The new Nissan Kicks has been spied completely undisguised in Thailand. Do note that this is the V-platform-based global model and not the B0 platform-based India-specific model. However, the latter could receive similar visual changes when it gets a facelift.
The new Nissan Kicks features a more confident front end. It appears to have a significantly larger radiator grille, tweaked headlamps, vertical fog lamp housing, reshaped lower grille and a new bumper. The rear end is mostly the same as that of the old model. The spy shots reveal a new bumper with a more body-coloured portion.
Whether the Nissan Kicks will get any interior changes isn’t known yet. Reports say that it will gain an e-Power series-hybrid powertrain. In a nutshell, a series-hybrid powertrain uses a combustion engine to generate electric power and an electric motor using the same to spin the wheels. Nissan will likely offer the same e-Power system in the new Kicks as the one in the new Note. This system uses the HR12DE 1.2-litre petrol engine (79 PS/103 Nm) and the EM57 electric motor (109 PS/254 Nm). A small 1.5 kWh battery pack stores the energy for the electric motor. There’s also an AWD option in the Note e-Power, with the additional N2 electric motor (4.8 PS/15 Nm) in the rear.
With the facelift and adoption of e-Power technology, the global Nissan Kicks is set to penetrate new markets, such as Thailand and Japan. In fact, its debut in the refreshed avatar with the series-hybrid powertrain will take place in Thailand only.
The India-specific Nissan Kicks hasn’t received a good response. The arrival of the Kia Seltos, as well as cheaper C-SUVs like the Tata Harrier and MG Hector, has made its survival even tougher. Whenever it receives a facelift, it should get design changes similar to those of the global model.
Also Read: Nissan Magnite sub-4 metre SUV to be launched in May
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Nissan updates and other four-wheeler news.
[Image Source 1: headlightmag.com]
[Image Source 2: facebook.com]
