Infiniti Q30: The Luxurious Tender
INFINITI Q30
LUXURIOUS TENDER
Words by Marco Mancino
Photos by S. Lomax
I was born in a seaside town, I grew up and I practically lived every single day of my life trying to discover that very thin border that divides and at the same time combines the sky and the water, down there towards the horizon. Every morning, opening the windows of my house, I realize how lucky I am and even if it means that in summer I have to cope with hordes of tourists in search of parking spots near the beach, I learned that when my beautiful village is invaded, it’s time to pull the car out of the garage and head north, looking for some fresh air away from the hubbub of vacationers.
So I realize that the projects I had as a child, those that involved a mega yacht and several bottles of champagne, have not really been realized, and so I have to settle for some occasional trip on the beautiful yacht of a dear friend, a former high school brother with which I spend entire days talking about women and engines, but obviously also about boats, good wine and our crazy adventures in some casinos, another fixed nail stuck in my head. If we are always in agreement on dream cars (well, I prefer Porsche, he Ferrari), neither seems to have found the ideal car to share the rush and stress of the week. Until today, because after having coexisted with the new Infiniti Q30, I think we will put the word end to our endless hunt for the ultimate tender, without giving up some luxury bits.
The Q30 is the first compact model of the Japanese brand, luxury gill of Nissan, and despite its size, more generous than for example that of a Golf or an A3, knows how to stand out with confidence answering to the same expectations. The surprising thing is that it does that with a result that I never expected to find at their very first attempt, moreover of such a young brand. To be precise, Infiniti’s know-how has well-established roots and the men who work behind the models of the Japanese luxury firm know exactly what to do, a car that offers something more than its competitors, not only in terms of image, but also of substance. The Q30 project, which joins the QX30 SUV, is based on the solid body of the Mercedes A Class, and if you have aver found yourself at the wheel of an A Class, once on board you will not have difficulty distinguishing the points in common, at least at the level of components. Anyway, the Q30 in my possession is an amazing top of the range specimen, a 2.2cc turbodiesel with all-wheel drive and DCT automatic transmission, a double clutch with 7 speeds that amazes in terms of fluidity and precision, so as not to ever induce you – unless you want it – to move the lever in sequential mode and manage the gears through the beautiful paddles behind the steering wheel, a three spokes that updates the previous one and contributes a lot to make the interior more modern.
Driving the Q30 every day for the simplest things was the first approach of my test, the first step waiting to find out how much it was able to be useful in the most disparate situations, from shopping and loading the large load compartment, up to the curiosity of friends, thanks to its unique look made of edges, straight lines and a very aggressive front. There is no corner that does not convince me, without counting the bizarre and now known choices for the colors: where this model looks like a simple metallic black, be assured that under the sun will tend to show off a myriad of reflections tending to purple – another aspect to explain to your friends. As mentioned, the gearbox is delightful, with the well-made paddles that are a plus point compared to almost all the opponents of even higher segment. The engine does not have an exaggerated power, in fact the 2.2 only delivers 170hp, but what plays in favor of the Q30 is a maximum torque of 350Nm, which is available at just 1400 rpm and make the Japanese hatchback bright in every situation. The engine is all in all silent and offers the best of itself once the car is moving, while you get the ideal driving position in a flash, also having at your disposal a perfect view of what is in front of you, thanks to a few centimeters extra from the ground. Different argument for what happens behind, the rear glass is small and the inclined roof does not facilitate while maneuvering, better to rely on the cameras and parking sensors, while the occupants at the back will suffer a slight stiff neck, also due to the (beautiful) slender line of this Infiniti profile. From the driver’s seat you notice some key spots in common with the Mercedes A-Class, including the gear lever and part of the instrumentation behind the steering wheel, while in the middle there are numerous bits in common including those of the climate control, perhaps placed too low in favor of the 7″ screen, accurate but with a pretty obsolete graphic.
Despite not being and not wanting to be a sports car, its torque and a weight that slightly exceeds the ton and a half, make the Q30 a brilliant solution to go from home to the boat, with all the equipment for diving in the trunk. It takes 8.3 seconds to go from 0 to 100 kph and scores a top speed of 215 per hour, but the great quality of this Infiniti is the way it manages to translate comfort and the quality sense of the Q50 and Q70 sedans, on a smaller car body. We all agree that we have found the ultimate tender, a five-door just right to carry people and luggage, or even to travel comfortably on your own, brilliant but also good on fuel consumption (I reached something like 16 km/l in the mixed cycle) and above all able to offer a truly new look to a sense of luxury that justifies without problems a price tag that, depending on the engine you choose, does not struggle to become relevant. An entry level petrol Q30 starts at around € 27,000, while for a 2.2cc it takes at least € 32,400; add the double clutch transmission and the four-wheel drive and you climb up to € 40,000. That said, and despite being aware that we have entered a price range that opens many other doors, I remain of the idea that I would continue to choose the Q30 at the expense of a thousand alternatives. And then, to be honest, I could be finally satisfied with the tender – also ‘cause I wouldn’t know where to leave a yacht!
INFINITI Q30 2.2 DCT AWD
Layout – front-engined, all-wheel-drive
Engine – 4 cylinder 2.143cc – turbodiesel
Transmission – 7-speed automatic gearbox
Power – 170 hp @ 5.500 rpm
350 Nm @ 1.400 rpm
Weight – 1.622 kg
Acceleration – 8,3 sec.
Top Speed – 215 kph
Price – from €32.420 (from €41.740 as tested)