A Mercedes-Benz GLA by another other name may smell as sweet, but it's still a small, entry-level rose.
Such is the case with the 2017 Infiniti QX30, one of the first products of a development partnership between Mercedes and Nissan, parent to luxury marquee Infiniti. Built on the same MFA platform as Mercedes' CLA- and GLA- classes, the QX30 shares architecture, engine, transmission, electronics and many of the same interior conventions-such as those nifty, door-mounted seat controls.
The car was engineered in Germany, but designed in Japan and built in England for a European market, which means bold, sculpted muscular lines, vibrant colors and a plush interior. While the CLA-class tends to remind buyers that is, after all, a Benz for the billig volk, the QX30 lays on premium touches; asymmetric surfaces wave together, twist apart and flow away from the driver.
Premium materials and processes, like contrasting stitching are found throughout the cabin. The standard interior is finished in high quality black Fibretec, while Nappa leather-appointed seats are available.
Our tester, a top-of-line Premium AWD, came with a $1,750 Café Teak Theme package that included genuine wood inserts and suede-like material in the headliner and on the A-pillars. Toss in a decent sound system and comfortable seats, and luxury wraps the occupants like a velour blanket.
It felt like, oh, I don't know, a Mercedes-Benz? Sorta.
Though we have some nits to pick, all said, Infiniti played this card well, taking a shortcut and coming up with a brisk seller in the vibrant luxury subcompact SUV market, challenging the CLA and BMW X1 for head of the class. This was one of series of moves that has Infiniti sales surging in a down market.
Both the Beemer and the Benz start around $4,000 more than the X30, and the gap widens as one climbs the trim-line tree and adds options, though Infiniti does its best to keep pace in price, too.
The QX30 comes in six trim levels, four with FWD and two with AWD. Prices start at $29,950 and climb to $37,700.
The base model includes Intelligent Key, rear camera, paddle shifters, Bluetooth hands-free phone, dual zone automatic temperature control with rear seat vents, INFINITI InTouch with 7.0-inch screen, HD Radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, 8-way manually adjustable driver's seat with 4-way power lumbar support, LED signature daytime running lights and 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels with all-season run-flat tires.
The QX30 Luxury, $32,600, adds Nappa leather-appointed seating, 8-way power front seats with 4-way power lumbar adjustment, memory seats and mirrors, heated front seats, rear seat pass-through, front passenger seat storage and footwell lamps.
The QX30 Premium, $35,300, includes a decent Bose 10-speaker premium audio system, rain-sensing windshield wiper with heated washers, LED fog lamps, chrome trunk finisher and aluminum kickplates.
The QX30 Sport, $38,500, adds unique front and rear lower fascias, body-color side sill panels, gloss black grille, black outside mirror housings, chrome trunk finisher, a 0.6-inch lower ride height, flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum pedal finishers, upgraded brake calipers and cross-drilled front brake rotors, dark chrome exhaust finishers, LED fog lamps, intelligent park assist, Bose audio, sports seats with integrated headrest, leatherette and black suede-like seating surfaces. Memory seats and mirrors, Around View monitor with moving object detection, and 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels.
All-wheel-drive models start at $34,400 and get front and rear lower fascias, a 1.2-inch-higher ride height, extended overfenders, unique side sills, and roof rails.
Our tester, a QX30 Premium AWD, $37,700, added all the goodies of the FWD premium and more. It was also notable for what it did not include.
A modern suite of active driver assist safety technologies, which Toyota/Lexus offer for free on most models, adds $2,200. Nissan's birds-eye camera view is unique. Blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, forward emergency braking and active cruise control save a lot of lives, per insurance industry data, and ought to be standard-especially on a $38,000 "luxury" car.
A nav package, with panoramic glass roof, added $1,600. With destination charges, the car topped out at $46,600.
It didn't feel like it was worth that much, primarily because the driveline is far from the best that Mercedes offers. A turbocharged, 2.0-L 4 puts out 208 hp and 258 ft.-lbs of torque, good for the class, but the engine is growly and lags on the bottom end. It runs briskly once it hit hits the sweet spot of the power band, but it is hardly sporty.
A 7-speed, dual clutch automatic transmission still hunts for gears occasionally, but seems to find its comfort zone out on the highway. Overall, the power train averaged close to 25 mpg, which is not impressive for the class.
For all the sophistication Infiniti put into the interior, it is cramped, especially for a six-footer, and the cabin lets in more road noise than one would expect.
Beyond that, the car doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but it doesn't have any glaring flaws, either.
Bottom line: The Infiniti QX30 represents a victory of style over substance, but if it suits your style, it's a nice ride.