The Nissan Kicks could reach Europe sooner than you think

Sometimes we look at models sold in other countries with considerable envy and would love to see them in our country too. The Nissan Kicks is one of those models, an SUV that sits between the Juke and the Qashqai. A size that will allow it to position itself effectively in a segment, letting it move around the city con a more powerful image than its smaller sibling, the Juke.

This model has already seen its second generation arrive, but it is sold in North America. So far, there were no plans to bring this model to Europe. But now it may end up reaching the European market, since it is a car with several characteristics that could make it attractive for our country.

The first is its size, which is not as large as the Qashqai nor as compact as the Juke. This makes it a practical urban vehicle, yet with the look of tackling long journeys without problems. Another is the price. In the United States it starts at 23,220 dollars for its entry-level version, which at the current exchange rate equals roughly 21,000 euros. And on top of that, it is a good SUV, both in design and in equipment.

The rumours began when a camouflaged unit of the Nissan Kicks was spotted in southern Europe, during tests that seem to make little sense. The second generation of the Kicks has already been launched in the United States, so this is not that version. The most plausible answer is that work is underway to homologate the model for Europe. For now, it is known that this is the hybrid version of the model, which could be the spearhead of its launch in Europe.

In the United States, the Kicks is equipped with LED headlights and inside, a 7-inch screen dominates the cabin. Among the ADAS, adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking stand out. The instrumentation is housed in a 12.3-inch screen and enjoys connectivity with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

This hybrid variant could use the engine already found in the Qashqai, with an electric motor connected to the wheels and the combustion engine working solely as a generator to charge the battery. Another option is that it uses the original hybrid version Renault already found in the Juke.

This SUV has a length of 4.3 metres and offers a generous boot and a striking front end. In the United States it features a 2.0-litre petrol engine producing 143 CV, paired with an X-Tronic automatic gearbox from the Japanese brand. In a few months we will know whether this model finally arrives in Europe and under what conditions.