The facelifted Nissan Kicks is a victim of the coronavirus. No, the B-segment SUV did not contract Covid-19, but its launch plan has been affected by the global pandemic. Kena quarantine, so to speak.
Nissan’s original idea was to give the Kicks facelift a world debut in Thailand on March 19, simultaneously launching the car in the Thai market with an e-Power drivetrain. But we all know what happened next – the novel coronavirus went on a world tour of death and economic destruction, claiming lives and jobs along the way. It’s ongoing, and no one knows when it’ll peak.
But life must go on, and according to Headlightmag, the Kicks facelift will now have its world premiere in Thailand in May, before the Kicks minorchange is launched in Japan in June. The Japan-market Kicks e-Power will be imported from Thailand, the report adds.
Looks wise, from what we can see, the Kicks has received a much larger front grille, flanked by headlamps that are significantly sharper and slimmer. The more aggressive fascia is complemented by deep sculpted side “air intakes” cum fog lamp clusters at the extreme edges of the bumper.
The floating roof effect from the blacked out C pillars and contrasting coloured roof have been present since the Kicks was launched in 2016, but the wheels are new. The rear end appears largely similar except for the bumper, which now has a very wide (almost full length) diffuser section painted in body colour.
Nissan’s e-Power system isn’t new and has been used in cars such as the Note hatchback and Serena MPV. It’s not the usual hybrid system, nor a full EV – the range extender system employs a petrol engine that acts solely as a generator for the electric motor. The ICE is not connected to the driven wheels, unlike regular hybrids. Nissan says that this system provides the benefits of an electric motor – such as maximum torque from standstill – without the accompanying range anxiety.
Like the Note e-Power, the Kicks e-Power will have a 1.2L three-cylinder petrol engine as generator. The trusty HR12DE with 79 hp/103 Nm powers the EM57 electric motor with 129 hp/254 Nm, which is rated higher than the Note e-Power’s 109 PS/254 Nm.
The Kicks, which will rival the Honda HR-V and Toyota C-HR, is 4,384 mm long and 1,813 mm wide, with a wheelbase of 2,673 mm. That’s 90 mm longer, 41 mm wider and 63 mm longer between the wheels than the popular Honda.
Coming to Malaysia? Back in 2018, Nissan’s Malaysian distributor Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) was reported to have the Kicks in its future plans, and the B-SUV was mentioned again by ETCM in April 2019.
The plan was to have the Kicks here after the introduction of the N18 Nissan Almera. Given that the all-new B-segment sedan is yet to surface, it should be awhile more before the Kicks does. There might be some delays brought about by Covid-19, too.
When it finally does reach Malaysia, will the Kicks have e-Power? Perhaps, but we won’t be surprised if ETCM selects regular naturally aspirated power. Thailand is getting more advanced and cleaner tech due to incentives dished out by the government to carmakers, and unless Malaysia has an equivalent programme, there’s no motivation for carmakers to sell cars with more advanced powertrains, which of course increases their cost and your purchase price.
For similar reasons, the upcoming new Honda City and Nissan Almera might not launch here with the eco car spec 1.0 litre downsized turbo engines seen in Thailand, but with more conventional engines instead. Novel range extender powertrain aside, what do you think of the Nissan Kicks?
GALLERY: 2018 Nissan Kicks, US market
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
-
- The all-new 2018 Nissan Kicks, the newest entry in the fast-growing affordable compact crossover market, made its North American debut today at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
Even from the photos we can tell it is cheaply made and will have subpar build quality.
And also, say No to their CVT and horrible resale values.
True, Nissan CVT is super unreliable compare to game changer Honda CVT. I hope Proton should also follow the game changer Honda CVT too instead of using these junkyard gearbox from Geely & Hyundai.
E Power does not use CVT.
What CVT are you talk about? E power does not use CVT.
Delayed again, TCM? There are many reasons why Malaysia once the stronghold for Nissan sales in the region, has plummeted to ground levels. Delays is definitely one of them.
No worries. Already launched Almera is going to come to Malaysia next year when the rest of the world would have gotten the facelifted version. This is Tan Chong after all, expect to get 1 generation late like we’re dumping ground for Nissan.
Sharing platform with Nissan Captur
https://paultan.org/2019/12/14/renault-subscription-in-malaysia-why-this-new-ownership-plan-is-the-way-forward-for-tc-euro-cars/
I hope it get the Subscription Pricing like Captur too:
RM 1,299/month for 2 years. Nissan, you dont need to downsize in Malaysia, you can grow better with your subscription plan by NTCM.
1.2L Hyrbid is excellent powertrain choice for subscription. Powerful, more torque from Zero Rpm, no turbo lag, and more important it’s likely to be NEDC 23km/L. since it’s targetting Thailand for Phase 2 Eco Taxing.
Max speed 140… lol
The new face with the “japanese eyes” looks a lot cooler compare to the pre-facelifted “pet face”. Haha!
A bit confuse, if Kick is at the same seg with HRV and CHR, then where is the Juke standa?
The interior looks similar to Almera, but selling at the price of Hrv? That interior makes me think that all other major parts of the car is actually the same as a 80k car, Almera.
come to here TCM will sell it at RM130k++