The 2021 Nissan Kicks is a continuation of Nissan’s offerings on affordable and practical SUVs. Its sleek, stylish and small cross-over form factor with plenty of fun and bold color configurations make the Kicks ideal for the younger or family starter crowd with a starting base price tag of just $20,775.
While its smaller 4-cylinder engine won’t entice any thrill seekers, the 2021 Nissan Kicks comes generously packaged with plenty of standard features including blind spot monitoring and rear view camera as well as a fool-proof infotainment system that’s compatible with Android Auto and Apple Car play. That’s not bad for a compact cross-over in the 20k price point.
New for 2021 includes snazzy cosmetic upgrades including a larger front grille, more streamlined head and tail lamps, redesigned front and rear bumpers and 17” aluminum wheels. Three trims are available to choose from (S, SV and SR) in which the SV and SR come equipped with a new 8” infotainment system. Revamped styling also makes its way into the interior with more practical and comfort features including front-seat arm rest, and new dashboard air vents.
The small and compact cross-over is propelled by a miniature four-cylinder engine that produces 122 horsepower. It’s not a lot, but the continuous variable transmission (CVT) helps with optimally extracting the maximum amount of power from the engine throughout the power spectrum. Despite its lack of all-wheel drive availability, the 2021 Nissan Kicks still offers modern powertrain tech including an electronic parking brake, and auto brake-hold assist.
Cabin space in the Kick’s interior space is kept basic overall with various bits of red stitching for a bit of added contrast. Despite the minimalism and less-trendy looks, the Kick’s interior is well constructed as a whole. Front passengers and two full-size adults in the rear fits in the Nissan Kicks comfortably well and added cargo space is made available with its 60/40 rear folding rear seats.
The Nissan Kick’s infotainment system also continues the minimalistic cabin design theme with an intuitive and easy to use interface. Base S models come with a 7” infotainment touchscreen while the higher SV and SR trims get a larger 8” screen with an extra USB-C port for smartphone connectivity and access to NissanConnect telematics and concierge system. A premium package is available for upgrade that includes a BOSE premium audio system.
The 2021 Kicks doesn’t raise any goosebumps when punching the throttle, but it gets the go-around, get around city zipper job done – well and that’s in large part thanks to the well-tuned CVT transmission. Despite the low-rated horsepower, the Kicks has no problems with lane and highway merging. Limited to its front-wheel drive configuration, the Kicks doesn’t have immunity to harsher weather conditions, but those living in the west coast with year-round warm weather, the Nissan Kicks makes for an ideal first car with plenty of practicality and room to grow. Our tester Nissan Kicks SV trim comes priced in at just $23,315.
