Infiniti’s ‘active compact’ Q30 proves a sporty and versatile car
Japanese luxury-car maker Infiniti’s vehicles sometimes appear a little over-designed and too sculpted. There’s a curve here, a bulge there, but the result is undoubtedly artful, especially in the Q30, which takes the company into a new segment in its expanding product range – active compact.
It’s a segment intended to combine the sportiness of a coupe with the empowered stance of a crossover, as Infiniti puts it. It has already proven itself to be a versatile vehicle. European car safety organisation Euro NCAP has given the Q30 the accolade “best in class” as a small family car, and a maximum five-star safety rating.
Infiniti, the Hong Kong-headquartered luxury division of Nissan, has three versions of the Q30, starting with a base 1.6-litre, 154-horsepower GT model for HK$329,800, a two-litre, 208-horsepower GT for HK$369,800 and the top-of-the-range two-litre, 208-horsepower Sport AWD costing HK$419, 800.
We drove the all-wheel-drive Sport-themed Q30, which looked impressive in “majestic white”.
Gracious touches in the exterior design include door handles set level with a gently undulating shoulder line that runs all the way from the tail lights, over the fender and down to the edges of the grille. Another unique design feature is the dynamic crescent-shaped chrome window sill in the C-pillar. It is certainly a distinctive and elegant-looking vehicle.
