Will be heavily based on the Mercedes GLA

The 2016 Infiniti QX30 has been spied for the first time.

Set to battle the BMW X1 and Mercedes GLA, the QX30 will be heavily based on the latter model as it will ride on Mercedes' MFA platform and feature a Mercedes-sourced turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 211 bhp (157 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque.

Despite this, the QX30 will feature unique styling inside and out. The camouflage hides a lot of details but we can see a prominent grille with a large Infiniti emblem. The model also has curvaceous bodywork and familiar taillights.

Infiniti has been coy on details but former Nissan Chief Planning Officer Andy Palmer has said the model will be sold globally and arrive shortly after the Q30 is launched in mid-2015. He also said the QX30 would be priced competitively with the Audi Q3 and be previewed by a concept at an upcoming auto show.

Will be a global model

A fully camouflaged prototype of the Infiniti QX30 has been spied undergoing preliminary testing ahead of an expected 2015 launch.

Set to be a global model, the QX30 will be a crossover version of the Q30 and both of them are going to ride on the same MFA platform as the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The first to come out will be the Q30 hatchback set to enter production mid-2015 at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in United Kingdom while the high-riding QX30 spotted here will be introduced several months later.

Although wrapped around in an extensive amount of camouflage, the prototype shows clear signs of its origins as the body's styling echoes the Mercedes-Benz GLA. Former Nissan Chief Planning Officer Andy Palmer (now Aston Martin's CEO), said a while back the QX30 is going to be priced competitively with the Audi Q3 and we will get a sneak peek of the model in a short while through a concept.

The concept he was talking about will probably be revealed in January at 2015 NAIAS in Detroit or in Geneva next March and will probably have a lot in common with the Q30 concept exhibited at Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2013. Both the Q30 and QX30 are expected to be powered by a Mercedes-Benz-sourced four-cylinder 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine developing 211 bhp (157 kW) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft).

You won't be able to tell just by looking at it, but Infiniti's foray in the premium hatch category, the new Q30, is built around Mercedes' A-Class riding on the same front-drive MFA platform.

Even though Infiniti has avoided talking about powertrains, chances are that the Q30 will also share its core diesel and petrol engine range with the A-Class, CLA and GLA models, as those units were jointly developed with Mercedes and the Renault-Nissan group.

All-wheel drive will be offered as an option on certain powertrains.

Infiniti previewed the appearance of the Q30 with a concept at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show. The production car will remain very close to the study featuring Infiniti's trademark design cues like the deeply kinked C-pillar and sculpted profile lines.

Obviously, the interior won't be as extravagant as the concept, but it will keep a similar layout with Infiniti officials promising high-quality materials and finish.

The Q30, which will be followed up by the related QX30 crossover, will debut later this year and will be manufactured at Nissan's Sunderland factory in England.

Hong Kong – Infiniti will take the covers off the QX30 Concept at the Geneva International Motor Show next month.

The QX30 Concept is the Infiniti design vision which will inspire a new premium compact crossover targeted at a new generation of premium customers.

Set to be revealed at Infiniti's press conference, scheduled for 14:30 on 3 March in Geneva, the QX30 Concept aims to reignite the premium compact segment with a distinctive approach to design that looks beyond the practicality and conformity expected of the segment.

The potential customers for such a concept are searching for a product to suit their 'urban week and get-away weekend' lifestyle and the QX30's compact footprint matches that. Combining the sleek lines of a coupe with the rugged looks and commanding seating position of a crossover, the QX30 Concept foreshadows an urban explorer which is equally at home in the city as it is on the open road.

Here’s a first look at Infiniti’s QX30 Concept, a pre-production study that previews a compact crossover likely to be built alongside the upcoming Q30 hatchback later this year in the UK.

Infiniti says the QX30 Concept is a design vision which “will inspire a new premium compact crossover targeted at a new generation of premium customers.”

The car is said to have a distinctive approach to design that “looks beyond the practicality and conformity expected of the segment,” in other words, it won’t be as practical as its rivals.

That’s because the QX30 combines the lines of a coupe with the rugged looks and seating position of a crossover. “The QX30 Concept foreshadows an urban explorer which is equally at home in the city as it is on the open road,” says the press release.

The rear end of the car looks very similar to the mechanically-related Q30 Concept unveiled at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. At the time, the Q30 study was also described by Infiniti as a combination between “the dynamic design and sportiness of a coupe, the roominess of a hatch and the higher stance of a crossover.”

Judging from these statements, we assume people won’t have it easy distinguishing the Q30 from the QX30, which will also share the same MFA platform sourced from Mercedes-Benz.