016.
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