The Nissan Kicks arrived in 2016 after it was revealed by the manufacturer as a concept two years previously to promote the summer Olympics of that year, in which Nissan was a sponsor. It was received so well that they decided to replace the Nissan Juke with the Kicks, but only in the United States. It’s unusual for an actual production car to look similar to the concept, but in the case of the 2019 Nissan Kicks, it’s almost identical and with it brings space, economy, practicality and tonnes of style and glamour.
FASHIONABLE EXTERIOR
The 2019 Nissan Kicks is fashionable, funky, radical and all the other modern words you can think of, although not quite as unique looking as the Nissan Juke that it replaces. The 2019 Kicks is customizable which makes each model different in so many ways as contrasting roof colours along with other areas of the car can be changed when ordering.
The SUV style, or Crossover as it’s described in the brochure has great lines and still looks as fresh as the day is was created. A two-tone floating roof, a wraparound visor look and a bold V-motion grille make sure that the 2019 Kicks stands out from the other compact crossovers in the market. Add in available LED headlights with a distinct signature line and the dramatic effect is complete. While the base model Kicks comes equipped with steel 16 inch wheels, an upgrade to 17 inch alloys is available.
PRACTICAL INTERIOR
Inside the 2019 Nissan Kicks, it’s as practical as it looks from the outside. A flat floor design gives excellent leg and headroom for all passengers although the rear seats are slightly tighter and more appropriate for two large adults. The rear passengers also get two USB points but unfortunately no air vents. The rear seats lay flat to increase the cargo area which is already 23.5 cubic feet, suitable for a good amount of luggage and other cargo.
For the driver, the seating position is great, allowing easy access to all the controls and superb visibility around the Kicks. The comfortable zero gravity designed seats are positioned in a very comfortable position and offer excellent comfort and support.
On the centre column is an intuitive 7 inch touch screen infotainment system which as standard is compatible with Apple Play and Android Auto. Top notch materials are used throughout the dash to give it an elegant look with the piano black highlights throughout.
PERFORMANCE AND DRIVE
Driving the 2019 Nissan Kicks certainly won’t set the world alight with its 1.6L four cylinder engine which outputs only 122hp. While the engine is suitable for the majority of driving, you might find it struggles when power is needed with a full load. On the flip side, the small engine delivers a very wallet friendly 7.7L/100km in the city and 6.6L/100km on the highway.
The steering is quite vague and has a surprising amount of play and while it doesn’t really give much feedback from the road, it is very smooth and comfortable. There’s no all-wheel drive/ 4×4 option on offer which would be nice, but with only 122hp, you’re unlikely to put the Kicks through any challenging terrain.
Automatic braking comes standard along with an array of other safety technology such as rear cross traffic alert, blind spot monitoring and intelligent braking just to name a few. There are two transmissions on offer, a 6 speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). While CVTs are normally pretty dull and instead serve the purpose of better fuel consumption, the CVT on the 2019 Kicks is a pleasure to use.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Overall, the 2019 Nissan Kicks offers a unique looking design in a compact package. It’s a great car to zip around the city and do the majority of the driving tasks one would require, while only suffering from the smaller amount of power that might be required for transporting bigger loads. The 2019 Kicks is the result of Nissan’s marketing, engineering and design teams sitting in a room together and nailing the brief when putting this car together. Be prepared to see a lot more of these on the roads, especially when hybrid technology hopefully comes to the range in the future.
