5 Different Ways The Nissan ‘Kicks’ Its Competition Out Of The Water

First-in-class features, premium interiors and more! Here’s everything the Nissan Kicks has to offer

To say the Japanese know a thing or two about building a car would be an understatement. Nissan’s vehicles dominate the international market with their superior build quality and reliability. But now, the Japanese giant has turned its attention towards one of India’s highly competitive segments, with the Kicks SUV. With plush interiors and a whole host of tech features, here’s how the Nissan Kicks has the potential to ‘Kick’ its competition out of the water.

Design - The Nissan Kicks is a head-turner from every angle. At the front, its V-shaped grille is flanked by LED headlights, which along with its wide rectangular form gives it a bold look. Take a look around and you’ll notice the same sleek design carried over on the side, with a sloping hood and a sharply raked windscreen, giving it a low-slung stance. At the back, you’re met with Nissan’s signature boomerang tail lamps, which adds to the overall oomph factor. 

Take the measuring tape out and you’ll notice the Kicks’ 2673mm wheelbase outstretches its South Korean competitor by about 80mm. Similarly, the Kicks also stands taller by 20mm, at 1636mm compared to its French counterpart. So theoretically, not only do you get extra space to stretch your legs but an ample amount of headroom too. 

With a generous 210mm ground clearance, the Kicks SUV can handle bumps, unpaved or broken roads with a breeze. Not to mention, the Kicks’ 17-inch dual-tone alloy rims and class-topping overall length of 4384mm give it a rugged look you expect out of your SUV.

Features - Nissan has packed the Kicks with a ton of features and electronic wizardry. Up front, it gets an 8-inch touchscreen floating infotainment centre with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay along with voice recognition. Then there’s the segment-first new 360-degree camera, which is a big help while parking in tight spaces. Another wow feature here has to be the mood lighting which can be controlled via an app. Nissan also allows you to remotely start the Kicks with two presses of the lock button, followed by a press of the RES button. 

Apart from all this, the Kicks comes loaded with convenience features like auto headlights,  rain sensing wipers, rear air-con vents and cruise control. On the safety front, the Kicks sports up to four airbags, ABS and EBD, electronic stability control, hill start assist and impact-sensing auto door unlock.

Powertrain - Under the hood, Nissan offers the Kicks in two different engine options. The first is a 1.5-litre petrol engine which churns out 106PS and 142Nm, mated to a 5-speed gearbox. Then there is the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol unit, which makes 156PS and 254Nm, and comes mated to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT gearbox. During our testing, we found that out on the highway, the Kicks feels at home where the strong power surge from the engine allows you to pull quick overtaking maneuvers. Even at triple-digit speeds, the Kicks feels calm and composed with minimum engine noise seeping into the cabin. And with the rising fuel costs, Nissan’s idle start-stop system comes in handy to achieve improved fuel efficiency.

Comfort and Space - Take a step inside and you’ll be blown away by what’s on offer. Nissan has managed to outclass its competition, by setting a benchmark with the Kicks. Leather is the name of the game here. It is used tastefully on the steering wheel, dashboard and door pads. The seats sport a two-tone colour scheme with the black quilted sections further adding to that premium feel. 

In terms of space, the front seats are ample, spacious and supportive, with the driver seat also being height-adjustable. At the back, there’s plenty of room for your passengers to stretch their legs and relax whilst on a road trip. Speaking of which, the Nissan Kicks comes with a generous 400 litres of boot space, enough to fit all your luggage on a weekend-long trip.

Pricing and availability - The Nissan Kicks easily ‘kicks’ its competition out of the water, by offering a sporty look, a wide set of features and premium interiors. Nissan offers the Kicks in seven different variants. Starting from Rs 9.49 lakh (ex-showroom) for the XL variant and going all the way up to Rs 14.64 lakh (ex-showroom) for the XV Premium CVT variant. Like what you see? Head on to any of Nissan’s 126 touch points all over India, and book a test drive today!