It’s been a long time coming and finally, the 2020 Nissan Kicks facelift has finally made its launch debut in Thailand, the first country in the world to welcome the model and the second globally to produce the e-Power hybrid powertrain used in it.
Unsurprisingly, the Thailand-spec Kicks will be offered with Nissan’s e-Power powertrain, which operates differently from conventional hybrid systems. Here, a HR12DE 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol engine rated at 79 PS at 5,400 rpm and 103 Nm of torque at 4,400 rpm acts solely as a generator for a 1.57 kWh battery located under the front seats. This position sees no compromise to boot space, which remains at 432 litres.
This in turn powers an EM57 electric motor with 129 PS (95 kW) and 260 Nm that drives the front wheels. With this setup, the engine essentially plays no part in providing drive, as only the electric motor is tasked with getting you moving.
The setup, which is linked to a shift by wire system, comes with a number of drive modes, including Smart, Eco, Normal and EV. There’s also a One-Pedal function that allows drivers to accelerate and decelerate (via regenerative braking) using only the accelerator pedal, just like what you can do in the current Leaf.
This powertrain is the only available option for the entire Kicks range in Thailand, which consists of four variants, starting with the S that goes for 889,000 baht (RM120,522). This is followed by the E at 949,000 baht (RM128,660), V at 999,000 baht (RM135,439), and VL at 1,049,000 baht (RM142,218).
On the styling changes, the compact SUV now sports a larger V-motion grille at the front, which is flanked by headlamps (with LED DRLs) that have been reshaped to be sharper and slimmer. There’s also a more sculpted (and aggressive) front bumper that features prominent side “air intakes” in the corners, with integrated fog lamps.
Not a whole lot has changed down the sides, as there’s still a distinctive floating roof effect courtesy of blacked-out C-pillars and a two-tone paint finish. Meanwhile, the rear end gets a new bumper as well, one with a wider faux diffuser section painted in body colour, while the taillights get boomerang-shaped light graphics.
While the exterior changes are immediately noticeable, the interior of the new Kicks remains largely familiar. The dashboard layout is unchanged from before, and the only prominent revisions include a new design for the steering wheel that is similar to the Leaf, as well as a reworked centre console to accommodate the model-specific gear lever and powertrain controls.
Available equipment for the Kicks are 17-inch wheels, dual-zone climate control, an eight-inch Nissan Connect infotainment touchscreen system with support for Apple CarPlay, leather upholstery and a seven-inch digital instrument cluster display.
On the safety front, the SUV comes with six airbags (front, side and curtain), ABS, EBD, BA, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Hill Start Assist and Isofix child seat anchors. There’s also a wide array of active safety and driver assistance systems that are parked under the Nissan Intelligent Mobility banner.
These include Intelligent Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Around View Monitor, autonomous emergency braking, Intelligent Ride Control, Moving Object Detection, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, Driver Attention Alert, Intelligent Trace Control, a digital rearview mirror and Blind Spot Warning.
Customers in Thailand will get six exterior colours to choose from – Black Star, Brilliant Silver, Monarch Orange, Radiant Red, Gun Metallic (grey) and Storm White. The last four options listed are also offered with a black roof for those who prefer a two-tone theme rather than a monotone look.
Edaran Tan Chong Motor has previously revealed that its plans to introduce the Kicks in Malaysia, although it isn’t known when this will take place, or whether we’ll get the e-Power powertrain. The original plan was to introduce the Kicks after the N18 Almera, but given the current circumstances, a delay isn’t too far-fetched.
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the rear design …
the rear is so Yaris, but Toyota had it sportier …
Excellent facelift Nissan! The Game-Changing Nissan Kicks is even getting more handsome after the facelift. With this design, Nissan Kicks have the potential to Game Proton X50 Over as well as stealing Honda HRV’s sales
Nissan cars are very good. They only have a few models, that is why people bash. But the truth is, they can focus on the few models and give you best service.
Abang bang companies like Honda and Toyota have so many models just like having so many wives, you cannot focus on so many wives but you can focus on 1 wife.
This is the end of Toyota UMW and Honda DRB
Soon DRB will ask another bailout of RM1.5 billion to keep aloat.
Now Proton got no more money to may thier overbloated 12,000 workers because ZERO sales
I wish PN disappears because of them, got no car sales for so many months now
Makes you wanna kick it,
The new Nissan Sepak
(Like) Kicks and X50
(Dislike) HRV
Nissan Kicks so gooding then Mazda Cx30.
Meanwhile these old junks are what ETCM has to offer
https://paultan.org/2020/05/13/etcm-announces-reopening-of-all-nissan-showrooms/
But better than junk outdated boring Honda.
Abang-abang much preferred legendary aging Civic FD and, reject brand new Persona
ETCM product planners: Zzzzzz Zzzzz Zzzzzz
Bermaz: I will give better spec to all of you
Honda Malaysia: l sell your car without AEB
ETCM is the only non abang company, so, don’t worry, they will give us good service. Normally GLC are the ones always sleeping. And all our car companies are mostly GLC owned
Don’t drink and write bro
So tell me why my Nissan service experience is worse EVERYTIME than the WORST I have ever got from my Proton experience in the past? Not only my Nissan Almera don’t last, the service is WORST I have ever experienced.
Ahhh… the racist todi moonshine drinker is back fully drunk.
See that’s the problem with ETCM Nissan, they only market themselves to the minority rather than to all of rakyat Malaysia. When you choose to be racist, you lose out ETCM Nissan! I hope you fire your this sales advisor who think that way.
Worth the price in Thailand. But our Ringgit sucks
This will wipe out Honda HRV. All the abang abang going to cry at DRB because Honda won’t make money and PRoton money goes back to China
Even HRV is cheaper than this crap, and it totally gets wiped out by X70.
This and X70 are more better than HRV and HRV totally gets wiped out by X70
Very good design albeit 4-year old car already and now only introducing in Thailand with a new powertrain. Have to say the interior is miles better than our current X-trail and Almera. Meanwhile, in Malaysia Tan Chong still sleeping don’t know when to launch this Kicks. By the time they do, other country already gets another all new Kicks.
Bro! This is not 4 year old car. This is just a new facelift. So why complain about this? And ehhh….Honda also not fully changeable of their new facelift like Ketam Civic, BRV and CRV. You should ask why honda are still using their 3 – 4 year old pre facelift again when making their new facelift. Shows that honda designers have no idea what to design.
Tan Chong can close shop zap lap already lah… Almera outdated for years already, new gen Teana launched in 2018 and still not here, Navara also due for facelift already…. really wonder what are they doing
The only reason someone would buy this is because of its new engine setup.
As for engine, it is not so necessary important reasons. But only they will buy any latest newer cars including this when having these important high tech safety features (such as autonomous emergency braking, blind spot and rear cross traffic), good specs, design looks good and perfect car condition with tip top services.
front looks similar to toyota raize/daihatsu rocky
“fake bumper vents disease” is infecting many car designers these days….
I heard from nissan salesgirl the new almeera n kicks are coming soon.
But with the current issue, it could be delay.
Looking at the specs, Kick would be competitor to perodua small crossover n proton x50.
Kicks? anyone else feels its name is terrible?
So the 1.2L engine acts as a generator while the electric motor drives the wheels. this reminds me of Exora Range Extender Proton once had which used the same concept. Never leaves past RnD stage though.
So… when we hit the pedal, the motor works but engine should by theory stay idle at 1000rpm is it?
Nissan is anything & everything comes too slow & too late
By the time this arrives here, the rest of the world would have gotten the next gen Kicks.
Nissan kicks itself again?