Item: 2016 Infiniti Q30 GT
Rating: 5.0
Author: Stephen Ottley

Infiniti is running out of excuses.

Nissan's luxury division has been in Australia since 2012 but has failed to gain any significant traction in the booming luxury car market. In part that is because the Japanese brand's local efforts have been hamstrung by the products it has been given.

When it first launched it was with ageing models that were already well established overseas. Then came the all-new Q50 which borrowed key components from the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. But it too has struggled to really convince Australian buyers to take a chance on the new brand.

Now comes Infiniti's best chance yet, the all-new Q30. Once again leaning heavily on its partnership with Mercedes-Benz this latest offering is effectively an A-/GLA-Class tweaked by Infiniti's styling team.

That provides a strong foundation to build on, with a new but established vehicle that has its own styling and is competing in the most affordable part of the luxury market.

If Infiniti is going to make a success of Australia then the Q30 - and its slightly higher riding QX30 sibling - must win new buyers to the brand. But is it up to the task?

What do you get?

We're testing the entry-level model here, the Q30 GT which starts at $38,990 (plus on-road costs); but Infiniti is advertising the car for just over $43,000 drive-away on its website.

For that price you get 18-inch alloy wheels wheels, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, a full-colour driver's display, seven-inch infotainment screen that incorporates navigation with live traffic updates, six-speaker sound system, Bluetooth and cloth trim interior.

On the safety front you also get forward collision warning and autonomous emergency braking systems as standard, along with seven airbags.

There are, however, some very conspicuous items missing from what is a sold as a luxurious small car. A reversing camera is only available on the top model in the range - the Sport Premium - and cannot even be added as an option on other variants, which is a disappointing omission given the poor rear visibility, and the fact a camera is standard on the mid-spec Nissan Pulsar that costs $16,000 less than the Q30.

Also missing are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto which will disappoint buyers who like to integrate their smartphone into the infotainment system.

The Q30 does get an above average warranty for a luxury car, with coverage for the first four years/100,000km, and Infiniti Australia offers a capped priced servicing plan for all of its models. The Q30 requires maintenance every 12 months/25,000km and based on those prices over the first three years that works out at just over $1651.

What's inside?

The interior of the Q30 is an unusual combination of Mercedes-Benz and Nissan parts, which speaks volumes about the nature of this car.

Overall, the cabin feels like the Mercedes, including the basic layout, dashboard, instrument cluster and gear selector. While some of the switchgear, including the air-conditioning controls and window buttons are Benz, the rest of the infotainment system are what you'd find in a Nissan X-Trail.

While it is a functional layout, with respectable space front and rear for a car this size, it ultimately feels like a bit of a mis-match. It looks and feels like two companies have designed and laid out the interior - because they have.

Under the bonnet

The GT is powered by Mercedes' 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, tuned for 115kW of power and 250Nm of torque.

It is paired with the German firm's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and sends drive to the front wheels.

While that provides adequate performance, the Q30 can feel a little sluggish at times. Off the mark, the gearbox can hesitate and there is some minor turbo lag as the engine spins up, meaning it feels a bit slow when you call for a sudden burst of acceleration.

The dual-clutch transmission has been a bugbear of the A-Class and the Q30 suffers from that. In addition to the low speed hesitation it has the same slow take-up when switching between Drive and Reverse, with a tendency to roll if you're on a slope as the clutch picks up the new gear. It can cause trouble when you're parking on an incline, for example.

But the engine is efficient, with a claimed combined urban/highway consumption figure of just 6.0-litres per 100km. While not class leading, that is a solid figure that is achievable in the real world.

On the road

The good news for the Q30 is the GLA-Class is a polished compact luxury car, and that transfers to the Infiniti in the way it drives.

Refined road manners are the hallmark of the Q30; the ride is comfortable and compliant, the steering nicely weighted and the chassis is responsive. It's not the dynamic benchmark in the class but it is a solid offering.

If you push it like a hot hatch you'll find its threshold quickly, but the Q30 GT doesn't pretend to be something it's not. This is a car designed for relaxed commuting and in that regard it succeeds.

Where it stands out is the refinement, with minimal road and wind noise penetrating the cabin, leaving it feeling like a proper luxury car.

Verdict

Is the Q30 the car to turn around Infiniti's fortunes in Australia?

Early signs are positive, the Q30/QX30 combination was the brand's best-selling model in October - accounting for more than half of all sales for the company. But that arguably speaks more to Infiniti's overall slow sales

It's hodgepodge interior, modest engine and disappointing value make the Q30 an unconvincing package. That's not to say it is a bad car, but it doesn't have anything unique - aside from its exterior design - to really help it stand out in a competitive market.