Nissan Kicks 2020 Review - Prices, Specs, Variants, Features and Mileage

2020 Nissan Kicks- Variants, Price, Features and Engines Offered

Nissan’s Kicks comes in 4 variants namely XL, XE, XV, and XV Pre. The prices for the Kicks start at Rs. 9,55,000 and go up to Rs. 13,69,000 for the top of the line variant. The XE and the XV Pre are only available with a diesel engine and XL and XV are available in petrol as well. This means that some of the segment-first features cannot be had with the petrol engine. There are certain customizable options also available as well, which you can have a look at on the Nissan Kick’s official website. The petrol mill is a 1.5L H4K engine which is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. While the diesel mill is a 1.5L K9K dCi engine which is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. There is no AWD or 4WD on offer and all the power is transmitted to the front wheels. 

Which Variant to choose?

We would recommend the XV petrol variant which is priced at Rs. 10,95,000 (Ex-showroom). With this variant, you not only get the tried and tested petrol engine but also the 8-inch infotainment screen and most of the premium features. The top of the line XV Pre variant does not come with an option of a petrol engine whereas, with the XV variant you can choose between two engine options.

Nissan Kicks Engine and Transmission explained

1.5 L Petrol Engine

The 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol engine on the kicks churns out 108 Bhp and 142 Nm of peak torque. This is available only with a 5-speed manual transmission and no automatic gearbox is available. As soon as you crank up the engine you will become aware of its refinement level, which is pretty good. The engine sound does not creep much inside of the cabin but from the outside, the engine rumble is quite audible. 

Once you step on to the throttle even gently the Kicks gets off the line in a very smooth manner. The throttle response feels eager and responds even to mild inputs. This engine feels better in the Kicks than in the Captur as Nissan has done a way better job with its tuning. Being a naturally aspirated engine, there is no sudden surge of power you will feel on the rev band. The power delivery is very linear and Kicks builds up speed in a smooth manner.

The engine isn’t exactly punchy but it does not feel underpowered in any way. This engine feels quite suffice for everyday city drive as the gear ratios are kept short. This, in turn, has helped to hide the engine lag quite well. On the highway, the engine feels adequate too as it builds up speed even if you keep a light foot on the throttle. The gearbox is smooth shifting, though we wish Nissan could have at least provided a 6-speed gearbox instead of a 5-speed. There is no automatic gearbox available yet and Nissan might provide a CVT with the Kicks in the future.

1.5 L Diesel Engine

The 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine churns out 108 Bhp and 240 Nm of peak torque. This engine is mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox. More torque available on the diesel engine surely helps in the stop and go traffic. It also makes it easier to overtake trucks and slow-moving traffic on the highway. This engine will pick up from under 2,000rpm and has a punchy mid-range.

Cruising between 100-120 kph on the highway is a breezy affair as the engine is still spinning below 3000rpm. With 5 people on board too, it provides enough power to haul them around. This engine feels adequate if you are not a power-hungry user. It gets the job done without any awful surprises. We wish Nissan would have provided an automatic or a CVT with this engine as Nissan knows CVTs quite well. The clutch is light though for city use and the manual gearbox works smoothly but don’t expect any Hyundai like gear slotting. 

On the spec sheet, the Nissan Kicks makes the least amount of power and it can be felt while driving it as well. The Kicks performs just fine for itself in isolation but when compared to the competition it loses out considerably. The Seltos has really left the competition behind in terms of performance.

Nissan Kicks Ride Quality and Handling

Due to the robust nature of the Nissan Kicks, it rides almost like a tank on our Indian roads. The suspension is perfectly tuned for the city use as well as for high-speed highway use. Its soaks in almost all the potholes and bumps, keeping its passengers comfortable on the inside. Only large potholes manage to unsettle the suspension a bit. But if you slow down over the crater-like large pothole, the Kicks can glide over without much fuss. The suspension does its job quite well for the most part within the city and it is one of the strongest departments of the Kicks.

