After the grand unveiling over the web last week, the new generation Nissan Kicks is now on display at the 2024 York Auto Show, breathing the same air as other brand-new models.
The subcompact crossover boats significant improvements all around. It sports a larger footprint than its predecessor, which translates into more room for passengers and a bigger trunk capable of eating more luggage, complete with a hidden storage compartment.
Nissan gave the 2025 Kicks a more modern dashboard layout with a dual-screen arrangement. Lesser models get a 7-inch digital gauge cluster and an equally-sized infotainment system, and the upper specs have dual 12.3-inch displays. The HVAC system features touch-sensitive controls, and a host of fresh comfort, tech, and safety amenities contribute to the redesign.
The old Kicks was nothing to write home about in terms of exterior design, but the new one has neatly solved this issue. It is a boxier proposal with a more rugged appearance. From certain angles, it resembles the larger Pathfinder sold in China. It has horizontal LED DRLs, similar-shaped taillamps, a wide grille, a flat hood with muscular edges, and broad shoulders.
Photo: Newspress
The contrasting roof gives it a youthful vibe, and it looks similar to the old MINI Coupe. Nissan mentions a generous ground clearance of 8.4 inches (213 mm), and this, combined with the optional all-wheel drive system, a premiere for this series as the old one was offered with front-wheel drive only, enhances its mild off-roading capability. For a more rugged appearance, it features black cladding on the lower parts of the front and rear bumpers, wheel arches, and side skirts.
A new engine powers it, and it has a higher displacement than the old one’s 1.6-liter unit. It is a 2.0L naturally aspirated mill that kicks (pun intended) out 139 horsepower (141 ps/104 kW) and 140 pound-feet (190 Nm) of torque. It’s a modest boost over the 1.6L motor, which was rated at 122 horsepower (124 ps/91 kW) and 114 lb-ft (155 Nm). The engine is still hooked up to a continuously variable transmission (CVT), so the engaging driving factor is obviously not on deck.
The new-gen Nissan Kicks ticks most boxes for an appealing subcompact crossover that’s on the affordable side of the segment. The Japanese automaker has yet to announce how much it costs when it goes on sale in the United States and Canada in the coming months, with the deliveries commencing in late summer.
Nevertheless, it will probably be a bit pricier than its predecessor, which started at $21,050 for the entry-level S. The SV and SR versions of the 2024 Kicks had respective MSRPs of $22,910 and $23,610. So, is the new Kicks on your shopping list?
After a series of unfortunate events put an end to Cristian's dream of entering a custom built & tuned old-school Dacia into a rally competition, he moved on to drive press cars and write for a living. He's worked for several automotive online journals and now he's back at autoevolution after his first tour in the mid-2000s. Full profile
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