Nissan Kicks: The Subcompact Crossover From a Brazilian Concept to a Second Generation

The Nissan Kicks is a subcompact crossover SUV that Nissan has built since 2016. It began as a concept shown at the 2014 Sao Paulo International Motor Show, and it has since spread across Latin America, North America, Asia and India in two generations.

Where did the Nissan Kicks come from?

The Kicks started life as a concept car under the same name, premiered at the 2014 Sao Paulo International Motor Show. Nissan said the concept drew its inspiration from the streets of Brazil, and the production car followed that cue.

The first-generation car sat on the V platform and carried the P15 chassis code. It debuted in Sao Paulo in mid-2016, and three design centres shared the work: Nissan's headquarters in Atsugi, Japan, Nissan Design America in San Diego, and a team in Rio de Janeiro.

The P15 spread gradually across Latin America. It reached the United States and Canada in 2018, filling the subcompact slot in both countries.

A Brazilian concept that became a global crossover, then a hybrid, then a second generation built in three countries.

How did the first generation reach Latin America?

Nissan showcased the Kicks across Brazil in summer 2016 to promote the Summer Olympics, for which the company was a lead sponsor. The Brazilian launch came first, and the first cars were brought in from Mexico. The Olympic link gave the launch a high profile in the region.

Sales in Brazil started on 5 August 2016 with a single SL trim, which used the 1.6-litre flex-fuel petrol and a CVT alone. In November 2016 the SV Limited trim sat below the SL, and in June 2017 entry-level PCD and S trims joined the line-up.

Mexico's launch date was 10 September 2016, aimed at the 2017 model year, with Sense, Advance and Exclusive trims. China received the car in July 2017 as the replacement for the Livina C-Gear.

What did the North American Kicks replace?

The North American debut took place on 29 November 2017 in Los Angeles, with sales due in June 2018. It was imported from Mexico, and it took over from the Juke in the subcompact crossover slot. That made it the brand's entry in that segment for the market.

The car also stood in, indirectly, for the Versa Note as a subcompact hatchback. The North American model came in S, SV and SR trims, all with the 1.6-litre petrol and a CVT.

The Middle East got the car in December 2017. The facelifted car followed in North America in February 2021, with trim levels and engine options unchanged apart from a Premium trim for Canada.

What is the Kicks e-Power?

The e-Power variant arrived in Thailand on 15 May 2020, and at first it was built only there. It had a reworked front fascia and tail lights, and it combined a HR12DE 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with an EM57 electric motor that drove the front wheels.

The e-Power is a series hybrid, so the petrol engine acts as a generator for the battery rather than driving the wheels. The system has no plug-in capability, so the battery is charged by the car itself.

Since June 2022, all-wheel drive has been available on the Japanese market through the addition of an MM48 motor. The e-Power then spread widely, with launches in Japan on 30 June 2020, Singapore on 9 July 2020, Indonesia on 2 September 2020 and Mexico on 20 October 2022.

Later launches included the Philippines on 12 August 2022, Vietnam on 2 November 2022, Taiwan on 18 October 2023 and Malaysia on 4 December 2024. Each market set its own trim list, from the single X trim in Japan to multi-level line-ups elsewhere.

What changed in the 2021 facelift?

An updated standard Kicks was revealed in December 2020. Its front fascia matched the e-Power car that came before it, and gained a larger grille and LED headlights. Changes at the back were minor, mostly to the bumper. It was a light refresh rather than a new car.

Inside, the 2021 car gained a centre armrest, a bigger touchscreen and a parking brake operated electrically. Smartphone links with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto came as standard, while the trim levels and powertrains stayed the same.

The changes were modest, with most of the car unchanged. The suspension was carried over unchanged, with an independent front strut and rear twin-tube shock absorbers. The revised model reached North America in February 2021, Argentina in April 2021 and the Middle East in July 2021.

Brazil received the facelifted P15 on 25 February 2021 with Sense, Advance and Exclusive trims, and Mexico followed on 28 January 2021 with Advance, Exclusive and Platinum trims.

What came with the 2026 facelift?

The Kait name appeared first on the second facelift, launched in Brazil in December 2025. In March 2026 the facelifted e-Power car was released in Thailand, with a redesigned front fascia, new headlights and a new grille. The changes went further than the earlier update.

The rear fascia had new taillights and a number plate housing moved lower on the bumper, along with new exterior colours and alloy wheel designs. The dashboard and door trim were reworked, the centre console was redesigned, and the seats gained Zero Gravity design.

A full digital multi-information display replaced the earlier partly digital cluster, and the new touchscreen ran NissanConnect services with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The facelift also brought Nissan ProPilot Assist semi-autonomous driving support and newer driver assistance features. The changes ran through the whole car, inside and out.

Which engines did the Kicks use?

Engine choice depended on the market and the trim. The Kicks used Nissan's HR16DE 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, which it shared with the Versa. Its output was 93 kW (125 hp; 127 PS), and it made 155 N m (114 lb ft) of torque.

EPA ratings were 7.6 L/100 km (31 mpg-US) in the city and 6.5 L/100 km (36 mpg-US) on the highway, which Nissan quoted. The Chinese and Taiwanese versions used the HR15DE 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine instead.

On the e-Power, the HR12DE three-cylinder made 58 kW (78 hp; 79 PS) at 5,400 rpm, with 76 lb ft (103 N m) of torque at 4,400 rpm. That petrol unit fed a 1.57 kWh battery under the front seats.

