Nissan has released another teaser for its upcoming Kicks compact SUV. This time, we are provided with a view of the Kicks’ front fascia, which is certainly a whole lot more insightful than the earlier teaser which was covered with a cloth.
If you’re a fan of the Kicks concept that debuted at the 2014 Sao Paulo Motor Show, you’ll be glad to know that much of the design cues from that SUV has made it onto the production version. Of course, a few minor edits have been done but at first glance, it certainly looks very similar.
Nissan’s V-motion design philosophy is present here, featuring a four-bar grille with a centre-positioned Nissan logo and a prominent chrome accent surrounding it. The concept’s headlamps have also been replaced with what appears to conventional halogen reflector units, with V-shaped LED DRLs that shined through the cloth on the earlier teaser.
The Kicks’ athletic character line is retained here, with strong haunches seen over the front wheels. The front wheels themselves also adopt a new design. Other parts that have been swapped out include the side mirrors and roof rails, which are now integrated with the car’s body instead of the concept’s “floating” design. The two-tone, roof-body colour scheme is retained here as well.
In its concept form, the Kicks measures 4,300 mm long, 1,800 mm wide and 1,600 mm tall. Expect alterations made to these dimensions once the vehicle makes its debut. The Kicks is said to ride on Nissan’s V-platform, which also serves to underpin the Nissan March/Micra, Nissan Sentra and Nissan Note. Motivation should be provided by a 1.6 litre flex-fuel (petrol/ethanol) engine, paired to a five-speed manual transmission or an X-Tronic CVT unit.
The Kicks will launch in South American markets initially, with Brazil being the first recipient. Even so, the first few Brazilian units will be imported from Mexico before domestic production begins at Nissan’s Resende Industrial Complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said to be in 2017. Other markets are bound to welcome the Kicks in the future, including India (in 2017), according to India Today
Nissan is an official sponsor of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Kicks will take on the role as the official car for the event. Therefore, the Kicks could receive its official unveiling on May 3, 2016, when the Rio Olympics torch relay across Brazil starts. This is confirmed in an official statement by Nissan Brazil, “the Nissan Kicks will travel the country as an important part of its sponsorship of the Rio 2016 Games.”
GALLERY: Nissan Kicks Concept
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