2019 Nissan Kicks Review
Car Tested: Nissan Kicks; Road Test No. 1036; Test Location: Bhuj
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 11.16 – 17.60 lakhs
The Nissan Kicks is an engaging car to drive thanks to the capable platform
A few days back we drove the Kicks in Dubai which is based on the Nissan V platform. Now, the Japanese carmaker is all set to launch the Kicks in India but it is underpinned by the tried and tested B0 platform shared with the Renault Duster and Captur. This is a very important product for Nissan India as they are introducing an all-new mass market car after a long long time in India. We drove the new crossover in Bhuj, Gujarat to find out if it is a viable option in the compact SUV segment.
Motor Quest: The international version of the Nissan Kicks is based on the Nissan V platform. However, the Renault Nissan family hasn’t introduced the V platform in India yet and hence the Kicks gets the B0 platform from its Renault siblings making it a bit different from the international spec car.
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The Kicks gets sporty crossover styling elements
Exteriors – The Kicks doesn’t get the typical SUV proportions and instead is a crossover with some fresh styling elements. The face is dominated by the chrome that surrounds the grille, the angular headlights, the sharp front fascia, the jacked up hood all make it look athletic. The side profile is just as progressive with the character line that flows the entire length of the car. The C-pillar resembles that of the Volvo XC40 and we must admit it looks quite cool. It also gets functional roof rails with 100 kgs capacity and the contrasting roof adds to the sporty appeal. The rear gets boomerang taillights along with a large slab of chrome and the scuff plate making it look like an upmarket Nissan. The only problem is that the Kicks feels more like a jacked-up hatchback or a crossover than an SUV.
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The soft touch materials and brown/black theme looks premium
Interiors – The interior of the Kicks feels upmarket thanks to the clever use of premium touches such as soft touch dashboard with faux leather brown embellishments. The leather-wrapped steering looks chunky and feels good to hold. The instrument cluster is semi digital which reminds you of the Captur. The 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system offers a lot of features including the segment first 360-degree surround camera, which offers ease of parking. It comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity but the touch response isn’t the best. The speakers churn out good audio quality for OEM standards. There are some other bits in the cabin which are taken out straight from the Captur such as the key card, steering column controls, switchgear, etc.
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The rear passengers get decent legroom and headroom
The Kicks feels premium from inside thanks to the brown & black theme
The Kicks misses out on features offered in the Creta such as sunroof, auto dimming IRVM, wireless charging, electric adjust seats, etc. However, one thing common between the Creta and the Kicks is the windtone horn, that sounds premium. The storage spaces are decent but there are no cup holders at the front, the front arm rest has no storage and the glovebox though cooled, has limited space to keep stuff. It comes with sizeable door pockets though, the storage ahead of the gear lever is deep and the boot space is quite accommodating. The seats are well cushioned and supportive. The rear seats have good amount of legroom and headroom even for tall passengers. The Kicks also comes with a rear arm rest with cupholders.
