Citroen C3 vs Infiniti Q30
What's the difference?

Citroen C3

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2023 price

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Infiniti Q30

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2019 price

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Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Summary

2023 Citroen C3

2019 Infiniti Q30

By James Cleary

By Tom White

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.2L

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

5.2L/100km (combined)

6.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Equipment
Design
Space efficiency

Concept car looks
Willing engine
Standard safety

Dislikes

Price
Sub-par refinement
Ownership costs

Concept car practicality
Lacking multimedia
Priced in the big leagues

2023 Citroen C3 Summary

You’re a city dweller on the hunt for a small hatch, but the usual suspects just don’t do it for you. Time for a trip down the urban road less travelled.

The Citroen C3 fits the bill in terms of scale, but brings something extra when it comes to personality. A fun-sized European with the ability to surprise and delight.

It comes at a price, though. So, is the promise of some extra excitement in your motoring life worth it? Read on to find out.

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2019 Infiniti Q30 Summary

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.

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Deep dive comparison

2023 Citroen C3 2019 Infiniti Q30

Verdict

The Citroen C3’s plus column contains some big ticket items like a solid standard equipment list, design flair, generous interior space, an eager engine, good safety and a comfy suspension. However, the minus side of the ledger isn’t exactly empty, with entries like steep price, marginal perceived quality, poor cabin storage, sub-par refinement, okay economy, and high ownership costs.

But there’s no doubt this car delivers a different, adventurous take on the city-sized hatch, and for you, that alone may count for more than any of those things.

Verdict

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.

Citroen C3 vs Infiniti Q30 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Citroen C3 vs Infiniti Q30
What's the difference?