Nine months after its launch during the Brazil Olympics, Nissan Kicks is in the GCC to champion the urban crossover concept. It has landed the prime space so far occupied by two key models in the Nissan array – the Juke and the Tiida. Agreed, the funky hunchback crossover will be missed by some; the practical hatchback will be mourned by many. Hopefully, only until either of them grabs the wheel or sprawls out in rear of the new Kicks.
[COMPARE the Tiida, Juke and new Kicks below]
Specifications: 1.6 L engine XTronic CVT, 118 hp and 149 Nm torque, 16.4 kmpl fuel efficiency (supplied figures)
Standard features: Rear spoiler, roof rails, Bluetooth hands-free, Steering mounted controls, Front driver and passenger airbags, ABS + EBD + BA, Vehicle Dynamic Control with Hill Start Assist, Tyre Pressure Monitor System, Front Disc / Rear Drum brakes, Active Chassis Control
Top Trims: Leather seats, 17” alloy wheels, Navigation with 7” touch screen, Audio system with 6 speakers and USB port, Side and Curtain airbags, Around-view monitor with Moving Object Detection, 6 airbags
UPSIDE: Agile handling, practical space, around view camera with top angle, advanced driving assistance as standard, reasonable pricing
FLIPSIDE: Flimsy plastic trims, Drive feels aloof
THE PRICE: AED 56,200 – 68,300 (excl. optional packages)
Staying ahead of the graph
In a market that is showing a growing preference for stilts rather than skates, the smaller SUVs of Nissan together tripled their presence in just four years, during which Tiida showed clear signs of slowing down in the crossover traffic. So, Nissan decided to keep their fans in the fold with a model that offered all that Tiida did, and then some! Kicks, the new urban crossover, speaks the modern design language that Nissan calls emotional geometry, while retaining the basic beanbag comfort of the Tiida and a few catchy strokes from the Juke styling. Nissan is counting on Kicks to capture 30% of the segment share in the next 3 years.
Tiida, Juke and Kicks – quick comparison
Nissan Kicks claims segment-leading rear passenger space and boot space. Despite the coupe like roofline, it is almost an inch taller than the Juke, which should do away with the bunker roof feeling!
Size and Space
Kicks: 4295 mm long, 1760 mm wide and 1590 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2610mm
Juke: 4135 mm long, 1765 mm wide and 1565 mm tall with a 2530mm wheelbase!
Tiida: 4305 mm long, 1760 mm wide and 1520 mm tall with a 2700 mm wheelbase
Boot space: Tiida 272 L, Juke 354 L and the new Kicks 432 L
Drivetrain and Performance
While the Juke offered a Turbo variant with 188 angry horses and the Tiida added a 1.8 L variant with 131 hp to their standard 1.6L models, the Kicks will be sticking to a standard third generation 1.6L mated to the new generation X-Tronic CVT. However, going by the test drive, the 118 hp and 150 Nm bundle seems to make the new Kicks game for anything!
Price comparison:
Tiida – AED 54,000 to 74,000
Juke – AED 61,500 to 82,000
Kicks – AED 56,200 to 68,310
The Drive
The way the Kicks drives is a statement on how adequate a 1.6 L engine delivering 118 hp can be. Equipped with a generous 200mm ground clearance and a segment leading 5.2 m turning radius, the Kicks seems to be fit enough for quick escapes, whether at a U-turn or on a weekend jaunt to Al Qudra lake.
Nissan Kicks is enthusiastic and responds with agility – in fact the new crossover has a class-leading Co-efficient of Drag of .345 (.35 for Juke). But the drive has a peculiarly smooth character, like moving steadily on a tarmac lightly sprinkled with windswept sand. It could be Nissan’s interpretation of an easygoing driving style and a youthful attitude. The front wheels get disc brakes and the rear get drums but the braking is rather efficient.
The quickness of response and smoothness of ride may be attributed to three Active Chassis Control features built into every Nissan Kicks, irrespective of trim level – Active Trace Control, Active Ride Control and Active Engine Braking.
Active Trace Control helps during high-speed cornering as brakes act on the individual wheels improving grip and reducing incorrect steering.
Active Ride Control is the input of brakes for a split-second just when the vehicle hits a large bump or dip, to reduce the bounce effect on the suspension. This effective trick is way more economical when compared with complex damping systems.
Active Engine Braking improves the vehicle handling in corners. Just like in a manual car, Nissan Kicks is programmed to downshift gears while tackling corners, helping the car to slow down and stay in course.
In the Kicks, the claim of having a CVT that does not feel like one is ever closer to truth as the XTronic transmission features what Nissan calls ‘D-Step function’. It is a make-believe software intervention that gives the driver the ‘familiar feeling of shifting gears’ as in a 6-speed automatic transmission. With better gear ratios, Nissan Kicks also claims a more silent drive and the best in class fuel efficiency @16.4 km for every litre of petrol.
Segment-first driver assistance features
Two key features from what makes up Nissan Intelligent Mobility – Moving Object Detection (alerts the driver of rear vehicles approaching from the side) and the Surround camera with top view – will be available in this segment for the first time. These and the navigation with touch screen are available as an optional package, which is understandable at the moderate pricing strategy.
Cabin and Controls
Nissan’s new cabin is appealing for most part, with its gliding wing dash design and flat-bottomed steering. But plastic echoes on the dash and door sides and Nissan has toyed with a bulk of it, giving it a chiseled finish and a faux carbon fibre appearance. I am not a great fan of it but hey, it’s here because many have liked it already; and I like the fact that it keeps the weight low!
