Nissan grabbed the spotlight of the 2017 Los Angeles International Auto Show to show off a brand new replacement for its beloved entry-level Juke crossover. Meet the 2018 Nissan Kicks, a much more vanilla and trimmed compact crossover. This is the first model to receive a new name in the Nissan lineup over the past eight years, joining the company’s current lineup of crossovers, which includes Murano, Rogue and Rogue Sport.
“As the gateway to Nissan’s ready-made sports utility portfolio – joining Rogue Sport, Rogue, Murano, Pathfinder and Armada – Kicks is designed to meet the needs of single or paired couples looking for expressive style, personalized technology, smart features and enhanced security. features at an affordable price, starting at $ 19,000, ”said Dan Mohnke, Nissan USA Sales and Marketing Senior Vice President.
Designed to mimic Rogue, but smaller, the new Nissan Kicks embodies the company’s latest design language. For example, the new Kicks has a two-tone coloring theme, thanks to which the roof looks “floating” thanks to the darkened A-, B- and C-pillars. Depending on the configuration of the Kick, the roof can match the body color or be black. It also includes Nissan’s latest V-Motion overall grille and twisted boomerang headlights.
Such design features were first introduced at the latest Murano and Maxima.
As you would expect from a crossover designed to serve the masses and their basic needs, Kicks, like many of its competitors, are equipped with features such as automatic headlights, Apple CarPlay and ANdroid Auto, an additional Bose audio system, and many passive and active safety assistants . For example, Kicks has an additional 360-degree camera view, called Intelligent Around View Monitor.
Everything the typical and general crossover buyer needs.
Power is also close to everything else in its class – a 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder gasoline engine coupled to a CVT automatic transmission, an arrangement lifted from the outgoing Juke. Except that power is rated at 125 horsepower and 115 lb-ft of torque, compared to 188 hp. Juke and 177 lb-ft.
Pricing information is not yet available, although Nissan has confirmed that there will be three trim levels: Kicks S, Kicks SV and Kicks SR, all with different equipment levels.
-Jack Wilson