Skip to main content

Infiniti infiltrates the premium compact segment with the all-new Q30

The 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show will be an inauguration of sorts for Infiniti, as the brand will be debuting its very first premium compact car — the all-new Q30.

Before the covers come off in Frankfurt, though, the automaker has revealed the car in full online. The hatchback serves as the doorman to Infiniti’s model range as the smallest and cheapest vehicle available, and it does so as the product of a unique collaboration between Infiniti, Renault-Nissan, and Mercedes-Benz.

Underneath the sleek and fluidic body lies a tweaked version of Mercedes’ MFA platform, the same architecture that underpins the German outfit’s A-Class, CLA-Class, and GLA-Class vehicles. The engine — a 208-horsepower 2.0-liter four — is sourced from Germany as well. However, the car will feature a six-speed manual transmission to go along with the seven-speed dual clutch you’ll find in the Mercedes CLA. Score one for the Americans. Power is routed to the ground via front-wheel drive or an optional all-wheel drive setup.

In Europe, a 1.6-liter engine with either 120 hp or 154 hp is available along with the aforementioned 2.0-liter, but buyers can choose between two diesel powerplants as well — a 1.5-liter with 107 hp and a 2.2-liter with 168 hp.

Three versions of the Q30 will hit dealerships toward the end of 2015: the base trim, Sport, and the range-topping Premium. Sport models add gloss black and dark chrome accents to the exterior, while also adorning the cabin with a leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel and body-hugging seats. As the Sport moniker would suggest, there are some performance enhancements as well, namely lowering the body by 0.6 inches and adding larger 19-inch wheels with more grip. The Premium variant tacks on LED front fog lamps, body-colored and heated door mirrors, and dual chrome exhaust tips.

As far as tech is concerned, the Q30 lives up to its premium compact moniker quite well. Features like Automatic Park Assist with Around View Monitor, Moving Object Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Forward Collision Warning with Forward Emergency Braking, and Intelligent Cruise Control are all attainable in the Q30, as is Infiniti’s tablet-like InTouch infotainment system.

More information, such as pricing, is expected to be revealed closer to the on-sale date.

Editors' Recommendations

Audi ActiveSphere concept is part luxury sedan, part pickup truck
Audi ActiveSphere concept car in a mountainous setting with a bike on the rear rack.

Audi unveiled the fourth and final member of its Sphere-branded series of concept cars, and the design study is unlike anything we've seen before. Called ActiveSphere, it's an electric luxury sedan with a generous amount of ground clearance that can turn into a pickup truck.

Created at the Audi Design Studio in Malibu, California, the ActiveSphere stretches approximately 196 inches long, 81 inches wide, and 63 inches tall, figures that make it about as long as the current-generation A6, 7 inches wider, and 6 inches taller. It wears a rounded exterior design characterized by thin headlights, a transparent piece of trim where you'd expect to find a grille, and a fastback-like silhouette.

Read more
2024 Polestar 2 gets a major overhaul for the 2024 model year
2024 Polestar 2

Volvo off-shoot Polestar is looking forward to an eventful year. It will begin production of the 3, its first crossover, and it will release a comprehensively updated version of the 2 sedan that's sportier than the outgoing model, more road trip-friendly, and better equipped.

The biggest visual difference between the original 2 and the new-look car due out in 2023 as a 2024 model is found on the front end. The electric sedan swaps its grille for what Polestar designers call a SmartZone that frames the front-facing camera and covers the mid-range radar used to power some of the electronic driving aids. While the shift isn't significant, it's symbolic. The grille created a visual link between the 2 and the 1, Polestar's now-retired first model; the SmartZone brings the sedan in line with the sleek-looking 3 unveiled in late 2022.

Read more
Electric trucks aren’t ready for the big leagues — but I still loved the F-150 Lightning
Ford F-150 Lightning

Electric cars are getting pretty cool. While Tesla popularized the concept of a "fun" electric car, these days there are quite a few options out there, like the Kia EV6, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and even some luxury options from Mercedes and BMW. These cars offer awesome performance and often a sweet design, making them excellent choices for first-time EV buyers.

But with electric trucks, it's a slightly different story. To be clear, they're just as powerful, -- often more so -- than electric cars. But when you're driving a truck, you expect to be able to use that power in different ways, and frankly, electric trucks seem to have a way to go before they'll hold up in those settings.
Towing is tough
The Achilles' heel of every electric truck comes down to hauling: Adding a ton of weight to the load seriously impacts range -- and not in a trivial way. Add a camper or even a lightweight trailer, and you might find that you're getting half of the expected range out of a charge. That means that you'll have to charge up more than every 150 miles, and if you're towing a camper, it's very likely that you're driving further than that. And even lighter loads can have a heavy impact on range.

Read more