Nissan Kicks crossover SUV India launch in early 2019; to sit above Terrano

• Nissan expected to launch Kicks SUV in the first quarter of 2019
• Global-spec Kicks is based on the V-Platform while India-spec will be based on M0 platform
• Nissan Kicks in India is expected to draw power from a 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre K9K diesel mills

Japanese car maker Nissan currently sells only the Micra hatchback, Sunny sedan and Terrano SUV. Despite being in the Indian passenger vehicle business for a long time, Nissan India has only less than one percent market share. However, the scenario is expected to change soon as the company has lined-up the Kicks crossover SUV next for India.

Revealed globally in May 2016, Nissan Kicks was expected to enter the Indian market in mid-2018. However, Nissan India seems to be working on aggressive localisation for Kicks to price the SUV competitively. This seems to have caused some delay and as per the new plan, Kicks India launch will happen in the first quarter of 2019. A report in Autocar claims Nissan may launch the Kicks in India in January 2019.

Nissan Kicks has been revealed for the global market and the India-spec will sport some changes. While the global-spec is based on the V-Platform, the India-spec Kicks is expected to be based on the M0 platform that also underpins Renault Duster and Captur SUVs. The M0 platform is one of the most successful platforms globally for the Renault-Nissan alliance. It is a low-cost platform and that makes it ideal for a price sensitive market like India.

Kicks features a blend of an SUV and a crossover. It gets a V-motion grille, boomerang styled head and tail lights, and floating roof. The crossover features beefier wheel arches and blacked-out A and B-pillars. Nissan Kicks is a compact crossover SUV measuring 4,295mm in length, 1,760mm in width and 1,590mm in height, and has a 2,610mm wheelbase.

The gliding wing dashboard design with centrally-mounted seven-inch, automatic climate control, a flat-bottomed steering and dual-tone upholstery are the highlights inside the cabin.

The India-spec Kicks is expected to draw power from a 1.6-litre petrol engine, while the diesel mill could be the 1.5-litre K9K unit. The transmission options are expected to be a five-speed manual and a CVT automatic gearbox.

Nissan will slot Kicks above the Terrano SUV and it will go up against Jeep Compass, Mahindra XUV500 and Renault Captur.