There’s also an uncovered center storage console - valuables will have to go in the glove box to be hidden. The window sills are hard plastic instead of a softer material, and the front passenger is missing an inboard armrest. There are a few places where the Kicks interior quality does dip, however, reminding you of its budget-friendly nature.
#NISSAN KICKS ORANGE WINDOWS#
Visibility is also a strength, as those tall side windows offer good views out from any seat, which backseat passengers especially will appreciate. I found a solid 3- or 4-inch gap between my head and the headliner in both the front and rear seats. A lot of small SUVs and tall hatchbacks (as we’ll call them) have compromised headroom, but not the Kicks. It’s not a large vehicle, but you could be excused for thinking it is when you get inside.
The Kicks also excels at using its interior space efficiently. Like other high-riding vehicles, it’s kind of hard to see shorter objects in the immediate vicinity, and the camera alleviates many of those worries. That 360-degree camera system, a class-exclusive feature to the Kicks, is a great help for parallel parking and other tight spaces. None of the Kicks’ competitors can match it, though some do offer more safety features (notably adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist). Slap on the Premium Package as my test vehicle did, which adds a Bose personal audio system with speakers in the head restraint, faux-leather upholstery and heated front seats, and that’s a formidable list of equipment for right around $23,025 (including $545 for two-tone paint and $215 for floormats). On top of that, the SR adds some exterior parts including a rear spoiler and LED headlights, a 360-degree camera system and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
#NISSAN KICKS ORANGE ANDROID#
The SV adds blind spot warnings, automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, remote start and satellite radio. The SR is offered along with a Premium Package that tacks on another $1,000, but that’s it.Īll models come with a standard 7-inch touchscreen display, three USB ports, automatic forward emergency braking and keyless entry. The Kicks is sold in three trim levels: S, SV ($20,685) and SR ($21,285).
This is going to sound like hyperbole, but the Kicks might present the best value in the automotive market today - especially its higher trim levels. That emphasis on value is really what sets the Kicks apart. It has the most rear cargo room (25.3 cubic feet), the most front and rear headroom, and the lowest base price by a healthy margin ($18,895 all prices cited include destination charges). Compare the Kicks with those vehicles here.Īpart from its lack of AWD, the Kicks’ other measurables stack up nicely against these competitors. The Kicks arguably competes both with subcompact SUVs like the Honda HR-V and Hyundai Kona as well as with other FWD-only pseudo-SUVs like the Toyota C-HR. Perhaps Nissan thinks that customers who really want AWD in a small SUV can turn to the more expensive Rogue Sport ( see them side by side), but between the Rogue Sport and the Kicks, I’d much rather have a Kicks. The option of all-wheel drive is a strange omission and one that will be felt by those in snowy states. We would argue that the Kicks isn’t an SUV for one key reason: It comes only with front-wheel drive. And if you want funky styling, it’s still available in a few different two-tone paint jobs that make it stand out on the road. It has a roomy interior, lots of technology for this class and great value. While the new 2018 Nissan Kicks may lack the fun-to-drive nature of the Juke, it’s better in every other way.
So when Nissan went back to the drawing board to come up with a replacement, it went in a very different direction. However, the Juke was expensive and not very practical, not to mention far from a best-seller. The Nissan Juke was famous for its funky styling and for the fact that it was one of the few small SUVs that was actually pretty fun to drive. Versus the competition: The Kicks doesn’t drive as well as some of its contemporaries, but its packaging, features and fuel economy all match up favorably. The verdict: SUV, hatchback, tall wagon - whatever you want to call it, the Kicks delivers excellent value and practicality in a small package.
0 kommentar(er)
