SPIED: Infiniti’s Merc-powered QX30

Spy photographers captured the new Infiniti’s QX30 compact SUV, based on the Q30 hatchback, undergoing testing.

The QX30 will be built for global markets at Nissan's factory in England, alongside the Infiniti Q30 hatchback. The QX30 will compete against the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.

Production of the Q30 hatchback will begin in mid-2015 with the QX30 SUV’s output starting shortly after.

MERC PLATFORM, ENGINES

The Q30 and QX30 will share a platform and engines with the Mercedes A-class and GLA models.

Infinity chairman Andy Palmer told Automotive News Europe: "We are using Mercedes' MFA vehicle architecture, as well as their 2.0-litre gasoline and diesel engines."

IMAGE GALLERY: 2014 Infiniti QX30 (Spy)

Palmer said Infiniti had considered developing its own platform for its compact range, but opted to use Mercedes’s MFA (Modular Front Architecture).

He said: "When you buy into premium, the platform needs to be stiffer, the suspension needs to be better, the NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) needs to be better, and that’s where we came to the agreement that we would use the MFA platform.”

The Infiniti models' use Mercedes engines was another reason to pick the Mercedes platform, Palmer said.