NISSAN KICKS REVIEW – AUTOX Not having their product line-up updated for the longest time, the Chinese automaker hasn’t had any exquisite sales numbers in the past couple of years. Initially, the Terrano, Sunny and Micra were decently accepted by the customers, but there’s no denying the fact that Nissan’s portfolio desperately needs a makeover. In a market prominently dominated by SUVs, Nissan has formulated a plan to introduce SUVs for the Indian market. Well, the first one to land on the Indian soil is the allnew Kicks. We get behind the wheel of the Kicks to find out if it can really take the fight to the segment leader, the Hyundai Creta. Our Nissan Kicks review further reveals…
As far as design is concerned, the India-spec Kicks is somewhat identical to the International-spec model. However, on a second or third look, you’ll notice the differences. First off, the front and rear bumper have been reworked. There are faux aluminium skid plates on both ends to give it a rugged and commanding feel of an SUV. Overall, the front-end looks very dominating. The bold Nissan signature V-grille flanked by automatic projector headlamps makes a return from the International model, and in my opinion, they look fresh. In profile, the Kicks looks substantially bigger than the Terrano, but not overly large. In our Kicks review, we noticed that although the rear profile looks snazzy and curvy, there’s some uncanny resemblance to newer Lexus models. Step inside, and you are greeted by a floating 8.0-inch touchscreen taking up the centre stage. The touch response is slick and the graphics are crisp too. Unlike its sibling, the infotainment system comes loaded with modern-day connectivity features like Apple Carplay and Android Auto, which again, is mandatory for a car in this day. In addition, the Kicks also gets a semi-digital instrument readout and a segment-first 360-degree parking camera. The dashboard is leather, also first for the segment, and it feels exceedingly premium. However, the plastics in certain areas are hard and feel flimsy on touch. In our time filming the Nissan Kicks review, we fell in love with the front seats for the immaculate comfort and good lumbar support for the chauffeur.
At the heart of the matter, the Kicks comes with two engine options – a 1.5-litre H4K petrol mill and a 1.5-litre K9K diesel. As a matter of fact, both the engines propel in the Terrano and the Renault Duster. In our Kicks review, we bagged the keys to the diesel. The engine is capable of churning out 240Nm of torque at 1,750rpm. As reflected by its on-paper figures, there is a certain amount of lag below the 1,750rpm mark. But, once the turbo kicks in, there is plenty of thrust to play around with. As for the handling, we did encounter some twisty and wavy roads on our test route and the Kicks attacked them with reasonable confidence. However, the hydraulic-assist steering lacks communication and there’s a setback every time you come across an undulating surface mid-corner. The ride quality is fantastic, and the Kicks dismisses and glides over bad patches quite easily. To sum it up, the Kicks is certainly a kick-ass product. Puns aside, sharp design and some segment-first features are two most prominent assets. However, it does come with its own set of pitfalls. For the full verdict and the extensive Nissan Kicks review, be sure to drop over at autoX.