A premium hatchback bargain nobody asked for
Nissan's premium brand attempted to crack the compact luxury hatchback market dominated by the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class. Built at Nissan's Sunderland plant on a Mercedes A-Class platform, it offered a comfortable alternative but failed to attract buyers — Infiniti sold just 750 cars across the entire UK in 2018. The brand withdrew from Europe in 2020, leaving Q30 owners with a niche orphan car.
We track 5 known issues across the Infiniti Q30 range, with 2 classified as significant. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Infiniti Q30? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
H15 (2015–2019) — Petrol options included the 1.6 Turbo, 2.0 Turbo, with 1.5 dCi, 2.1 dCi on the diesel side. We track 5 known issues on this generation, with 2 classified as significant. The most significant concern is Premature brake disc wear (£200–£350 to address).
The Q30 suffers from accelerated brake disc wear compared to the fleet average, with MOT data showing failure rates 3.8 times higher than typical. This affects all engine variants but is most pronounced on the diesel models which see higher mileage use. The issue appears to be related to brake pad compound or disc metallurgy as both wear and fracture failures are documented.
Severely worn or fractured brake discs reduce braking performance and can fail completely during emergency braking. Replacement of both discs and pads is typically required, with costs significantly higher than normal brake service intervals would suggest for a car of this age.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
The electronic turbocharger wastegate actuators on Q30 turbocharged engines (both petrol and diesel) can fail, causing loss of boost control. This is a common issue across the Mercedes-Renault engine family used in this platform. Symptoms include reduced power, engine management light activation, and potentially expensive turbocharger replacement if left unrepaired.
Failed turbocharger actuator causes significant power loss and can lead to complete turbocharger failure if the wastegate cannot control boost pressure properly. Replacement actuators cost several hundred pounds, while full turbocharger replacement can exceed £2000.
During a test drive, check for hesitation, lack of power or unusual whining from the turbo area. Watch for blue or white smoke from the exhaust under hard acceleration. Check the oil condition and service history — turbos rely on clean oil.
The rubber dust covers protecting suspension ball joints and bushes deteriorate prematurely on the Q30, particularly on diesel variants which typically see higher mileage use. MOT data shows this model failing at 6.3 times the fleet average for missing dust covers and 5.1 times for severely deteriorated covers. Once the dust cover fails, contamination enters the joint leading to accelerated wear and eventual replacement of the entire component.
Failed dust covers allow dirt and water into suspension joints, accelerating wear. Left unrepaired, the joints themselves will fail requiring full component replacement at significantly higher cost. The car remains safe to drive but should be repaired to prevent more expensive failures.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
Diesel Q30 models show elevated rates of MOT failure for illuminated engine management lights, occurring at Given the Mercedes-Renault platform sharing, this is likely related to EGR valve carbon build-up or diesel particulate filter issues typical of this engine family.
An illuminated engine management light indicates a fault in the emissions control system. The car may enter reduced power mode and will fail the MOT test. Diagnosis and repair costs vary widely depending on the specific fault but can involve expensive components like the DPF or EGR valve.
Check for any engine warning lights on the dashboard. Ask about the car's MOT emissions history — repeated failures suggest underlying issues. A pre-purchase diagnostic scan is especially worthwhile to check for stored emissions fault codes.
Q30 models with the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (7G-DCT) can develop jerky or hesitant operation, particularly during low-speed maneuvers or stop-start traffic. This is a known characteristic of early Mercedes dual-clutch systems and can worsen with age as clutch wear accumulates. The issue is more noticeable in urban driving conditions.
Jerky transmission operation affects driving comfort and smoothness but does not typically prevent normal driving. In severe cases, clutch replacement may be required at significant cost. The transmission remains functional but driving experience is compromised.
Test the automatic gearbox extensively in slow traffic, car parks and on hill starts. Feel for any juddering, hesitation or clunking during gear changes. Try repeated low-speed manoeuvres as this is where problems are most apparent.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Infiniti Q30 common problems page.
Based on 27k real DVSA MOT tests, the Infiniti Q30 fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is light unit fault at 27x the fleet average, followed by excessive fluctuation in brake effort through e... (7x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Infiniti Q30 MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 13k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
See the full Infiniti Q30 service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Infiniti Q30 is a reasonable used buy provided you check for the issues outlined above. None of the problems we track are insurmountable, but they do reward buyers who inspect thoroughly and verify the service history before committing. The 2017-2018 models are the best pick, benefiting from mid-life updates and the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine which suits the car far better than the lethargic 1.5 diesel. The 2.2d diesel with AWD is the long-distance cruiser choice. Avoid early 2016 cars with unresolved recall issues.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Infiniti Q30, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Infiniti Q30 issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.