2017 Infiniti QX30: First Impressions
Being Infiniti’s smallest SUVs certainly didn’t stop the automaker’s designers from crafting a striking look for the all-new 2017 Infiniti QX30 and Q30 siblings. The QX30, which debuted at the 2015 Los Angeles Auto Show, is the result of a joint partnership between Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz, and it shares its underlying architecture with the Mercedes GLA-Class small SUV. Their profiles are similar, though Infiniti took many liberties with the QX30’s design; it’s not immediately apparent the two are related.
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The QX30’s attention-grabbing details include the C-pillar’s crescent shape; the details are repeated in the hatchback and satin chrome finishes around the windows. The front and rear styling make the QX30 a fun little SUV to look at. It’s one of the more interesting subcompact SUVs in the class, which includes the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.
An all-terrain-capable version of the Q30, which is front-wheel drive only, the QX30 has added ground clearance. It’s still relatively low to the ground, and it’s easy to climb into the front seats, though accessing the backseat is awkward because of narrow doorways. Once inside, the QX30’s compact dimensions are apparent as my 6-foot frame just barely fit in the back with little headroom to spare in the model with the panoramic sunroof.
The QX30’s driving position feels carlike, which I attribute to slamming the driver’s seat to the ground to get a comfortable amount of headroom. The QX30’s interior is well appointed with crisp styling and materials that put the larger Infiniti QX50 to shame, though a few pieces stand out as budget-oriented such as the media system’s dial controller and climate controls. Hints of the QX30’s Mercedes origins include the door-panel-mounted power seat controls, the digital display between the gauges, the gear selector borrowed from the Mercedes AMG GLA45 and, really, the overall interior size, which is tight like in the GLA-Class.
The Infiniti QX50 has considerably more room so there won’t likely be much overlap between the two, but the larger Infiniti SUV’s interior is aging, and the QX30 certainly has an edge with more contemporary design and luxury appointments. It will be interesting to see where pricing falls for the QX30, which we’ll know closer to the small SUV’s on-sale date of summer 2016.