The EM57 motor supplied 95 kW (127 hp; 129 PS) and 192 lb ft (260 N m) of torque, which gave the e-Power its character.

Where was the Kicks sold in Asia?

The P15 reached Taiwan on 7 November 2018 in Fashion, Luxury and Smart Flagship trims, with a 1.5-litre petrol and a CVT only. The facelifted P15 followed on 6 October 2022 with Excellence Edition and Flagship Edition trims, using the 1.6-litre engine.

Thailand offered the e-Power with four trim levels, S, E, V and VL, and the facelifted car arrived on 23 March 2026 with V, VL and SV trims. Vietnam launched the e-Power on 2 November 2022 with E and V trims.

Indonesia launched the e-Power in a single variant on 2 September 2020. Singapore offered Premium and Premium Plus trims from 9 July 2020, while Malaysia sold VL and VLT trims from December 2024.

The Philippines introduced the e-Power on 12 August 2022 with EL, VE and VL trims. A facelifted e-Power followed on 28 August 2026 with VE, VL and LE Plus trims.

How did the Kicks fare in safety tests?

On 1 August 2018 the Mexican magazine Autologia put a Fan Edition on a moose test. That trim lacked an electronic stability program, and the car nearly rolled over at 65 km/h. A higher-spec car with ESP kept all four tyres on the ground, yet the driver felt it could not recover, so it failed.

Latin NCAP 2.0 gave the basic two-airbag car four stars for adults and four for children in 2017.

The 2025 model year Kicks won a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS. The second-generation car has Nissan Safety Shield 360 fitted as standard on every trim, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection and blind spot warning.

What was the Indian-market Kicks?

For India, a larger car with similar styling arrived on 22 January 2019. The D15 replaced the Nissan Terrano, which was a restyled Dacia Duster sold from 2013 onward, and the car also went to Nepal and Bangladesh. It was a separate design from the global car.

The Indian car shared its platform and parts with the Dacia Duster and the B0 platform-based Renault Captur, to reduce costs. Both of those models were built at the same Renault-Nissan plant in Chennai, so the Indian Kicks shares very little with the global car.

It first used the H4K naturally aspirated petrol and the K9K diesel, both with a six-speed manual, and both engines were shared with the Captur. In May 2020 the diesel was dropped because of Bharat Stage 6 rules, and a turbocharged HR13DDT petrol engine replaced it.

Its output was 116 kW (156 hp; 158 PS), with 187 lb ft (254 N m) of torque, which Nissan said was the most powerful in the segment. It was the first time the Indian car offered the X-Tronic CVT.

The car was named an official vehicle of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. In 2023 Nissan said India production would end because of weak sales, and that the car had not been brought into line with Bharat Stage 6 Phase 2 rules.

What is the second-generation Kicks?

The P16 debuted in the United States on 22 March 2024, as a 2025 model. Compared with its predecessor, it is 2.8 in (71 mm) longer, 1.6 in (41 mm) wider and 0.8 in (20 mm) taller, with a wheelbase around 2.0 in (50 mm) longer.

The American model uses a larger 2.0-litre petrol engine, which produces 17 hp (13 kW; 18 PS) more than the 1.6-litre unit of the previous car. An Xtronic CVT is the only transmission offered in the US, and optional all-wheel drive is available for the first time outside Japan.

The interior uses twin 7-inch screens for the gauge cluster and infotainment, with 12.3-inch upgrades available. A 10-speaker Bose system is optional, with speakers in the front headrests, and a wireless charging pad and up to four USB type-C ports are also offered.

The North American second generation is built in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Start of production slipped by six months, from December 2023 to June 2024, after crash test failures and tooling theft at a Mexican supplier.

Where is the second-generation Kicks sold?

Brazil launched the second generation on 18 June 2025 with Sense, Advance, Exclusive and Platinum trims, using a 1.0-litre turbocharged flex-fuel petrol. Argentina followed on 10 December 2025, importing the car from Brazil with three trims. Each launch brought its own trim list.

The Middle East received it on 17 February 2025 with S, SV, SV+ and SL trims, while Mexico announced pricing on 6 November 2024 for Sense, Advance, Exclusive and Platinum. North American pricing followed in August 2024 for S, SV and SR trims.

Japan launched the second generation on 17 June 2026, available only with the e-Power hybrid and optional e-4ORCE all-wheel drive. Unlike the previous car, it is assembled at the Oppama plant in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, rather than imported from Thailand or Mexico.

What are the Nissan Kicks specifications?

The table gathers the core figures for the main generations and engine families. Metric values come first with imperial figures in brackets, and each engine is tied to its generation and market so that the e-Power and petrol cars stay distinct.

The rows keep the first-generation and second-generation figures apart, so the 2.0-litre and 1.6-litre cars are not blended.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Kicks a hybrid?

Yes, in its e-Power form. The e-Power is a series hybrid, in which a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine generates electricity for an electric motor that drives the front wheels. Nothing plugs in to charge it.

Why did the Indian Kicks look different from other markets?

It was a larger car on the Dacia Duster and Renault Captur platform, built to reduce costs at the Renault-Nissan plant in Chennai. It replaced the Nissan Terrano and shared very little with the global Kicks.

Which market was the first to receive the Kicks?

Brazil was the first, with the car unveiled as a concept in 2014 and the production P15 debuting in Sao Paulo in mid-2016. Mexico followed in September 2016, with a 2017 model year launch.

Where is the second-generation Kicks built for North America?

It is built in Aguascalientes, Mexico, where production was due to begin in June 2024, six months later than originally planned.