Photo: Nissan
“Worth the wait...” says Nissan in the teaser for the 2018 Kicks, which will be revealed in a few hours at the Los Angeles Motor Show. The big question is, what’s actually worth waiting for considering the platform is shared with the Juke and the Kicks is sold in South America since 2016?
In light of the increasing demand for small crossovers such as the Hyundai Kona and Ford EcoSport, Nissan’s higher-ups decided to milk the cash cow by bringing the Kicks to the United States. For people who want to get their… kicks on Route 66, perhaps. Or people who aren’t ready to get over their… teenage kicks. Puns aside, what’s in the offing?
A curb weight estimated at 2,645 pounds (1,200 kilograms), a length of 169.1 inches (4,295 millimeters), and a wheelbase of 103.2 inches (2,610 millimeters), to start with the most basic of specifications. Ground clearance is fairly generous for the segment at 7.87 inches (200 mm), and capability is farily limited because the Kicks is FWD-only.
Engine choices for the U.S. market aren’t known at the time being, but don’t expect anything too hot to hide under the hood. The Brazil-spec model features a flex-fuel 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 112 horsepower, while the China-spec Kicks comes with a 1.5-liter engine with 122 horsepower.
The best Nissan can do for either engine is to offer a continously variable transmission with D-Shift Logic software. By that, Nissan refers to the transmission giving the impression it shifts through gears like a torque-converter or dual-clutch automatic. But that’s an impression nonetheless.
From the standpoint of practicality, the Kicks has the upper hand compared to the Juke. Not only is the wheelbase longer and the rear-passenger area roomier than in the Juke, but the Kicks has a trunk capacity of 432 liters. That’s 15.2 cubic feet converted to U.S. standards or more than the Ford Focus, Opel Astra, and Volkswagen Golf in hatchback form.
Based on an older report, Nissan is expected to announce the Juke will be axed in the United States, with the Kicks taking its place. If the report is proven right at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, then the Kicks will have to prove itself against the Mazda CX-3 and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, just to name a few of its rivals.
A curb weight estimated at 2,645 pounds (1,200 kilograms), a length of 169.1 inches (4,295 millimeters), and a wheelbase of 103.2 inches (2,610 millimeters), to start with the most basic of specifications. Ground clearance is fairly generous for the segment at 7.87 inches (200 mm), and capability is farily limited because the Kicks is FWD-only.
Engine choices for the U.S. market aren’t known at the time being, but don’t expect anything too hot to hide under the hood. The Brazil-spec model features a flex-fuel 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 112 horsepower, while the China-spec Kicks comes with a 1.5-liter engine with 122 horsepower.
The best Nissan can do for either engine is to offer a continously variable transmission with D-Shift Logic software. By that, Nissan refers to the transmission giving the impression it shifts through gears like a torque-converter or dual-clutch automatic. But that’s an impression nonetheless.
From the standpoint of practicality, the Kicks has the upper hand compared to the Juke. Not only is the wheelbase longer and the rear-passenger area roomier than in the Juke, but the Kicks has a trunk capacity of 432 liters. That’s 15.2 cubic feet converted to U.S. standards or more than the Ford Focus, Opel Astra, and Volkswagen Golf in hatchback form.
Based on an older report, Nissan is expected to announce the Juke will be axed in the United States, with the Kicks taking its place. If the report is proven right at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show, then the Kicks will have to prove itself against the Mazda CX-3 and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, just to name a few of its rivals.
Watch live Wednesday 11/29 at 11:45am PST to see the big reveal at the LA Auto Show. #NissanLAAS pic.twitter.com/e9AFNtLLjM
— Nissan (@NissanUSA) November 28, 2017
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