The first hatchback for the company, Nissan owned premium car maker Infiniti has officially revealed the 2016 Q30 luxury hatchback at the 66th Frankfurt Motor Show as a rival to the Mercedes A-Class, BMW 1-Series, Audi A3 hatchback and Volvo V40. Funny thing though, the new Infiniti Q30 shares its underpinnings with the Mercedes A-Class including the engine lineup. However, the Q30 differentiates itself by looking nothing like the German and may be even better in some places with the flowing lines and a larger profile working its favour.
The first compact product to come from Infiniti, the 2016 Q30 is similar to the concept retaining most elements including the curvaceous side profile with the strong shoulder line running till the rear. The front fascia looks sharp and bold sporting a large grille and masculine hood and complements the hatch further. At the rear, the curvy theme takes centre stage with the swooped lines running across the tail lights, whereas the rectangular exhaust tips stand out against the gloss black finished bumper. The 18-inch alloy wheels, LED fog lamps and DRLs add to the striking appearance of the hatchback.
The cabin on the new Infiniti Q30 gets finished in leather and suede complete with contrast stitching and a comes with a radically new interior layout separate from the automaker’s existing models featuring a InTouch infotainment touchscreen system followed by the AC vents and three rows of switches below. The flat bottom steering wheel looks very sporty and gets along with the aluminium pedals, front sports seats with integrated headrests and 8-way adjustment. The premium hatchback is also offers functionality with a boot capacity of 368 litres. You also get an Active Sound Enhancement feature that monitors acceleration behaviour and gear ratio, smoothing out variations in engine tone to project a harmonious and exhilarating sound when accelerating.
Getting things rolling on the 2016 Infiniti Q30 needs fossil power that comes from a variety of petrol and diesel engines depending on the market, which much like the frame underneath is shared with the Mercedes A-Class. Petrol engines include a 1.6-litre unit with either 120 HP or 154 HP on the base models, while the 2.2-litre 4-cylinder diesel motor makes 168 HP of power. There is also a 1.5-litre oil burner with 107 HP of power. Transmission options include a highly impressive 6-speed manual that will please the enthusiasts, in addition to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Like the A-Class, power will be sent to the front wheels, although an AWD option cannot be ruled out for the future.
A first for the brand, the new Infiniti Q30 comes equipped with Intelligent Cruise Control that uses radar waves to calculate the speed of the car in front and accordingly adjust the speed the itself. You also get High Beam Assist, Blind Spot Warning, Around View Monitor (AVM) and Moving Object Detection (MOD) as part of the safety kit. Infiniti has made a name for itself globally but sadly is yet to make its India debut. Nevertheless, the new Q30 could be a good product Nissan could consider for the country bringing it via the CBU route. Meanwhile, other markets will be getting the new Q30 later this year. For the SUV lovers, there is also a QX30 crossover in the pipeline with a jacked up ground clearance among other bits that will make it to production as a rival to the Mercedes GLA.
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