This 2nd-gen Nissan Kicks also nets a larger 2.0-litre purely petrol engine and more tech within.
While having not found its way here, Nissan actually has had its own alternative to the Proton X50 and Mazda CX-3 in the form of its Kicks for quite a few years now. And 8 years on from when the first iteration made its debut in 2016, this subcompact crossover has finally been graced with an all-new (and rather handsome-looking) model for 2024.
Launching first in North America, this subcompact crossover measures 4,366 mm in length, 1,801 mm in width, and 1,626-1,631 mm in height. These figures make it 71 mm longer, 41 mm wider, and 20 mm taller than the previous generation, for which Nissan claims to result in a more commanding road presence and a more spacious cabin with this Honda HR-V competitor.
In fact, Nissan touts an additional 38-43 mm of shoulder room and 23 mm of rear legroom over its prior iteration, as well as an apparently best-in-class boot space of 850 litres as standard and 1,700 litres when the rear seats are folded. Though the more interesting bit regarding its dimensions is perhaps for there to be somehow a slight variation in its wheelbase depending on how many driven wheels this new Kicks has: 2,657 mm for the FWD model and 2,664 mm for the AWD versions.
And while on the topic of interesting regarding its driven wheels too, Nissan has also rather curiously decided to debut the Kicks — in this rapidly electrifying world no less — with the sole choice of a new naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder. Outputting all of 141 PS and 190 Nm of torque, this non-electrified mill is managed by the latest-generation of X-Tronic CVT as it sends power to either the front wheels, or all four wheels through an Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system with new configurable ‘Snow’ driving mode.
Talking design now, the Kicks’ new boxier overall aesthetic is topped off up front by a full-width bladed grille flanked by a pair of bold LED headlights with integrated strakes. Its chiseled profile meanwhile is highlighted by a two-tone floating roof and some fancy alloy wheels (on this presumably flagship trim that is), with its rear finished off by some L-shaped taillights that somehow gives this subcompact crossover a rather morose look.
Moving on within, the conjoined twin-screen layout on its clean dashboard layout measure 7-inches in size on lesser trims, while flagship variants boast larger 12.3-inch units. The Kicks is also available with a flat-bottomed steering wheel, in addition to a panoramic sunroof and a Bose audio system with 10 speakers (including ones integrated into the front headrests) if opted for the two Premium packages on offer. All trims come standard with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 ADAS suite with Intelligent Cruise Control, with the top-tier offering also offering the more sophisticated ProPILOT Assist package with steering assist as an upgrade.
Sales of the Kicks are scheduled to kick off (heh) in late summer in North America, with pricing to be announced closer to the launch. This subcompact crossover will likely be making its way worldwide in due course too, but it unfortunately remains a real toss-up if the local brand guardians will finally bring this particular model over here…
