Nissan Discontinues The Kicks From India

The SUV, which was a contender in the compact space, was introduced in the Indian market in 2019 as a rival to the Hyundai Creta

• Nissan’s sole offering in India is now just the Magnite SUV.

• The carmaker has stated that the Kicks had reached the end of its life cycle in India.

• The discontinuation is also due to the stricter RDE norms which have now come into effect.

• Was available with both petrol and diesel engines first; became a petrol-only offering from 2020.

• The Kicks was a poor performer in monthly sales year-on-year; wasn’t even given a major refresh in India.

• Before being taken off the shelves, it retailed between Rs 9.50 lakh and Rs 14.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

The Nissan Kicks – after being introduced in our market in 2019 – has now bit the dust. Back then, it was the carmaker’s answer to the segment-dominator: the Hyundai Creta. With the axing of the Kicks, the carmaker’s current India lineup consists of just the Magnite SUV now.

Carmaker’s Statement On The Move

Nissan has stated that the Kicks had reached the natural end of its life cycle. That said, the carmaker will continue providing after-sales, parts and warranty support to existing Kicks owners.

Another reason for the discontinuation is the newly introduced BS6 phase 2 or real driving emission (RDE) norms. In the case Nissan would have opted to upgrade the Kicks’s powertrain to meet these emission standards, it would have proven to be a costly matter.

Also Read: Nissan Has No Immediate Plans To Localise Hybrid Powertrains For India

What Did The Kicks Offer?

At the time of launch, the Kicks was provided with two engine options: 1.5-litre petrol (106PS/142Nm) and 1.5-litre diesel (110PS/240Nm). While the former came with a five-speed MT, the latter had a six-speed manual gearbox. There was no automatic transmission on offer at the time of its market introduction.

During the BS6 transition in early 2020, Nissan updated the 1.5-litre petrol engine but discontinued the diesel unit altogether. Instead, the SUV got a new 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine co-developed with Mercedes – making it the most powerful model in its segment at that time – producing 156PS and 254Nm while being mated to either a manual gearbox or a seven-step CVT.

While it was a fairly equipped offering since its early days, the Kicks could never really match or come in close territory of its prime rivals like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos or even the Maruti S-Cross when monthly sales numbers were concerned. The India-spec model was also never given a proper mid-life cycle update, unlike in Thailand where it got some cosmetic upgrades and hybrid assistance.

Prior to its axing, the Nissan Kicks was priced from Rs 9.50 lakh to Rs 14.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It went up against the likes of the Kia Seltos, Volkswagen Taigun, Hyundai Creta, Skoda Kushaq, and MG Astor.

Also Read: Nissan & Renault To Introduce Six New Models For India - 4 SUVs And 2 EVs

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