- Aimed at city living consumers, the new Kicks crossover is ready to tackle the intensity of the urban landscape
- Embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility with standard Automatic Emergency Braking with Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and available Intelligent Around View® Monitor1 equipped with Moving Object Detection (MOD)
- Dynamic performance provided by sporty 1.6-litre 4-cyinder engine, front-wheel drive and responsive suspension
- Kicks had a strong launch with more than 5,500 units sold in less than one year
Last year, the new Nissan Kicks became the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market Kicks also became the sixth member of the Nissan crossover and SUV line-up, which has experienced record sales in recent years.
As the gateway to Nissan’s adventure-ready sport utility line-up – joining Qashqai, Rogue, Murano, Pathfinder and Armada – Kicks is designed to fit the needs of singles or couples looking for unique styling, roominess, personal technology, smart functionality and advanced safety features at an affordable price.
“This emerging CUV class is exploding with new entries for a very good reason – the combination of flexible utility and high value is ideal for active, urban new vehicle buyers,” said Steve Rhind, director of marketing, Nissan Canada Inc. “Where the new Nissan Kicks stands out is with its bold style, personal technology, value and anticipated excellent fuel economy.”
Dramatic, Brazil-Inspired Design
The new 2019 Kicks presents an expressive sense of style and substance with a wheel-oriented stance and Nissan brand signatures viewed from every angle. The production Nissan Kicks retains the basic design cues taken from the Kicks Concept – first shown at the 2014 São Paulo Motor Show. Overseen by Nissan’s Global Design Centre in Japan, Nissan Kicks is the result of close collaboration between Nissan Design America (NDA), based in San Diego, and Nissan’s Rio de Janeiro satellite studio, Nissan Design America – Rio (NDA-R).
Kicks combines emotion and practicality by blending familiar Nissan design signatures with striking modern themes. Among those established design signatures are Nissan’s V-Motion grille, boomerang headlights and taillights and the floating roof with a “wrap-around visor” look to the windscreen and side glass. In particular, with the wide C-pillar “hidden” with a black finish that blends into the tailgate glass, the floating roof has been exaggerated on the Kicks, giving it a distinctive and eye-catching appeal.
These themes are augmented by a number of dynamic styling features, such as the bold wheel arch fenders and the rising character line on the bodysides that accentuate the car’s crossover stance and inherent strength. This high waistline contributes to a sense of security and well-being for passengers, especially those in the rear, yet still allows excellent outward visibility for all. In addition, the dark lower body trim magnifies the body height, emphasizing the high ground clearance and helping resist scrapes.
During the design process much attention was paid to the car’s overall aerodynamic performance, not only to benefit its dynamic performance but also its overall refinement by reducing wind noise.
Available exterior features include standard Intelligent Auto Headlight (I-AH) with adjustable sensitivity and timing (including twilight and wiper activation), rear wiper and fog lights – along with available roof rails, LED low beam headlights with LED signature accents, heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals and rear roof spoiler.
The 2019 Kicks will be offered in a range of five exterior colours – plus five two-tone combinations. Three of the two-tone colour schemes utilize a black roof and contrasting body colours (white, orange or red), along with an orange roof/grey body combination and a white roof/blue body combination.
“From a pure visual standpoint on the street, Kicks is a true head turner, especially in the bold two-tone colour combinations,” said Rhind. “Kicks is clearly recognizable as part of the Nissan CUV family, but has a vibrancy and identity all its own.”
Smart Interior, Personalized Technologies
Inside, the Kicks story is one of quality and futuristic design in a cabin full of the innovative features expected by its tech-hungry target audience. The interior promises ample passenger space in the rear – despite the coupe-like roofline – as well as one of the largest load areas in its class.
Front seat occupants face Nissan’s modern and simple “Gliding Wing” dashboard design, which is dominated by a centrally mounted 7.0-inch full colour display housing a comprehensive infotainment system with available Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ smartphone connectivity.
Kicks also offers three interface choices for accessing social media – NissanConnectSM, Apple CarPlay™ or Android Auto™.
And, for the ultimate audio experience, the Kicks SR Premium Package includes the new exclusive2 Bose® Personal® Plus sound system. Part of the Bose® Small Vehicle Series, it delivers a superior, driver-focused listening experience using just eight speakers and proprietary Bose® signal processing to provide what Bose® calls “360 degrees of immersive sound.” Key to its dynamic sound are a pair of lightweight 2.5-inch Bose® UltraNearfield™ neodymium speakers located inside the Kicks’ driver’s seat head restraint.
The system also includes compact 6.5-inch Bose® Super65™ speakers in each front door, cross-firing 1.0-inch tweeters in each A-pillar and 5.25-inch wide-range speakers in each rear door. A Bose® PersonalSpace Control feature is built into the infotainment system’s audio settings, providing adjustable listening options from front-focused sound to a wider, more enveloping experience. The system also includes a digital amplifier with six channels of custom equalization and digital system processing.
