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Thursday, 28 March 2024

NISSAN KICKS, A SMALL SUV FACING A BIG CHALLENGE

Credit: Bumper2Bumper
Duration: 02:21s 0 shares 1 views

NISSAN KICKS, A SMALL SUV FACING A BIG CHALLENGE
NISSAN KICKS, A SMALL SUV FACING A BIG CHALLENGE

The 2020 version of the Nissan Kicks is trying to move beyond a perception as a quirky small SUV to a vehicle that can meet a specific need.

Bumper2Bumpertv notes there are some updates available in it worth noting.

IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE TELEVISION COMMERCIALS FOR THE NISSAN KICKS THEN YOU GET THE IDEA.

THIS IS A SMALL SUV, PRIMARILY DESIGNED AROUND THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER.

ACCORDING TO THE EPA IT IS SOMEHOW CLASSIFIED AS A MIDSIZED UNIT, BARELY SNEAKING INTO THE SEGMENT AT 169 INCHES IN OVERALL LENGTH.

FOR FRONT SEAT PASSENGERS THAT MEANS A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF SPACE TO BE COMFORTABLE.

AND IF THEY ARE IN THE SR TRIM LEVEL WHICH WE TEST DROVE IT ALSO MEANS A SET OF BOSE SPEAKERS EMBEDDED IN THE HEADREST.

AS FOR THE REAR SEAT IT WILL BE COZY FOR TWO PASSENGERS AND DOWNRIGHT CLAUSTROPHOBIC FOR THREE ADULTS SINCE THERE IS TEN INCHES LESS LEGROOM BACK THERE.WE WILL GIVE THE KICKS GOOD MARKS FOR OFFERING TWO USB CHARGE PORTS IN THE REAR SEAT.

NISSAN SHOULD ALSO GET POINTS FOR A FAIRLY COMPREHENSIVE DRIVER ASSISTANCE AND SAFETY SUITE OF FEATURES.

WHILE REAR CROSS TRAFFIC ALERTS, BLIND SPOT MONITORING AND AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING ARE STANDARD, WE ALSO LIKE THE NOW STANDARD REAR DOOR ALERT WHICH REMINDS A DRIVER TO CHECK THE BACK SEAT FOR PEOPLE OF PACKAGES.

NOW MECHANICALLY, THIS IS NOT A PERFORMANCE VEHICLE.

POWER COMES FROM A 1.6 LITER FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE RATED AT 122 HORSEPOWER AND ONLY 114 POUND FEET OF TORQUE.

THE PROVEN NISSAN CVT GEAR SYSTEM GETS A LOT OUT ON THE SMALL POWER PLANT WITH INTELLIGENT SHIFTS AND RESPONSE.

IN URBAN DRIVING CONDITIONS THE DRIVE TRAIN CAN HANDLE MOST SITUATIONS WITHOUT A PROBLEM.

WE ALSO NOTED THAT INTERIOR OPERATING NOISE LEVELS WERE LOWER THAN EXPECTED.

SINCE THIS WAS AN SR OR TOP OF THE LINE MODEL IT CAME WITH THE EXPECTED INFOTAINMENT TECHNOLOGY.

PERHAPS A FEATURE WE REALLY LIKE IS THE CARGO AREA.

THERE IS 25 CUBIC FEET OF SPACE HERE AND THAT GROWS TO 53 CUBIC FEET IF THE REAR SEATS ARE FOLDED FLAT.

UNDERNEATH THAT IS A REAL SPARE TIRE AND JACK FOR THOSE TIMES WHEN A FLAT SLOWS YOU DOWN.

NISSAN CLASSIFIES THE KICKS AS A SUV BUT IN REALITY, IT IS A CROSSOVER THAT CAN FIT INTO A LOT OF SMALL PARKING SPACES AT A PRICE POINT WHICH CAN BE ATTRACTIVE TO FIRST TIME BUYERS.

I’M GREG MORRISON.

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