What about performance, drive, and handling? The answer to that is quite simple and this is also the bit that gave me the feeling of déjà vu in the first place. The immediately noticeable element for me was when I thumbed the started button and the 1.5-litre K9K diesel motor came to life. It was audible but not as much as the Captur’s or the Terrano’s. Nissan did mention at their press conference better NVH levels and it has worked to some extent. The cabin is quiet but not as much as the competition. Engine refinement is still the same, which, in other words, means that there is scope for improvement as the diesel chatter still makes it to the cabin but isn’t that bothersome. The 1,461-cc in-line four diesel engine produces 110 PS and 240 Nm; exactly the same as the Renault Captur. But figures apart, what I loved was the smooth delivery and negligible turbo-lag. The 240 Nm of torque starts to come in way before 1,750 rpm, making the Kicks easy to drive even in slow-moving traffic. The six-speed manual gearbox is quite precise and has positive shifts.
As for performance, the Kicks is more like a relaxed cruiser than a speed machine; it is the torque that does most of the talking. This means that the acceleration is smooth and the torque comes in a linear manner. This allows you to cruise at a comfortable 100 km/h without any stress on the engine, thus making the Kicks feel the smoothest with little engine noise making its way into the cabin. We did not have a long enough stretch to see what the top speed would be, for we were driving mostly on narrow state highways. We expect it to be similar to that of the Renault Captur but we will have to wait for a proper road test to tell you more.
