2017 Infiniti QX30 AWD

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Differences between the Infiniti QX30 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA are subtle at best - so in the end, it boils down to simple, but important, differences

Infiniti's new compact crossover shares much of its make-up with the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. However, the company says it "displays Infiniti's DNA in every curve." So which is it?

Stylistically, Infiniti has done a good job of differentiating its take on a shared platform. The bolder face and avant-garde treatment at the back end serve to set it apart nicely. It also uses more chrome, if that happens to be your thing.

The Mercedes-Benz part of the QX30 floods to the fore the instant you slip behind the wheel. The controls on the door panels, the switchgear on the steering column and the climate controls are shared. Ditto the smart keys. The differences are found in the seating and infotainment system. The seats are typical Infiniti, with the posture-correct design being very comfortable regardless of the length of the drive. One rider did comment that if the occupant is a tad fuller in the posterior the base bolsters tend to pinch. The infotainment system comes in the form of Infiniti's InTouch with navigation and a seven-inch touchscreen. It is part of the Premium package ($5,000) and works well with the controller easing access to the various functions including the connectivity side.

If you want the requisite safety add-ons like lane departure warning, forward collision warning and a bird's-eye view camera, take the Technology package ($2,500). The camera proved to be needed because the sightlines to the rear are somewhat tight.



The part of the QX's make-up that drove me over the top was the door lock strategy. There is no way of changing the manner in which the door locks function other than picking between pushing the key fob button once to open all doors or requiring one push for the driver's door and a second for the others. The problem is it requires the interior unlock button to be pushed every single time you want out of the vehicle. The oversight is massive in terms of convenience.

The rear seat is up to expectation. There is plenty of headroom and decent legroom as long as the front seats are not all the way back. It also has 544 litres of cargo space with the seats upright and 963L with both halves of the 60-40 unit folded flat. In an odd move, the specs listed for each vehicle say the QX has 123L more room than the GLA with the seats up, but 272L less with them folded.

Beneath the expressive brightwork sits essentially the same mechanical pieces as the Mercedes-Benz GLA. In this case, it means a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder that pushes 208 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque at a low 1,200 rpm. Infiniti has tweaked the operating characteristics, which sees peak torque arrive slightly earlier. This means the merest hint of turbo lag off the line, but once rolling the QX simply picks up its side sills and sprints forward, reaching 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. It is married to a seven-speed twin-clutch transmission, again, sourced from Herr Benz. The shifts are quick and remarkably well sorted.

As a combination the powertrain works very nicely and can be tweaked to suit the tone of the drive. Unfortunately, the choices are not ideal. Eco mode is too soft and it forces early upshifts, which make the QX30 feel mildly unresponsive at times. On the flip side, Sport holds the gears for too long and forces an unwanted downshift whenever it is engaged. The third mode is Manual, which worked nicely but became a bit of a chore in the city. What's missing is a normal mode - one with a crisper response to throttle input without holding the gears for too long.

The QX30 is offered as a front-driver or with all-wheel drive. Take the latter - it's money well invested. In practice it is quick to react to wheel spin, which keeps the traction control system at bay. Where it shone was on a wet road. The QX30 pulled away with little fuss even when the gas pedal was hammered and the torque was reaching its sweet spot.

The QX30 is very nimble on its P235/50R18 tires. The suspension calibration is Infiniti taut, but comfortable nonetheless - the tuning keeps the body flat through a corner without sacrificing the ride quality. It also delivers a crisp, direct response to steering input and, when pushed, it holds the driver's desired line very well. For a crossover, it had decidedly sporty driving characteristics.

The differences between the Infiniti QX30 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA are subtle at best - even the pricing is very competitive. However, in the end, it boiled down to simple, but important differences. Yes, the QX30's Nappa leather seating is vastly superior to the GLA's Artico, but the door lock strategy and lack of a Normal drive mode left it lagging on my scorecard.

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