Infiniti Q30 vs BMW X5
What's the difference?

Infiniti Q30

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2019 price

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BMW X5

$78,990 - $209,990

2024 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz A45

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Mercedes-Benz G63

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLB-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Summary

2019 Infiniti Q30

2024 BMW X5

By Tom White

By Mark Oastler

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 6, 3.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

6.3L/100km (combined)

9.2L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Concept car looks
Willing engine
Standard safety

Design/build quality
Performance/efficiency
Interior comfort/features

Dislikes

Concept car practicality
Lacking multimedia
Priced in the big leagues

Space-saver spare
Busy control panel
Passenger dash glare

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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2024 BMW X5 Summary

The BMW X5 is a leading contender in the ‘Over $70K Large SUV’ division of Australia’s new car market, which is a hotly-contested segment boasting 15 marques and 25 models.

The X5 has hit an enduring sweet spot with Aussie buyers in terms of size, performance and price. BMW prefers to call it a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) as distinct from its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) rivals.

Clearly, any word association with a utility is something BMW Group Australia wants to avoid after recently launching its latest X5 range, which brings numerous enhancements including design revisions, increased standard equipment, refreshed powertrains and more.

We were entrusted with the digital ‘Comfort Access’ key to one of the latest X5s, to understand from a family car perspective why this model range enjoys such enduring popularity with prestige SUV (sorry, SAV) buyers.

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Deep dive comparison

2019 Infiniti Q30 2024 BMW X5

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.

Verdict

This is a luxurious prestige five-seater brimming with BMW’s latest design and technology that’s not only practical for weekly family duties but can also embrace spirited driving with the push of a button. A great all-rounder for families that like a sporty edge.

Infiniti Q30 vs BMW X5 What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Infiniti Q30 vs BMW X5
What's the difference?