Test drive Infiniti Q30
The Japanese make their whiskey with an eye on Scotland and even buy Scottish peat for it. But the local water still makes the taste of the drink special. The new compact hatchback Q30 was created by Infiniti on the Mercedes-Benz platform and used Mercedes engines and transmissions. The design of the car is Japanese, which cannot be said about the character.
In the age of globalization, it is difficult to surprise with common platforms and alliances of various kinds, such as partnerships between Renault, Nissan and Daimler. The engines are actively changing the sides, and a similar model with a star on the radiator grille has already appeared on the basis of the "heel" Kangoo. Now it's the Germans' turn to share the platform.
The logic of the Infiniti management is easy to understand: no matter how popular the Nissan compacts are, you need to enter the premium segment with something more serious. This is an extremely important niche for the Japanese brand: without a golf-class model, significant results cannot be achieved in Europe. This is also evidenced by statistics: in 9 months, slightly more than 16 thousand Infiniti cars were sold throughout Europe, the Middle East and South Africa. Over the same period, more than 100 cars were bought in the United States. In the American market, a compact car would also be in demand, but not a hatch, but a crossover. Daimler has both: A-Class and GLA on a common platform. And now he shared with them the "cart" and the Infiniti Q30, inheriting at the same time the German power units. From above they are covered with a plastic cover with the Infiniti logo, but on some details it is easy to read: Mercedes-Benz.
In the near future, the new Japanese compact will become the QX30 crossover, but already now it does not look very much like a city hatchback, except that the S version stands out with a 17 mm lower ground clearance. The ground clearance of the regular Q30 is 172 mm, which in combination with the black plastic wheel arch linings gives it a combat look.
The bizarre curves of the Q30's body seemed to be worked not by designers, but by the wind and waves. You don't immediately notice that the window in the C-pillar is deaf, and its bend is not real. If desired, a cultural basis could be brought to the style of the car: this element is sharpened like the blade of a samurai sword, it is drawn with a stroke of a brush for calligraphy. But this is superfluous, because the Japanese origin of the car is noticeable even so.
The bold lines of the interior and the asymmetry of the dash mask the Mercedes details. You are surprised to find the familiar steering column levers on the left, a light switch, a climate control unit, and seat adjustment buttons on the door. The dashboard displays an image of the Q30, but the graphics are from Mercedes, as is the transmission indicator.
Representatives of Infiniti say that all this was left without alterations for economic reasons. The robotic gearbox control lever was nevertheless moved from the steering column to the central tunnel. Management of the multimedia system is assigned not only to the rocking puck and the key combination - navigation can be configured via the touch screen.
The ceiling in the Q30 is low, and two can comfortably sit on the back sofa, but there is enough legroom if you sit down behind yourself. The doorway is narrow, which is why when landing back, you will definitely wipe the threshold and wheel arch with clothes, which are unlikely to remain clean in the off-season - there is no additional rubber seal on the door. In terms of trunk volume (368 liters), the Q30 is quite comparable to its competitors - the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series. The voluminous niche in the underground is occupied by a subwoofer and an instrument.
The upper part of the panel and doors is soft, richly decorated with metal and wood and partially upholstered in leather in different colors or Alcantara - the prerogative of the Sport version. In order for the seams to be as even as possible, the skin was perforated with a laser. The bottom of the panel and doors is hard, but the details are neat and well-matched to each other.
Infiniti officials say they've tweaked the body structure. This is probably why the Q30 is slightly heavier than the A-Class and GLA. The Mercedes platform and steering were taken unchanged, but fine-tuned. It is these nuances that play an important role now.
According to the brand's engineers, the key issue for them was the smooth running of the new hatch, including on paving stones, broken and rough asphalt. On the Sport version, which is lowered with 19-inch wheels, this is not so noticeable: the car every now and then shudders at small joints and potholes, but at the same time, the energy capacity reserve allows you to drive on a fairly broken surface. For a Portuguese mountain streamer, such machine settings are ideal. Just right and tight effort on the steering wheel, which in normal city driving seemed excessive.
The speed of reactions liked the 2,0-liter gasoline turbo engine (211 hp) paired with a 7-speed "robot". Although at first the power unit was confused by an even thrust: there is no hole in the pre-turbine zone, no sharp pick-up after. At first it seemed that its return is less than the declared one, and even in sport mode the car does not drive as aggressively as we would like.
The diesel car with a 2,2 liter (170 hp) engine is shod with wheels one inch smaller and its suspension is standard. She does not notice small things at all and perfectly performs on the paving stones. The diesel version is driven no worse than the Q30S: the steering effort is transparent, while you feel like driving a crossover. The diesel Q30 is not only more comfortable, but also quieter inside thanks to the active noise reduction system. You drive a diesel hatchback and don't really trust your feelings - no characteristic rattling, no vibrations: the engine hums quietly and nobly. And only the darting tachometer needle marks the frequent and imperceptible switching of the robotic transmission.
The thick-backed Premium GT seats were not as comfortable as the Q30 Sport sports buckets. But they are equipped with an electric drive and are upholstered in white leather to match the body color. There are white inserts both on the doors and on the front panel. This is one of the three "color" special versions (Gallery White City Black and Cafe Teak), which, in addition to the color and color accents of the interior, are distinguished by special design discs with a "spark".
A car with a one and a half liter Renault diesel engine with a capacity of 109 hp. (this is also put on the A-Class), simpler trimmed. It has only front-wheel drive, and the transmission is a six-speed "mechanics" with long gears. But if the turbodiesel, according to the readings of the on-board computer, consumed 8,8 liters per "hundred", then the French power unit - only 5,4 liters. This version does not shine with outstanding dynamics, the motor runs quite loudly, and vibrations are transmitted to the pedals. The pedigree suspension settings have gone somewhere else: on a cobblestone road, the car sways and shudders. Infiniti representatives later confirmed that the chassis of the low-power versions was tuned slightly differently.
But a 2,2-liter diesel engine will not get into Russia anyway, and the version with a 30-liter turbodiesel is also in question. In the meantime, they plan to supply the Q1,6 with a 156-liter gasoline engine - for Russia, its power will be reduced from 149 to 2,0 hp, which is beneficial in terms of taxes. Also, Russian dealers will sell cars with a 17-liter petrol turbo engine. According to preliminary data, hatchbacks of the European assembly will be presented in four trim levels: Base, GT, GT Premium and Sport. Moreover, already in the "base" they plan to sell the car with 30-inch wheels and climate control. More accurate information will be available by the summer - that's when the car will be sold on our market. By this time, the QXXNUMX crossover will also reach us, which Infiniti is also betting on. It is not clear whether the company will be able to offer better prices than Mercedes-Benz.
However, price is unlikely to be the determining factor. Q30 is not a cheap version of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, but a completely independent car. And what nodes it consists of is of interest to automotive journalists rather than buyers. An Infiniti customer will get a flashy hatchback that looks and drives quite Japanese. Plus nice bonuses in the form of high-quality finishes and good sound insulation. The only thing that does not fit into the traditional values of the Infiniti brand is the paddle levers located only on the left - you will have to get used to them.
Evgeny Bagdasarov
