Out front, the company’s signature large black-mesh grille sits beneath a chrome strip leading into narrow headlights. A sweeping character line develops above the headlights and carves a strong line through the door handles toward the rear fenders. Infiniti’s familiar reverse-kink C-pillar is accentuated with chrome, and the sloped rear windshield is overshadowed by a large spoiler.
Though the 2017 Infiniti Q30 rides on the same “MFA” platform as the Mercedes-Benz CLA and GLA, Infiniti says that every single body panel is unique to the Q30. The company also claims to have baked in unique suspension tuning to make sure the car feels different from its German siblings. Infiniti says over 750 of its engineers, both in Japan and Europe, fine-tuned the car’s feel and performance.
Balancing comfort and sportiness
While European 2017 Infiniti Q30 customers can choose from an array of diesel and gas engines, and even a manual transmission, the U.S.-spec car will come only with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine rated for 208 hp, and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. An Active Sound Enhancement feature amplifies “harmonious and exhilarating” engine sounds while muffling less-desirable noises.
Riding on MacPherson strut suspension in front and a multilink arrangement in back, Infiniti says the Q30 has been tuned to be comfortable and forgiving over rough roads, “without sacrificing agility.” The electric-assist power steering is said to be light and accurate for use in the urban environments in which the Q30 will likely be most popular.
The base 2017 Infiniti Q30 and the Premium model have a suspension tune slightly geared more toward comfort, while the Sport trim level rides 0.6 inch lower and is said to have less body roll, appealing to more enthusiastic drivers.
Safety equipment matches the rest of Infiniti’s lineup, with self-parking, the Around View Monitor 360-degree camera system, moving object detection, blind-sport warning, and automatic pre-collision braking. Automatic high-beam headlights and adaptive cruise control are also offered. Engineers have cleverly integrated the car’s radar sensor into its front Infiniti badge, meaning there’s no bulky sensor poking up from another part of the grille.