Over the highways, the Kicks feels glued to the road even on triple-digit speeds. The highway driving manners are also sorted due to the well-tuned suspension. The steering feels light at city speeds and weighs up admirably as you pick up speed. The steering is very direct and accurate but does not provide much feedback from the road to the driver. There is some amount of body roll on offer too but nothing which is too extreme. It handles way better than a full-grown SUV and is more fun to drive too.

It comes with the first-in-class 360- degree camera and the class-leading ground clearance of 210 mm comes in handy. The turning radius of 5.2 m allows you to manoeuver this car around in the city easily. Keeping all of these factors in mind, parking the Kicks even in tight spaces is a piece of cake.

Braking performance

The Kicks comes with disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. ABS with EBD comes standard with the Kicks and braking assistance is provided as well. Due to the higher ground clearance, there is some amount of nose-dive under hard braking. The braking performance of the Kicks is satisfactory but the brake pedal feels a bit spongy. It also comes with Hill Start assist for a little help starting from a stop on a steep incline

Mileage

For a lot of Indian buyers, mileage is the most important factor while buying a car. The Kicks engines provide at par fuel economy figures with most competitors. The petrol engine in the Kicks is beaten in terms of mileage by the new kid in town, the Kia Seltos. If mileage is the prime factor for you, we would suggest you go for the diesel engine option.

Renault’s Captur provides the exact same fuel economy figure due to the similar engine. But the Kicks and the Captur also have the smallest fuel tank which means it would require more stops to the fuel pump on long journies.

Nissan Kicks Exterior

The Nissan Kicks follows a similar design language as Renault’s Captur. But the Kicks looks smarter and sharper than the Captur due to more cuts and creases on the side and front. The exterior looks quirky and Nissan has done a job enough to make it look apart from Renault’s Captur. Still, there are some elements that might remind you of Renault’s Captur. The black side cladding adds to the SUV stance which the Nissan wants to provide with the Kicks. 

The front with its swept-back headlights manages to look a bit aggressive. The rear is far from aggressive and ends up looking more like a hatchback than an SUV. Overall the Nissan Kicks looks smart and does not look like a mere hatchback on steroids. It looks like a proper crossover.

Even while being based on the same platform as the Captur’s the Kicks is bigger in every way. It is the longest car in its segment and widest too, along with Captur. The ground clearance at 210 mm is also the best in its segment, which makes it perfect for our Indian road conditions.

Nissan Kicks Interior and Features

Once you step inside the Kicks you won’t be able to compare it to any other Nissan on sale (excluding GTR) in India. It is a Nissan you can relate to providing a premium and an upmarket experience. The top of the line variant comes with soft-touch leather upholstery which does its trick in making the Kick feel quite classy. On the dashboard sits a floating 8-inch touchscreen system which fluid and intuitive to use. All the buttons and knobs feel premium and built to last. If you look hard you will be able to find some hard plastics on the lower half of the dashboard. 

Instead of plain plastics, some touchpoints have a carbon-fibre weave that looks and feels great. The steering feels very modern and is smaller in size than that of the Terrano’s. The AC controls and layout has been carried over directly from the Captur. Ergonomics far from perfect though as some parts are hard to reach and the armrest fouls with the seat-belt buckle sometimes.

Seating and Comfort

The seating is high and lets you have a clear look at the road ahead. The seating really helps you feel like you are sitting in an SUV. The 6-way adjustable driver’s seat helps you find the correct posture for you driving. The chocolate brown seat seats also feel quite premium and provide you with excellent bolstering while cornering. 

In the rear seats, seating 5 will not be a challenge as the Kicks is the widest car in its segment. Rear seats provide enough shoulder room and under-thigh support for long journeys. The middle passenger does not get an adjustable headrest and the transmission tunnel can get bothersome on long journeys for him/her. The seats are well-cushioned and ample of leg space is available at the rear.

