Nissan Kicks review, test drive

Our sister magazine Autocar UK takes a short spin in the India-bound Nissan crossover.

Published on Aug 25, 2016 06:00:00 AM

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What's it like?

On the inside it gets a pretty straightforward and neat-looking cabin layout. The dual-tone dash gets soft-touch treatment and subtle use of faux aluminium and chrome which extends to the door handles. A large screen sits at the centre which takes care of music, navigation and other infotainment duties. The AC vents at the sides are round, while the ones at the centre are neatly tucked right above the screen. The steering wheel is all new with dedicated controls for audio and cruise control, depending on the region. The panel for climate control sits below the screen and has its own display. The Kicks crossover in top spec will come with a push-button start as well. There’s a decent amount of head and legroom at the front and rear, and a 383-litre boot. So it makes pretty good use of its dimensions.

The 1.6-litre petrol engine is not a bad motor. Once you’re cruising, it’s very quiet, but such is the nature of conventional CVTs that if you want to accelerate, you’ll not only be waiting a while. The claimed 0-100kph time is 12 seconds, which feels about right, but it’s easier for all concerned not to try to match it.

The overall ride quality is generally composed. There’s a moderate amount of body lean, and body control is fine. The steering is light around town and moderately weighted at speed. It’s well geared but there’s some stiction off the straight-ahead and it’s less accurate than we’d like. Still, you turn it, and it turns the wheels as much as you expect.

Should I buy one?

As mentioned earlier the Kicks will be positioned above the Terrano in India. This means, it will cater to the premium end of the small SUV market which includes the Creta and the top-spec versions of the XUV500. There is also another rival that could challenge the Kicks – the Renault Kaptur, which is likely to be positioned at a similar price point. The Nissan ticks all the right boxes for attractive styling, premium interiors and most likely tried and trusted diesel engine which powers a number of other Renault-Nissan models. If Nissan prices the Kicks diesel in the Creta's territory, the current segment king will surely face some true competition.