Infiniti Q30 VS Skoda Kodiaq
Infiniti Q30
Likes
- Concept car looks
- Willing engine
- Standard safety
Dislikes
- Concept car practicality
- Lacking multimedia
- Priced in the big leagues
Skoda Kodiaq
Likes
- Bigger, better than before
- Cabin tech overhaul
- The keen driver's seven-seat SUV
Dislikes
- Hybrid tech unlikely for Oz initially
- Might be thirsty compared to rivals
- Probably won't be more affordable
Summary
Infiniti Q30
Welcome to the future - where your Mercedes-Benz is a Nissan and your Nissan is a Mercedes-Benz.
Lost already? Let me catch you up. Infiniti is the premium arm of Nissan, in much the same way Lexus is the premium arm of Toyota, and the Q30 is Infiniti’s hatchback.
Thanks to the state of various global manufacturing alliances the Q30 is mechanically, largely a previous-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class, with a similar arrangement seeing the new Mercedes-Benz X-Class ute comprised largely of Nissan Navara underpinnings.
Recently, the Q30 has had its range of variants trimmed from a confusing five down to two, and the one we’re testing here is the top-spec Sport.
Make sense? I hope so. The Q30 Sport joined me on an 800km trip along the east coast in the height of summer. So, can it make the most of its German/Japanese roots? Read on to find out.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Premium Unleaded Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 6.3L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Skoda Kodiaq
It’s time. Life is calling for a seven-seat SUV.
The thing is, you don’t like to follow the crowd, and you’re not drawn by the Nissan X-Trails, Honda CR-Vs and Kia Sorentos of the world. You’re looking for something a little different, a thinking person’s SUV that stands out.
There’s no better time then, to meet the Skoda Kodiaq. Now entering its second generation with some major upgrades, it could be the right SUV for your family. Does it have what it takes to make the case against those very compelling rivals?
Read more about
- If you want a cheaper Skoda, tell them! Here's why the Czech brand won't fight cut-price Chinese rivals such as the MG ZS and Haval Jolion on price alone
- No hybrids, no worries: Skoda says NVES 'not scary' but believes its model mix will need to change in coming years
- Why this electric SUV won't suffer the same fate as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Seal
We drove the Kodiaq in Europe ahead of its Australian arrival to find out.
| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | — |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | —L/100km |
| Seating | — |
Verdict
Infiniti Q306.9/10
The Q30 Sport is a left-field choice in the premium hatch segment. For those who don’t care about badge equity and are looking for something different, the Q30 provides maybe 70 per cent the feel of its well-established competition while offering decent value courtesy of standard safety and spec inclusions.
The biggest letdown is how much better it could be with just a little extra in every department. Even in this top-spec the drive experience is a bit generic, and it’s missing an up-to-date multimedia experience limiting its appeal to a younger audience.
Even with its promising mixed heritage, the Q30 hardly feels more than the sum of its parts.
Is the Q30 Sport different enough that you’d consider it over its premium hatch rivals? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Skoda Kodiaq7.9/10
If you’re already a Skoda buyer, you know the drill. I don’t need to tell you the Kodiaq is a genuine off-beat alternative to the mid-sized seven-seaters of the world.
If you’re a newcomer to the idea of a Kodiaq though, you’d be getting by far the best version yet. Not only is this one bigger and packed full of tech, but it’s also distinctly European in the way it drives, setting it apart from popular nameplates from Japan, Korea, and China.
Keep an eye on CarsGuide in early 2025 for detailed pricing and trim levels for the Australian market.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Design
Infiniti Q307/10
The Q30 drew more than just looks for its badge. It genuinely looks like a concept car from a motor show stand. Not the paper mache Mars rover early prototype kind, more like the six-months-before-production kind.
It’s all swoopy with curves cutting all down the sides, and Infiniti has done a good job imprinting the brand’s signature design queues – like the chrome-framed grille and notched C-pillar - on the front and rear three-quarter views.
It’s genuinely hard to tell it shares major componentry with the last-gen (W176) A-Class from the outside and I’d place the overall look somewhere between Mazda and Lexus’ design languages for better or worse.
While the front is swoopy and resolved the rear is a bit busy with lines everywhere and bits of chrome and black trim all over the place. The tapered roofline and high bumpers set it apart from your regular hatchback fare.
It might grab the eye for the wrong reasons, but it certainly gives the Q30 a slick look when viewed in profile. I wouldn’t call it a bad looking car, but it is divisive and will appeal only to certain tastes.