Boot Space

Nissan Kicks provides 400 liters of boot space which can be further increased by folding the rear seats. Even while having the longest wheelbase and length the Kicks loses out to the Seltos in terms of the boot space. Nevertheless, the boot space is enough for your weekend trips as it can easily haul in two big suitcases with a couple of handbags.

The loading lid on the Kicks makes it easy to tumble in heavy suits cases with ease. The boot lid also opens wide enough to make loading/unloading a breeze.

Infotainment

The infotainment system inside the Nissan Kicks is an absolute delight to use. It looks very crisp with its 8-inch high-resolution screen which feels very intuitive to use. It comes with apple play and android auto connectivity as well. It comes with physical controls, which are always more convenient to operate than the touch controls. 

It also features Nissan connect which helps you with geofencing, vehicle health status, location service, and driving analysis. The interface looks very modern and we faced no lag at all unlike on some of its competitors. It is bigger than the Creata’s 7-inch screen but does not come with a built-in GPS system. The 4 speakers and 2 tweeter system also perform admirably.

• 8” Touchscreen Infotainment system

• Apple Car Play and Android Auto connectivity

• Bluetooth, FM, AM

• Voice Commands

• 4 Speaker with 2 tweeters

• AUX and USB connectivity

• Nissan Connect with smartwatch support

Nissan Kicks Safety and Reliability Features

The Nissan Kicks comes with dual front airbags with ABS and EBD as standard on all variants. It also comes with impact sensing and speed sensing auto door locks. Not only the kicks will remind the driver to wear a seat-belt but there is a seat-belt reminder for the co-passenger as well. The top variant also comes now with seat-side airbags, hence max you get a maximum of 4 airbags in the Kicks. The safety package on the Kicks is only satisfactory and not extraordinary as the competitors like the Creta or the Seltos provide you with 6 airbags.

Safety Features 

• Speed-sensing door lock

• Dual airbags

• ABS with EBD

• Rear Parking Sensor

• 360-Degree Camera

• Driver and passenger Seat Belt reminder

• Hill-start assist 

• Braking Assitance

Nissan Kicks vs Competitors

Nissan Kicks Vs Hyundai Creta

The Hyundai Creta has long been the segment queen in terms of sales. It still is a very lucrative deal for some. Hyundai has added a lot of features to the existing Creta to keep it relevant in the market. With the strong presence and backing of the Hyundai’s after-sales, Creta continues to flourish in the compact SUV segment. It has an extensive features list and its cabin quality cannot be matched by many of its rivals. 

When compared to the Kicks the Creta loses out on the driving dynamics front, as the Kicks feels a lot more fun to drive. It has a better ride and handling as well. Hence, if you are looking for features and one of the best after-sales networks you should go fro Creta. Otherwise, the Kicks would not disappoint you in any way.

Nissan Kicks Vs Kia Seltos

The Kia’s Seltos is the new kid on the block who has set the block on fire. It has already received record bookings and comes with loads of segment-first features. Kia also gives double the number of engine options and variants with the Seltos. Hence, in a way, Kia has really carpet-bombed the whole segment. 

When compared to the Kicks, the Seltos really starts looking like a very value for money product. But Nissan has been in the Indian market for quite some time and has a bigger after-sales network than the Kia. It remains to be seen how reliable Kias will be in the Indian Market. When it comes to the features list or engine options, the Seltos takes away the winning belt. It is very hard to suggest the Kicks over the Seltos. The Kicks is still not the car that will disappoint you, Seltos is just a step ahead of it.

Final verdict

Nissan’s Kicks is a car that comes with some segment-first features and manages to provide a premium experience on the inside. It is quite an upgrade over the Terrano for sure and its a good looking car too. With well-sorted driving dynamics, it provides a truly classy interior as well. It does not do anything groundbreaking but it comes with nothing that is a deal-breaker for most of the customers. The biggest problem for the kicks still remains its pricing which undercuts the leader of the segment, the Hyundai Creta, but not by much. Hence we believe it would sell more if Nissan can correct the pricing. But, Kicks is still worth a look as it gets all the basics right.