New Nissan Kicks SUV gets fresh looks inside out, based on Mitsubishi XForce SUV sold in Indonesia
The new Nissan Kicks has been revealed ahead of its official New York Motor Show 2024 debut. The new Kicks is slightly bigger in all dimensions and has a lot in common with the Mitsubishi X-Force SUV which is sold in markets like Indonesia and a few others.
- New Kicks SUV gets fresh styling inside out
- Gets new powertrain and off-road gear
- Also gets more features and tech on some variants
New Nissan Kicks will be a global SUV
The outgoing Kicks SUV had two different versions depending n market. While both versions had quite similar exterior design, India got the one that sat on the B0 platform shared with other Renault and Nissan SUVs like the Duster and the Captur. The second version of the Kicks was based on the V platform that was sold in markets like North America, ASEAN region and a few other countries. This version shared its platform with the Nissan Micra and the Sunny sedan.
The second gen Kicks now sits on a single platform for all markets. The SUV is now based on the ASEAN market XForce SUV from Mitsubishi and shares its platform, body panels (with some design tweaks), interior bits and a few other mechanical components. While Nissan is tight lipped about the platform that underpins the Kicks , the XForce SUV sits on a derivative of the Mitsubishi GS Platform that has been around since a long time with updates. Apart from the new Kicks SUV and the XForce, it also underpins the Xpander and the Nissan Livinia MPVs in Indonesia.
The Kicks will be sold in left and right hand drive markets across the globe serving as Nissan’s entry level SUV in North America and a few other markets.
New Nissan Kicks styling and features
Some of the body panels of the stylish new Nissan Kicks including the doors, roof and a few other things are common with the XForce SUV. It also gets similar glasshouse with a smart coupe-like tapering roofline. It gets chunky looking wheel arches with matte black body cladding all around with top variants getting huge 19-inch alloy wheels that look straight out of a concept car. As far as styling goes, upfront the new Kick gets horizontal LEDs seamlessly integrated within a large black-finished area surrounding the grille. At the rear, uniquely shaped LED taillamps blend with a black trim that runs across the width of the tailgate.
On the inside, Nissan says the new Kicks gets more premium materials than before. The center of attraction is the large 12.3 inch infotainment screen among other features. The dashboard has a double layered look like the Xforce but the quality of materials on the new Kicks like the AC vents and even the screen looks better than the Mitsubishi counterpart. It gets touch-sensitive controls for the HVAC and climate control, four USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.The new Kicks also gets a panoramic sunroof which is not offered on the Mitsubishi XForce. Some variants also gets headrest mounted BOSE speakers.
New Nissan Kicks safety and tech
Nissan Safety Shield 360 ADAS Suite, which includes Intelligent Cruise Control is standard on the new Kicks. Top variant gets Nissan ProPILOT Assist system as an upgrade which includes steering assistance to help keep the driver centered in their lane.
New Nissan Kicks: will it come to India?
While the outgoing Kicks was sold in India for a few years, it was a sales disaster for Nissan in India. The brand since then has been surviving on a single model portfolio that includes the budget oriented Magnite compact SUV in our market. Nissan will bring in an MPV based on the Renault Triber and there will be a Nissan-badged SUV based on the new Renault Duster too, however that launch is still some time away. We don’t expect the new Nissan Kicks to come to India anytime soon.