Inside is simple and plush. Perhaps a little too simple when compared with the new (W177) A-Class with its entirely digital dashboard or the 1 Series with its M bits. One could even argue the Audi A3 has done ‘simplicity’ better.
The seats are nice in the two-tone white-on-black trim and the Alcantara roof is a premium touch, but the rest of the dash is a bit too basic and dated. There’s a smattering of buttons down the centre stack which are replaced with more intuitive touchscreen functions on most rivals, and the 7.0-inch touchscreen looks small, distantly embedded in the dash.
The materials are all nice to the touch, with most important touch-points clad in leather, but it also feels a little claustrophobic, with the abundance of dark trim, thick roof pillars and a low roof-line, especially in the back seat. The switchgear, which is mostly dropped straight out of a Benz A-Class, feels good.
Skoda Kodiaq
Like its Superb sedan sibling, the Kodiaq adopts small changes to a familiar existing formula, despite being significantly upgraded underneath.
The boxy lines of the previous car have been traded out in favour of a few more curves over the wheel arches, while the LED light fittings have been tweaked to keep them looking cutting-edge in an era of more exciting and challenging designs in this SUV space.
It doesn’t rock the boat though. This is still a big oblong of an SUV - but it does lean into the stately quality exuded by larger Skoda models, reflected in its long wheelbase and imposing bonnet height.
Sure, it’s more conservative than BYD’s aquatic Sealion 6 or Hyundai’s Land Rover-emulating Santa Fe, but it also avoids the popular sharp-edged design motifs favoured by the CR-V, RAV4, or Kia Sorento.
The interior receives a massive upgrade, particularly centred around its enormous new 13-inch central touchscreen, but there’s also a pleasing array of soft-touch materials adorning the entire span of the dash, and some nicer highlight trims, too.
The older VW Group switchgear has been swapped out in favour of the latest rotary shifter mounted on the steering column, although the Kodiaq maintains the funky two-spoke steering wheel that appears throughout the brand’s range.
Practicality
Infiniti Q306/10
Infiniti calls the Q30 a “crossover” rather than a hatchback and this is best reflected through its pumped ride height. Rather than hugging the ground like the A-Class or 1 Series, the Q30 sits propped up, almost like a small SUV.
There’s also the QX30 which is an even more pumped version of this car complete with plastic guards in the vein of Subaru’s XV. The QX30 is also your only way to all-wheel drive now that the Q30 is front-wheel drive only.
While the extra ride height means you won’t have to worry about scraping expensive body panels on speedbumps or steep ramps you won’t be wanting to get too brave off the tarmac.
Interior space is fine for front passengers with plenty of arm and legroom, but back seat passengers are left with a small, dark space which feels especially claustrophobic. Headroom is not great no matter which seat you’re in. In the front seat I could almost rest my head on the sun-visor (I’m 182cm tall) and the back seat was not much better.
Rear passengers do score nice seat trim and two air-conditioning vents though, so they haven’t totally been forgotten.
There’s average amounts of storage up front and in the back, with small bottle holders in each of the four doors, two on the transmission tunnel and a tiny trench – useful for keys maybe – in front of the air-conditioning controls.
Even the centre console box is shallow, despite a large opening. Once I had collected enough loose objects on my trip I started to run out of room for things in the cabin.
There are nettings on the back of the front seats and an odd extra one on the passenger’s side of the transmission tunnel.
Power outlets come in the form of a single USB port in the dash and a 12-volt outlet in the centre box.
The boot is a much better story despite the swoopy roofline with 430 litres of space available. That’s bigger than the A-Class (370L), 1 Series (360L), A3 (380L) and CT200h (375L). Needless to say, it ate up two large duffle bags and some extra items we brought with us for our week-long trip.
This is due to its impressive depth, but it does come at a cost. The Q30 only has the sound system’s base and an inflator kit under the boot floor. There’s no spare for long distance trips.
One irritation I have to mention is the shift-lever, which was annoying in its tilt-shift operation. Often when trying to change to drive from reverse or vice versa it would get stuck in neutral. Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with a shifter which locks in position…
Skoda Kodiaq
The space inside the Kodiaq feels enormous no matter which seat you’re in, with a tall roof and plenty of width. Up front, there’s a commanding view of the road, while adjustability for the seats seems extensive (although we only tested a high-spec car with electrically adjustable seats).
