Nissan has established quite a name for itself in the automobile market of Bangladesh. The X-trail is a huge success both in the reconditioned as well as the brand new car market. This is mainly due to the crossover market being one of the most competitive segments in Bangladesh, so much so that many new automakers even started their operations in the country with entry level crossovers. However, unlike most other global automakers operating in Bangladesh, Nissan lacked a proper model in the ‘entry level’ crossover segment- a small crossover no bigger than the size of a hatch but raised higher above the ground! Now, Pacific Motors, the official distributor of Nissan in Bangladesh, has launched the Nissan Kicks in Bangladesh.
The Nissan Kicks is a crossover which can be found in many of the biggest global car markets like the United States, Brazil, India and many more. However, the one sold in the Indian market is vastly different from the ones being offered globally and the Kicks which will be officially available at Pacific Motors will be the one manufactured and sold in India.
While some might be hesitant towards getting an Indian manufactured crossover but Nissan is offering quite an appealing package with the Kicks.
Despite having similar styling to the global Kicks, the Indian Kicks which is now available in Bangladesh is a much larger car which indicates a much more roomier interior than it’s global sibling (Tested, the interior spacing is one of the best in class. More on that coming up in the full review!). Styled to appeal to the younger generation as well, Nissan came up with an almost anti chrome exterior, with major chrome bits mostly found in the front grile and the badging. The interior also got carbon like panels in the dashboard and the door panels to give somewhat of a ‘sporty’ touch to it. Side by side, Nissan used sharp angles both in the front as well as the rear taillight to give it, arguably, a slightly sportier look and it almost reminds me of the decade old Nissan Juke. Although, I can assure that it’s far from what the Nissan Juke used to look like, for those concerned
Powered by a 1.3 liter turbocharged engine sourced from Japan, Nissan Bangladesh claims the Kicks is set to be the most powerful crossover in its class. The specs on paper surely makes it look like it can be a great candidate to run for one too. In India, the Kicks is offered in three different engine variants. The 1.3T, is the most powerful option of them all and is the only available option in Bangladesh at its time of launching. Mated to what Nissan calls the X-Tronic CVT transmission, the 1.3L turbocharged engine found underneath the hood of the Nissan Kicks produces an appreciable 156 horsepower and 254 Nm of torque.
Moreover, when it comes to features, the Japanese brands might largely fall behind their Chinese competitors. However, Nissan still managed to offer the Nissan Kicks with a manumatic mode, a first in its segment remote key with start engine capability, cruise control, voice recognition and auto climate control. The interior looks decent too although the addition of a sunroof or a panoramic moonroof would surely have been the cherry on top!
Set to be priced at Tk 39 lac BDT including registration, the Nissan Kicks will be available in 4 different colours in Bangladesh during its time of launch although Pacific Motors promises to deliver all variants of the Kicks very soon.
