Nissan India has announced that the Kicks SUV has entered production in India. It, like all Nissan, Datsun and Renault products (except the GT-R), will be built in the alliance’s manufacturing facility in Chennai. We saw the India-spec Nissan Kicks in October this year. Back then, we didn’t have a confirmed timeline for its launch. Now though, the Japanese carmaker has said that its newest product will arrive in January 2019.

Don’t confuse the Kicks coming to India with the one available overseas. Sure, the two specimens look very similar, but there’s some behind the scenes stuff that makes the one we are getting a bit different. To keep the costs in check, Nissan has built the India-spec Kicks on the same platform that does duty in the Duster, Terrano and the Captur. The said platform helps the Kicks to become the lengthiest SUV in its category in India and noticeably bigger than its internationally available sibling. As far as the interior is concerned, it is likely to be similar to the Kicks sold in the Middle Eastern market.

Do you want the numbers? Right then! The Nissan Kicks measures 4,384mm in length, 1,813mm in width and 1,656mm in height. Its wheelbase and ground clearance are clocked at 2,673mm and 210mm respectively. Nissan hasn’t released any information regarding the powertrain options. In all likelihood, the Kicks will borrow them from its Indian siblings, albeit in slightly different tunes. The 1.5-litre diesel engine will come coupled to a 6-speed manual, whereas the 1.5-litre petrol will be available with a 5-speed manual.

On the features front, the Nissan Kicks is expected to come with dual airbags, rear parking sensors, ISOFIX anchorages, 16-inch wheels, ABS with EBD and a whole lot of space as standard. Range-topping variants will include an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, LED-powered headlamps and taillamps, dual-tone exterior paint options, 17-inch alloy wheels, six airbags and a 360-degree camera. Obviously, Nissan’s telematics solution – NissanConnect – will also be on offer.

Nissan is expected to price the Kicks between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom). That should help it shake things up a bit in a category which is dominated by the Hyundai Creta. Before the D-Day comes, expect Nissan to unfold more about its upcoming SUV. Don’t worry. We’ll be keeping a tab.