The new screens offer sharp software which is much better laid out than before. This makes it relatively easy to find all the functions of the car, although the resolution is so high some shortcuts can be a little hard to jab at.
The real win here is the new set of three rotary dials set below the screen in place of the touch-based sliders in other VW Group products. The two outside dials control the temperature of the climate zone, or it can cycle through the heating and ventilation for the outside seats. The centre dial controls fan speed, drive mode, or volume. It’s even customisable so you can remove functions you don’t want if you’re tired of having to press it a few times to get the function you want.
There’s no shortage of storage up front including large door pockets, cupholders in the centre console, and a massive rubberised tray for the wireless charger which disappears below the rotary dials up front.
The centre console is now enormous and features a set of floating trays that can be removed. These feature conveniently-sized brackets for quick access to keys or wallets, and included here is a little suede-style cleaning block for the touchscreen. It’s part of Skoda’s signature ‘simply clever’ features and I must say I’ve never seen it before, so props to the brand for including something new.
The rear seat is, of course, enormous, offering me plenty of room at 182cm tall behind my own driving position. Unfortunately, this car’s platform requires a significant raise in the floor below the centre seat position, which eats into legroom for centre passengers.
Back here, there’s also plenty of amenities. In the car we tested, which is reflective of what high-spec cars in Australia will be equipped with, there's a rear climate zone (rare for the segment) with an independent controller, adjustable air vents, USB-C ports, and even built-in sunshades and heated outboard seats.
Unfortunately I couldn't test the third row in our brief time with the car, although the second row is on rails, so the amount of room on offer isn’t fixed at any rate. Check back for our Australian launch review for a better analysis of the third row.
With the third row seats folded the boot offers an impressive 910 litres of space, or an ambitious 340L with the third row up. It also has its share of ‘clever’ touches, like velcro cargo dividers, an included cargo net (in addition to the sliding cover), and bag hooks on either side.
Price and features
Infiniti Q307/10
If you’re shopping in this segment, there’s a good chance you’re not looking for a bargain buy, but the Q30 shines in some areas its competition doesn’t.
A promising start is the complete lack of a lengthy and expensive options list with items which should be standard. In fact, apart from a reasonable set of accessories and the $1200 premium 'Majestic White' paint, the Q30 has no options in the traditional sense.
The base Q30 scores 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights with high-beam assist, heated leather seats, flat-bottomed leather steering wheel, leather trim on the doors and dash, Alcantara (synthetic suede) roof-lining and a 7.0-inch multimedia touchscreen supporting DAB+ digital radio and built-in navigation.
Our Sport adds a 10-speaker Bose audio system (which could have been better…) dual-zone climate control, a fixed panoramic sunroof, fully-electric front seats and Nissan’s 360-degree ‘around view monitoring’ parking suite.
It might have premium aspirations, but value-wise Q30 is still specified like a Nissan.
The standard safety suite is also reasonably impressive, and you can read more about it in the safety section of this review.
Our Q30 Sport comes in at a total of $46,888 (MSRP) which is still premium money. The price pits it against the BMW 120i M-Sport (eight-speed auto, $46,990), Mercedes-Benz A200 (seven-speed DCT, $47,200) and fellow Japanese premium hatch act - the Lexus CT200h F-Sport (CVT, $50,400).
Herein lies the Q30’s biggest problem. Brand recognition. Everybody knows the BMW and Benz hatches by virtue of their badges alone and the Lexus CT200h is known by those who care about it.
Even without the extensive options list, it makes the price of entry against such established competition tough. While you might see a couple of them around Sydney, the Q30 is a relatively rare sight which garnered more than a few quizzical looks in the towns of NSW’s mid-north coast.
The standard spec is also missing the all-important Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It rendered the 7.0-inch multimedia screen clumsy and largely useless, although the old-fashioned built-in nav gives peace-of-mind when you’re out of phone reception range.
If you have an Apple phone you can make use of the iPod music playback feature via the USB port.
Skoda Kodiaq
Because we’re testing European cars and the company hasn’t even started building right-hand drive examples for Australia, it’s too early to tell what the price will be, but Skoda tells us for now to expect it to stay around the same level as the outgoing car.
That should mean you can pick up a base model from the mid-$50k region, with high-spec versions reaching to the high $60-grand bracket.
When it comes to variants, we can expect there to be a new entry-level Select version with boosted standard equipment. From there, it’s likely we’ll see a more luxurious option pack and a self-explanatory Sportline version reflecting the current range. A replacement for the outgoing top-spec RS is yet to be confirmed.
