THE LURE OF IN FIN IT I!
GOOD
IF BUZZ LIGHTYEAR had an off-duty car, this could be it. But would it take him ‘to infiniti and beyond!’? Infiniti is Nissan’s posher cousin. And the Q30 did create a buzz when I took it for a spin. Its sporty, low-slung looks attracted admiring glances. Even my eldest son, who’s shown no interest in cars, stirred from his A-level revision to say it was ‘cool’.
THE sporty coupe- like five- door hatchback is built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant. That’s good for Britain plc.
I DROVE a model with a silky smooth seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The four-wheel-drive gives you extra sure-footedness for the top-spec £34,890 on-the-road price tag.
MINE was fitted with an optional £500 glass sunroof that lets the light flood in, but bumps the price up to £35,390. The range starts at £20,550 for the 1.6T petrol with six-speed manual gearbox. There’s also a two-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel option.
FROM the side it looks streamlined, aerodynamic and rather mean. A rear kink adds to the impression of moving forward, even when it’s not.
INSIDE, you are cocooned in a sporty cabin with a black lacquer interior trim and suede-like Alcantara covering.
GROOVY heated front sports seats feature integrated head rests, while the leather-coated steering wheel and aluminium sports pedals look sharp.
BLING touches include chrome edging around the privacy glass windows and silvered electric mirrors. Even the five-spoke 19 in wheels have a flash of purple.
IT HANDLES well with good performance from the 190 hp 2.2-litre diesel engine connected to the seven-speed automatic direct clutch transmission. It accelerates from rest to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds with a top speed of 134 mph.
YOU can drive in economy mode or push it up to sport mode for added oomph.
FUEL economy is claimed at an average 56.6 mpg — 65.7 mpg when cruising and 47.1 mpg around town — with CO2 emissions at a reasonable 129g/km. The smallers engined 1.5- litre diesel will do 108g/km and average 68.9 mpg.
THE base price may be high, but the car is packed with lots of kit as standard for comfort, safety and fun. This version also has sport brakes and sport suspension to add to the pizzazz.
PLENTY of room in the boot with the rear seats splitting 60:40 to fold down if you need more storage space.
THE touch-navigation system and touch-screen hi-fi and audio features are easy to use. The satnav was included in the price of my car, but is a £1,400 option on other models.
LOTS of high-tech features and safety kit, including lanedeparture warning, hill-start assist, speed limit recognition and parking assistance with a bird’s eye all-around view. That should save on insurance claims for minor dings.
BAD
THERE’S little headroom in the back. I banged my head a couple of times before I learned to duck lower when getting out. There is not much space in the back —it’s cosy with two and a tight squeeze for three.
I WASN’T sold on the Alcantara trim. It’s a matter of taste, but the black suede-like covering just didn’t do it for me.
NO SPARE tyre. Traditionalists like me may despair at having to rely on a tyre repair kit.
NOT cheap. You will pay a premium for the upmarket bragging rights.