Rs 10 lakh SUV to replace Nissan Kicks?
Nissan India had a long bout of low sales and not-so inspiring product. It was almost as if Nissan was headed to become the next manufacturer to leave the country. Thankfully for the brand, its Magnite gamble worked, giving it a bright ray of hope in the country. However, Nissan has to continue the momentum by bringing in new products. One car it could bring to India is the Kicks facelift currently being sold abroad. In today’s article, let’s talk about this Rs 10 lakh SUV which can replace the Nissan Kicks.
New exterior
Nissan has given some subtle changes to the Kicks facelift. The trend of big grilles has also hit Nissan, and the Kicks facelift thus gets an extended grille design. We also see a sharp headlamps giving it a bolder look. The side profile is more or less similar, barring the new alloy wheels. What about the rear? The rear gets new LED taillamps with a blacked-out connecting strip in the middle.
Nissan Kicks SUV – Updated interior
The interior of the India-spec Kicks looks quite outdated. If you compare it with the competition, you can see a drastic difference. So, has Nissan updated anything in the facelift? Yes. The Kicks facelift gets a modern dashboard layout. The facelifted SUV gets soft touch material & new AC vents. Overall, Nissan has also updated the buttons. The minor red stitching also gives a good look to the cabin.
Specifications
Being a facelift, it is expected to retain the same engine options. The current model comes with two petrol engine options. The higher variants get the 1.3-litre turbo-petrol engine capable of producing 153bhp & 245Nm of torque, while the lower variants get the 1.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine capable of producing 104bhp & 142Nm of torque. Considering the rising importance of efficiency, Nissan could bring a hybrid setup on one of these engines. Interestingly, Nissan Kicks is already available with a hybrid setup in foreign markets. Could the India-spec model get a similar setup? Only time will tell.
Nissan Kicks SUV – Features
The Nissan Kicks competes in a segment where features are quite crucial. One of the reasons for the low sales is the lack of features. However, this shortcoming has been dealt with in the facelift. Nissan Kicks facelift gets features like a better infotainment system, improved connected car technology, ventilated seats, new semi-digital instrument cluster, etc.
Will it come to India?
The fact being told, Nissan is majorly dependent on the sales of the Magnite. For now, it is selling the older Kicks in India, but to sustain the momentum, Nissan will need new products. The new Kicks could help the brand somewhat. In today’s time, when every brand is wanting to bring something unique to the table, the hybrid setup on the Kicks could be a USP. However, in the grand scheme of things, Nissan is yet to confirm anything about the Kicks facelift. If it does come to India, it will continue competing with the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, etc.
What are your thoughts about the Nissan Kicks facelift? Do let us know in the comments.
If you have car buying doubts click here to ask! Get the lowest price for car insurance here. For more such content stay subscribed to MotorOctane Youtube, Google News Facebook, and Twitter. Also, follow us on Flipboard and Reddit where we have a discussion community.
Comments