This price region puts the Kodiaq in close competition with some notable rivals. In the seven-seat SUV space this includes the Nissan X-Trail, Honda CR-V, and outgoing Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace.
Half a size (and price-bracket) up will net you versions of the cool-looking Kia Sorento or the dramatically redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe, notably both cars available as hybrids, while the Kodiaq won’t be.
We’ll talk about powertrains later, but standard equipment will be bumped to include a 13-inch multimedia touchscreen with slick new software, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. There’s also an upgraded version of the VW Group digital instrument cluster, an improved array of switchgear and extended soft-touch interior materials.
What will be missing for the Australian launch is the full array of connected services features that were included in the Euro-spec cars we tested.
Keep an eye out for final spec closer to the Kodiaq’s Australian on-sale date in quarter one 2025.
Under the bonnet
Infiniti Q307/10
For 2019 the Q30 has had its list of engines trimmed from three to just one. The diesel and smaller 1.6-litre petrol engines have been culled, leaving a 2.0-litre petrol.
Thankfully, it’s a strong unit producing a once-V6-range 155kW/350Nm across a wide band from 1200-4000rpm.
It feels responsive and isn’t let down by a slick-shifting seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission.
The new-generation A-Class equivalent, even in 2.0-litre A250 guise produces less torque with outputs of 165kW/250Nm, so for the money the Infiniti scores a solid serving of extra punch.
Skoda Kodiaq
Expect evolution not revolution here, with the Kodiaq likely to maintain a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and all-wheel drive in the Australian market.
This is likely to be an updated version of the engine in the current outgoing model, which in overseas spec produces 150kW/320Nm. It is not in production yet, so the car we drove for this test was a 2.0-litre turbo diesel (which won’t be launching in Australia) producing 142kW/400Nm. Either way, expect a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Frustratingly, we won’t be getting hybrids of any kind, at least at launch. Overseas, the Kodiaq is available with a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in either mild hybrid (MHEV) or ‘iV’ plug-in hybrid (PHEV) forms.
Efficiency
Infiniti Q306/10
Over my week-long test the Q30 returned a figure of 9.0L/100km. I was a little disappointed with this figure given much of the distance covered was cruising at freeway speeds.
It’s made worse when you pitch it against the claimed/combined figure of 6.3L/100km (not sure how you could achieve that…) and the fact that I left the irritating stop-start system on for much of the time.
For a leader in the luxury hatch class consider the Lexus CT200h which makes full use of Toyota’s hybrid drive and pitches a fuel consumption figure of 4.4L/100km.
The Q30 has a 56-litre fuel tank and takes a minimum of 95 RON premium unleaded.
Skoda Kodiaq
Expect similar fuel consumption to the outgoing car which sits at 8.2L/100km. VW Group turbocharged engines require 95RON unleaded fuel and the new Kodiaq has a variable fuel tank size depending on the engine. Check back closer to its local arrival to see more accurate figures for Australia.
It is unfortunate that it seems hybrid powertrains won’t be making it to our shores, at least in the short term, which will make it difficult for the Kodiaq to compete with hybrid versions of the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and Honda CR-V on the fuel efficiency front.
Driving
Infiniti Q307/10
Thanks to its shared underpinnings with the A-Class the Q30 Sport drives largely like you would expect a premium hatch to drive. It’s just lacking a bit of character.
The engine is responsive, the transmission is fast and the availability of peak torque from just 1200rpm will lead to spinning the front wheels if caution is not applied. Power is no real issue.
Although Infiniti says it has tuned the Q30 in Japan and Europe, the ride has an undeniably Germanic flavour. It doesn’t feel quite as tight as the A-Class or 1 Series but it doesn’t feel as soft as the CT200h, so it strikes a decent balance.
The Q30 uses MacPherson strut suspension in the front and multi-link at the rear, more suited to a premium car than the torsion bar rear on the new Benz A 200.
The wheel has a nice amount of feedback, and thankfully doesn’t use the larger Q50’s strange ‘Direct Adaptive Steering’ which has no mechanical connection between the driver and the road.
If you’ve driven a decently-specified A-Class before the drive experience will feel familiar. The added ride height seems to remove a bit of feel from the corners, however.
There’s also the inclusion of three drive modes – Economy, Sport and Manual. Economy mode seems to be the default with Sport simply holding gears for longer. Steering-wheel mounted paddle-shifters could be used to mill through the seven gears in 'Manual' mode, although this didn’t add much to the experience.