“The idea behind personalized technology is to allow drivers to do what they want, where they want,” said Rhind. “For example, they can access fuel economy numbers, chassis dynamic control, radio/playlist information on the meter screen or on the audio display. You decide what to look at where.”
Among the other on-board technology, Kicks features an available Intelligent Around View® Monitor (I-AVM)3 equipped with Moving Object Detection (MOD, which uses four on-board cameras to present a composite 360-degree bird’s-eye view of the Kicks, with split-screen close-ups of the front, rear and curb-side views. It also gives the driver an on-screen heads-up when it detects moving objects near the vehicle. This is class-leading technology3 in this emerging Canadian crossover segment and offers a step on the road to Nissan Intelligent Mobility.
The versatile Kicks interior also offers an athletic – provided by a flat-bottom steering wheel, comfortable 6-way driver’s seat, 4-way adjustable front passenger seat and 60/40-split fold-down rear seat. Heated Prima-Tex™-appointed front seats are available with the SR grade. Other available interior features include leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, tonneau cover and Automatic Temperature Control.
A Crossover for the City
The robust design of Kicks, which helps give drivers the confidence to comfortably navigate the city, is reflected in its stance. The Kicks has a ground clearance of 7.0 inches, allowing it to tackle poorly maintained roads and speed bumps with ease, without having an adverse effect on the handling.
Kicks also offers efficient packaging for urban adventure use. Kicks easily accommodates five passengers comfortably, thanks in part to the flat rear floor design and rear headroom and legroom that is similar to that of larger crossovers.
“With good ground clearance, a high eye point, electric power steering and small turning radius, Kicks is a great companion to navigate the city with,” added Rhind.
Every 2018 Kicks comes with a standard 1.6-litre DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder with Continuous Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS). The engine is rated at 125 horsepower and 115 lb-ft of torque. Combined with a smooth, fuel-efficient Xtronic transmission, fuel economy3 is anticipated at 33 mpg combined. Kicks is offered in front-wheel drive only.
Kicks also offers standard Traction Control System (TCS), Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) and Hill Start Assist (HSA), front disc/rear drum Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and electric power steering with a tight 10.3metres (34.1 foot) turning radius. Kicks SR includes an Integrated Dynamic-Control Module (IDM), featuring Intelligent Engine Brake, Intelligent Trace Control and Active Ride Control, to help provide a higher level of driving enjoyment.
Nimble handling is provided by a front independent strut, stabilizer bar suspension matched with rear suspension featuring twist beam, stabilizer bar and twin-tube shock absorbers. Kicks S grade comes with 16-inch steel wheels, with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels standard on Kicks SV and SR grades – mounted with 205/60R16 all-season or 205/55R17 all-season tires respectively.
Safety, security and driver convenience features are strong points for Nissan Kicks. Intelligent Emergency Braking (IEB) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is standard on all grade levels, along with seven air bags and RearView Monitor. Kicks SR adds Blind Spot Warning (BSW) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA). In addition, Kicks SR includes standard Intelligent Around View® Monitor (I-AVM)3 equipped with Moving Object Detection (MOD).
Three Well-Equipped, High-Value Models
The 2019 Nissan Kicks will be offered in three well-equipped models – Kicks S, Kicks SV and Kicks SR. Among the list of standard features found on Kicks S are Intelligent Emergency Braking (IEB) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), fog lights, rear passenger underseat heater ducts, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, three USB ports and Intelligent Auto Headlights (I-AH).
Kicks SV includes a long list of additional features – Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™, Nissan Intelligent Key™, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, body colour heated outside mirrors and outside door handles, heated front seats, tonneau cover, Automatic Temperature Control, Easy Fill Tire Alert, 7.0-inch meter display, SiriusXM® satellite radio (SiriusXM® subscription required, sold separately) and more.
Kicks SR adds a sporty flair with the addition of LED low beam headlights with LED signature accents, , black heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, Blind Spot Warning (BSW), Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), leather-wrapped steering wheel, leather shift knob with chrome accents, Prima-Tex™-appointed seats, , front and rear bumpers with body colour inserts, rear roof-mounted spoiler, dark chrome grille accents, Bose® Personal® Plus sound system, Intelligent Around View® Monitor (I-AVM)3 equipped with Moving Object Detection (MOD), Remote Engine Start3 and more.
Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (M.S.R.P)
2019 Kicks S $17,9984
2019 Kicks SV $20,9984
2019 Kicks SL $23,0984
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1. Provincial laws may apply; review local laws before using.
2. AIAMC segmentation. Available feature. 2019 Kicks vs. latest in-market competitors in sub compact SUV class. Based on manufacturers’ websites.
3. Fuel economy based on targeted 2019 EPA fuel economy estimates for 2019 Kicks FWD models – EPA data not available at time of publication. Anticipated fuel economy 33 mpg combined. Estimate based on Nissan internal testing results, subject to EPA confirmation. Actual mileage may vary with driving conditions – use for comparison only. Canadian fuel economy will be disclosed at a later date.
4. M.S.R.P – excludes freight PDI of $1,795