The console is left clean as the 7-inch touch screen takes over the task of multimedia controls. The cabin could do with more storage and a rear air-conditioning vent, though cooling is as expected in a Nissan. Some drivers might miss the console armrest. 432L of boot space with a 60:40 seat folding option ticks a big family box.
The essential Nissan Kicks
The new not-so-compact crossover from Nissan might not be spotted kicking up dust outside the urban jungle. However, with ample support in hasty take offs, quick cornering, tight U-turns and, most importantly, parking spots, Nissan Kicks ticks the right boxes!
Nissan Kicks Rating
-
Looks - 8.2/10
8.2/10
-
Ride Comfort - 8.5/10
8.5/10
-
Handling - 8.2/10
8.2/10
-
Driving Assistance - 9.0/10
9.0/10
-
Cabin Features - 8.2/10
8.2/10
-
Urban Practicality - 8.6/10
8.6/10
Nissan Kicks One-liner
Nissan Kicks seems to be fit enough for quick escapes, whether at a U-turn or on a weekend jaunt to Al Qudra.
Hi Sudeep,
I am looking for a Budgeted/economical SUV, i don’t have any preference as such but looking for a SUV which has less maintenance cost and great sustainability and good resale value. I am new in UAE and confused with various brands. My budget is around 60 – 70 K max.
Looking for your valuable suggestion.
Regards
Jai
Hi Jai, At 60 – 70,000 you could look at conventionally popular options like the Nissan Kicks, Kia Sportage or even the Mazda CX-3. However, i would even suggest you try out the new Haval H6 (I haven’t tried it myself, just came back from the launch). I will post a review of the car soon but what is attractive about it is 69,900 gives you a 2.0T engine with 195 hp and 315 Nm torque and 18″ wheels. They also have a plan where after 2 years they will take the car back at 50% of the price. Why not give it a test drive?
Hi Sudeep,
I am currently looking for a new budget-friendly car with all the flashy new features. Keeping other factors like resale value in mind, would you suggest the Nissan Kicks as a viable option? ANd would you suggest buying it brand new or second hand?
Hi Miriam, flashy features got me thinking… navigation, rear view camera and 6 airbags and alloys add up to 79,000 for the Kicks. Strip them down and you have 70K and 62K. I suggest you try the Mazda CX-5 and CX-3 also as well as the new Peugeot 3008 (fits your description perfectly). As for kicks, the size and ease of driving might be of great appeal. Good second hand Kicks would be a rare find as the model itself is just above a year old in this market. If you find one with 2 or 4 years warranty intact, great! However, as they have a 0% interest for 4 years deal on the new Kicks, that would be a better option if you are buying it on an auto loan. as they have a 0% interest for 4 year loan payment. Reading my reviews of all these cars would be a good place to start. (Search for the model name on Right Hand Top slot on the Home page). You can also watch the videos on One Minute Drive (YT) or on the review page itself. If you like them, PLEASE DO SUBSCRIBE and spread the word. Thanks Miriam. Hope you find your perfect car.
Hi. I am a new driver here in UAE and I am planning to buy Nissan Kicks. Is it a good choice to drive in a city for a beginner like me? Thanks. 🙂
Nissan Kicks is a compact crossover which is rather smooth to handle. It is designed to please entry level crossover buyers. For a detailed review, please read http://drivemeonline.com/nissan-kicks-review-urban-crossroads/
Good luck. Keep me posted Wong.
Hi Koshy, Plan to upgrade my wife car. Can I go with Mazda CX-3 or Nissan Kicks and how about its safety feature? She is driving about 60 to 70km daily and also can you advise me about the maintenance cost.
Hi Thandesh, you have chosen two of the hottest cars in that segment. Style-wise and the feel of premiumness, the CX-3 would win hands down whereas in the price and maintenance aspect, the Kicks could prove more beneficial. Please take a test drive of both and see what your wife is more comfortable with – in terms of interacting with controls, ride height that suits her – and vision while driving. That is the most important thing. While i haven’t driven the CX-3 yet, the Mazda 3 and Mazda 6 have impressed me loads. You can read my review of the Kicks here http://drivemeonline.com/nissan-kicks-review-urban-crossroads/
Hi , I am sudeesh sales , Engineer , daily drive almost 250 plus Km , can I go for Kicks , What about the maintenance cost .Is it recommended for rough usage like me.
Hi Sudheesh, assuming that you daily commute is on the highway, this could mean roughly an hour and a half either way. Nissan Kicks does provide a reasonably comfortable ride and around 11 km fuel efficiency. However you might enjoy the drive more in a Sentra (right now the offer price is very attractive), if you are not very particular about buying a CUV. Reliability-wise you may consider the Corolla or RAV4 also. Generally speaking,look for a brand/model that offers you unlimited mileage as in your case, 5 years or 100,000 km doesn’t make sense as you will exhaust 100K in just over a year! Most of these affordable yet reliable models cost around 500 – 600 for a regular service and around 1500 for the major service. (Check with your shortlisted brands in the showroom for accurate figures). Another important – very important – aspect is to TAKE A TEST DRIVE to test suitability of the seat to your body.
Need to know about kicks and asx difference…is it ok 1.6 engine for SUV
Hi Shine, Nissan Kicks is a fairly light, compact SUV. So, the 1.6 L engine is quite agile. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the ASX at the moment. What I would say is that for an energetic city drive, a decent amount of torque is more than enough and turbo-charged 1.6 L engines do supply that often. It is only when extensive SUV capabilities are looked at, a larger and sustained power becomes necessary.
I’m quite confused between Kicks and ASX. Which one would you prefer??
Kicks has a slightly modern side to it. But there is a difference between how both vehicles place you in their space. Which one do you like in terms of the drive?