The addition of active cruise control and adaptive high beams proved to be fantastic for reducing fatigue on long highway stints during the night, but the lack of a padded surface on the inside of the transmission tunnel proved uncomfortable for the driver’s knee on longer trips.
I persisted with the stop-start system to test it, but it proved slow and irritating. Under normal circumstances it would be the first thing I’d turn off.
Visibility was also a bit limited out the rear three quarter courtesy of the low, swoopy C-pillars.
Skoda Kodiaq
Like its immediate relations, the Skoda Superb and incoming third-generation Tiguan, the Kodiaq’s upgraded platform comes with some notable enhancements when it comes to the experience behind the wheel.
Core changes to suspension and rigidity to the platform make for a big SUV which feels surprisingly reactive in the corners, which is doubled-down on thanks to accurate steering.
It also responds nicely to a prod of the accelerator thanks to punchy engine options and the dual-clutch auto which shifts fast and unlike a CVT lets you ride the gears out for better power delivery.
We only sampled the more powerful of two 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engines, although the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit which we know will ship in Australia is an upgraded version of an existing well-loved engine that will only perform better with less lag.
Sure, the Kodiaq is further off the ground and heavier than some of its VW Group contemporaries, and has to work harder to tame these factors, but it’s rare in the seven-seat SUV segment to have this much fun behind the wheel.
The X-Trail and CR-V for example, may be a little smoother in traffic, especially in hybrid forms, but even cars with comparable dual-clutch set-ups like the Kia Sorento and Hyundai Santa Fe can’t compare to the Kodiaq in terms of driver engagement.
Ride quality for those moments on less than impressive road surfaces was hard to gauge on the finely-crafted European roads we drove the Kodiaq on, but the previous car was already good and I’d expect the upgraded suspension on this new one to feel even better.
Even the improved switchgear (specifically, those new control dials), and the minimally invasive active safety equipment adds to the Skoda’s appeal.
If you need seven seats, you like to drive, and you don’t want to spend truly premium dollars, it’s hard to get better in this segment.
Safety
Infiniti Q307/10
The Q30 scores some decent active safety goodies alongside the usual refinements. Active safety items include auto emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring (BSM), lane departure warning (LDW) and active cruise control.
There’s also Nissan’s signature ‘Around View Monitor’ 360-degree reversing camera which sounds more useful than it is. Thankfully there is also a standard reversing camera.
The Q30 carries a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating as of 2015 but has not been tested to the more demanding 2019 standards.
The rear seats also benefit from two sets of ISOFIX child seat mounting points.
As previously mentioned, there’s no spare wheel in the Q30 Sport, so best of luck with the inflator kit if you end up with a flat in the outback.
Skoda Kodiaq
We don’t have final spec for the Australian market, but expect the Kodiaq to maintain all the key active safety items as standard.
These include auto emergency braking (to freeway speeds), lane keep assist with departure warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Additionally, the Kodiaq gets traffic sign recognition, an upgraded driver attention alert, and an auto-parking suite.
It is also now better at detecting objects and vehicles around it thanks to a new set of ‘nano radar’ sensors in both the front and rear bumpers.
The new Kodiaq has nine airbags and was recently awarded a maximum five-star EuroNCAP rating. Tune back in closer to its Australian arrival in Q1 of 2025 to see whether the safety rating transfers across to ANCAP.
Ownership
Infiniti Q308/10
As with all Infiniti products, the Q30 is covered by a four-year/100,000km warranty and a three-year service program can be purchased with the car. Pricing was not available for the 2019 Q30 model year at the time of writing, but its 2.0-litre turbo predecessor averaged $540 per service once a year or every 25,000km.
Credit where credit is due, the Q30 edges out the European competition by a year of warranty length and general service pricing. This market segment is still wide open for a manufacturer to take the lead offering five or more years of warranty coverage.
Skoda Kodiaq
Skoda is the first European brand to take a shot at a seven-year and unlimited kilometre warranty, so points there for moving the game forward.
On top of that, you can expect the usual seven-year pre-paid service pack the brand offers on its other models, although check back in for the details as they become available in Australia. Generally these packs strike a reasonable middle ground between the affordable servicing of brands like Toyota and the more expensive Subaru.
Skoda is also currently pushing a guaranteed future value program and favourable finance with more transparent terms than some of its competitors. Check back in early 2025 for all the numbers.