INFINITI, the posh sub-brand of Nissan, has good reason to believe that 2017 will be a year of continuing fast growth.

With new models coming on stream and its reputation as a credible alternative to the German premium brands it will be looking to emulate the 142% leap in UK sales of the last year, when it became the fastest growing car brand .

And leading the charge is its premium compact hatchback with a twist.

The Q30 is not only based on the Mercedes GLA, but through an alliance with the German brand also shares a platform, and looks not dissimilar to the A-Class.

It doesn't end there, either. The luxurious cabin, a mixture of leathers and soft plastics, has an ambience straight out of Stuttgart. Comfortable and refined, it can match anything in the premium brand market.

Even Infiniti’s trademark infotainment system, first introduced on the pioneering Q50 saloon, has been evolved and upgraded for the Q30, delivering an intuitive, tablet-like experience from the driver’s seat via a touchscreen and dial.

Other techno highlights include automatic park assistance with around view monitor and moving object detection, making the Q30 easy to park. Forward collision warning with forward emergency braking, reduces the stress of driving in heavy traffic or in the city, while intelligent cruise control maintains a safe distance from the car in front.

Built in Sunderland, the attractively sculpted Q30 features strong, muscular lines and haunches that differentiate it from the ubiquitous ‘soft roader’ shape.

The Q30 range offers a huge choice in power, transmission and specification. There are no fewer than ten trim levels, with the SE manual petrol version costing a very reasonable £20,550. At the top end of the scale comes the Sport City Black with a 2.0-litre petrol engine, all-wheel drive and seven-speed dual clutch transmission. It costs £34,890 and lacks for nothing in terms of kit and luxury.

For those who want the combination of luxury, decent fuel economy from a petrol engine and automatic gearing then the tested 1.6T in Business Edition trim matched with excellent seven-speed double clutch transmission will be the one to go for.

There's a sense of serenity in the cabin, and my mood was further improved by the fuel consumption. The claimed average economy figure of 48.7mpg is no idle boast. I achieved this with no effort to squeeze every last drop out of the tank.

The clever eco driving monitor recorded scores of 96% on one journey and 86% over a four-day period, so I was pretty pleased with both myself and the mpg figure.

Driving in the economy mode does equate to rather sluggish acceleration, but if your only requirement is to quietly cruise to your destination then that’s the setting of choice. You can easily switch to manual or sport mode and even flick the gear paddles behind the steering wheel if you want a more brisk experience.

Treading on the toes of the established premium players, the Q30 is quite possibly the best looking car in its class and the best offering so far from Infiniti.

Designed for a new generation of buyers, it exemplifies Infiniti’s design-led approach. The coupé-like silhouette is emphasised by a shallow side glass area, yet the design belies the interior space on offer. If the priority for Infiniti engineers was to strike an ideal balance between ride and handling, then they accomplished the mission.