The Nissan Kicks is one in all Nissan’s higher concepts of the previous few years. It’s a light-weight, super-spacious and environment friendly crossover that’s priced to fly off tons. Nissan’s 2021 refresh addresses a couple of of our greatest quibbles, and it doesn’t mess up what Nissan did proper earlier than.
Of all of the adjustments, just one appears able to inflicting slight angst: the brand new grille. It’s large. And somewhat offended. Nissan is asking it the “Double V-motion” grille as a result of it’s apparently too giant for simply the one, conventional V. A greater identify can be the U-motion grille as a result of, effectively, have a look at it. The brand new grille’s cause for being? Nissan needed to make the Kicks look extra rugged and difficult like an SUV. Truthful sufficient aim, however the Kicks nonetheless appears like a tall hatchback. Apart from the grille, Nissan sharpened up the headlights (LEDs are non-obligatory now), swapped to vertically-oriented facet intakes and launched a brand new wheel design. The taillights are related through a brand new red-tinted shiny black trim piece, and the floating roof stays. It’s nonetheless a classy and spunky automotive, even when it’s far much less quirky than the Juke it changed.
The very best updates are discovered inside. Nissan took the financial system automotive vibe one step too far when it didn’t embody a correct heart armrest for the Kicks in 2018 — you have been caught with a small, semi-uncomfortable fold-down armrest hooked up to the driving force’s seat, and the passenger acquired nothing. That’s fastened this 12 months with a full-size heart armrest that’s usable for each entrance seat passengers. This, together with the change from a bodily parking brake to an digital one, pressured Nissan to design a brand new heart console that pushed the cupholders up nearer to the gear lever. It’s simpler to succeed in for a drink now, as they have been shoved again subsequent to and behind the seat belt buckles earlier than.
A number of the inside seating and trim supplies are unsurprisingly low-rent within the budget-priced Kicks, however Nissan at the least improved issues for 2021. The spotlight is the SR’s new three-tone seat design, however even our SV tester’s black material had an attention-grabbing sample. A lot of the door remains to be lined in scratchy arduous plastic, however the vital bits (just like the door armrest) are lined in padded material or soft-touch plastic. The top product isn’t particularly fairly, however high quality and luxury are there the place you want it.
Tech-hungry Kicks consumers will probably be pleased to see the brand new normal infotainment system (on the bottom S trim) is the 7.0-inch touchscreen that runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Beforehand, you wanted to improve to the SV or SR trims to get these smartphone app connection capabilities. A brand new 8.0-inch show arrives for the brand new 12 months that serves because the improve for the SV and SR. These trims additionally get a USB-C port (as a substitute of all USB-A) and may be geared up with NissanConnect Providers that provides you an in-car WiFi hotspot, amongst different options. The identical, highly effective Bose audio system with audio system within the driver headrest that we liked a lot earlier than continues to be an choice, too.
A 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine remains to be beneath the hood, nonetheless powers the entrance wheels solely and remains to be woefully underpowered at simply 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. That stated, the Kicks’ responsive throttle and low curb weight (2,682-pound base, 2,744 kilos in SR trim) means it isn’t as dangerous because the specs recommend. The engine is paired to a CVT, so it’s predictably buzzy and annoying once you mat the throttle. Getting as much as freeway speeds would require some persistence, but it surely’s not dangerously sluggish by any means. You simply should need it. It’s a lot fast for popping round city and maintaining with site visitors; the revs keep low sufficient that it isn’t a trouble. Gas financial system is the large draw with this energy unit. Nissan predicts 31 mpg metropolis, 36 mpg freeway and 33 mpg mixed scores, that are equivalent to final 12 months’s automotive. These numbers beat out each competitor, even extra-tiny ones just like the Hyundai Venue. You’ll want a hybrid just like the Kia Niro to high it.
The one, large mechanical change Nissan did make for 2021 is the introduction of rear disc brakes to SV and SR grades. Nissan saved the rear drums for the bottom S, which implies it doesn’t reap the benefits of the electrical parking brake. Each SV and SR achieve an auto maintain perform (retains the automotive in place with out holding the brake pedal down), which metropolis dwellers will respect. We are able to’t inform a lot of a distinction in brake pedal really feel with the brand new disc brakes, however the drums have been completely serviceable earlier than anyway.
There’s no change in how the Kicks handles or comports itself on the street. It’s impressively gentle on its toes (thank the curb weight), however automobiles just like the Mazda CX-3 or Kia Soul are nonetheless higher handlers. The steering is rubbery and doesn’t weight up all that naturally in corners. You’re left with a automotive that’s merely common on a winding street, however its gentle tuning does repay on rougher pavement. The Kicks’ brief wheelbase is ever current on freeway growth joints and frost heaves, but it’s by no means jarringly harsh. Its suspension tuning appears finest fitted to tough metropolis streets the place it’s surprisingly compliant and cozy. Poor pavement is shrugged off effectively for such a small automotive, and that’s correctly contemplating how most will probably be utilizing their Kicks.
These with freeway commutes will benefit from the newly added adaptive cruise management that’s normal on SV and SR. Whereas we’d’ve appreciated the total Nissan ProPilot Help system (that provides spectacular lane-centering and GPS-powered auto route/velocity changes), the Kicks’ adaptive cruise is well-tuned and dialed in for easy operation. A variety of different security methods proceed to be normal as effectively: auto emergency braking w/pedestrian detection, rear auto braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross site visitors alert, lane departure warning (with a greater steering wheel vibration warning than earlier than) and auto excessive beams. The Kicks additionally contains entrance knee airbags and rear facet airbags, the latter of that are uncommon in any automotive.
Backseat house and cargo room proceed to be large pluses within the Kicks’ toolbox. The rear seat is big for such a small crossover, permitting for simple ingress and egress, together with loads of legroom and headroom for taller people. There’s even a pair of USB ports. Add an enormous hatch with a super-low load ground, and the Kicks additional overshoots its footprint with surprisingly helpful cargo house.
Worth continues to be the No. 1 cause to choose up a Kicks. Nissan introduced a base worth of $20,595 for the up to date mannequin, which is simply $430 greater than the 2020 mannequin. Pricing for the SV and SR trims is but to be introduced, however the SR began at a super-affordable $22,415 final 12 months. Assuming the value will increase are inside cause, the Kicks will proceed to be probably the greatest worth performs on this section.
Costlier choices just like the Kia Soul or Hyundai Kona are worthwhile for what you recover from the Kicks (higher powertrain, dealing with, inside high quality), however Nissan is extraordinarily aggressive on the backside finish of this market. There’s additionally the problem of the Kicks being front-drive solely. Nissan will inform you to snag a Rogue Sport if you would like all-wheel drive, however the Rogue Sport is considerably costlier. Shopping for some winter rubber ought to alleviate most (if not all) traction points you would possibly expertise within the Kicks, although. Backside line, the Kicks was and nonetheless is an effective crossover for the cash. It prioritizes the fitting issues for somebody on a good finances, and the brand new options are all welcome enhancements that can genuinely enhance life behind the wheel.
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