It was yesterday when Nissan launched the Kicks in India. The compact SUV, which is priced between Rs 9.55 lakh and Rs 14.65 lakh (ex-showroom), is a direct rival to the likes of the Renault Duster, Maruti Suzuki S-Cross, Renault Captur and the king of the segment – the Hyundai Creta. The Kicks is available in four variants – XL, XV, XV Pre and XV Pre Option – and with a choice of two engine-transmission combinations. Before we list what each of its trim brings to the party, let’s get the vitals out of the way. Starting with, the price list:

Nissan Kicks Price List (ex-showroom)

Just to put things in perspective, here are the prices of its arch-rivals:

Nissan Kicks Rivals Price List (ex-showroom Delhi)

Onwards to the powertrains department. The Nissan Kicks is available with the same set of engine-transmission combinations as its step-sibling – the Renault Captur. While all trims of the Kicks are available with the combination of the 110PS/240Nm 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine with a 6-speed manual transmission, only the XL and XV trims are on offer with the 106PS/142Nm 1.5-litre petrol mill with a 5-speed manual gearbox. While the former powertrain can return up to 20.45kmpl in the XL trim and up to 19.39kmpl in the rest, the latter is good for 14.23kmpl.

The Kicks comes with a 50-litre fuel tank and a turning radius of 5.2 metres. The SUV can easily tackle the Indian roads with a commanding 210mm of ground clearance. With all the seats erect, the boot capacity is rated at 400 litres, which isn’t class-leading but is greater than that of the Renault Captur and the Maruti Suzuki S-Cross.

With the numbers game over, it is now time to see what the Nissan Kicks has to offer in each of its trims. As before, we will only be listing features which can potentially make or break a deal.

Trim – XL

Here’s the list of main features that the Kicks gets as standard:

• Cooled glovebox with lights
• Front armrest
• 16-inch steel rims with full wheel covers
• LED Signature lamps
• All power windows
• Power steering with tilt adjust
• Electrically adjustable OVRMs with indicators
• Two 12V accessory sockets
• Automatic climate control
• Rear AC vent
• Bluetooth/USB/AUX/FM supported music system with four speakers
• ABS with EBD and BA
• Dual airbags
• Rear defogger
• Rear parking sensors
• Speed/Impact sensing auto door locking/unlocking
• 6-way manual adjust driver’s seat

You can easily live with the base-spec Kicks. It has got everything that you want from a car. Sure, there are some features such as alloy wheels, infotainment system, rear-view camera and the segment-first around-view 360-degree monitor missing. But if those aren’t of much importance to you, the XL trim works well.

Trim – XV

Given below are the features that the XV trim gets over and above the entry-level Kicks:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Front fog lamps
• Roof rails
• Rear armrest with cupholders
• Eco-mode (Diesel only)
• Rear wiper
• 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with voice recognition
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support
• Multifunction steering wheel
• Rear-view camera
• Vehicle Dynamic Control (Diesel Only)

The price difference between petrol- and diesel-fed XL and XV trims is Rs 1.4 lakh and Rs 1.64 lakh, respectively. We believe the price difference is sort of acceptable, considering that the XV is only a lower mid-spec trim and gets almost all the gizmos that one might want.

Trim – XV Pre

As mentioned above, this trim and the one above this are available only with a diesel engine. Here’s what you get in addition to the XV trim:

• LED projector headlamps
• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Electrically foldable OVRMs
• Cruise Control
• Push-button start/stop
• Smart card for keyless entry
• Two front tweeters
• Hill Start Assist (HSA)

The price difference between this and the XV trim is Rs 1.16 lakh. Is it worth it? If you can’t live without features like HAS, Smart Card and Cruise Control, then yes. If you can, then no.

Trim – XV Pre Option

So, what does the fully-loaded Kicks has to offer over and above its lesser selves? Here’s the list:

• Front fog lamps with cornering function
• Variable intermittent wipers
• Optional dual-tone colours
• Soft-touch dashboard
• Door armrests and front armrest draped in leatherette
• Console storage lamp
• Auto headlamps and wipers
• Follow-me-home headlamps
• Around View 360-degree Monitor
• Four airbags
• Rear fog lamp
• Leather with double stitch seat upholstery

This one is Rs 1 lakh dearer than the next-in-line trim. We are tempted to say that if you like the Kicks and want the best safety equipment on board, the price difference is worth paying.

So, there you have it. Compared to its rivals, the Nissan Kicks does offer more dual-tone colour options and more features as standard. But it does miss out on some important gizmos such as curtain airbags, wireless mobile phone charger and a sunroof, all of which are available in the current segment leader – the Hyundai Creta. Do let us know how you liked this article in the comments below. Feedbacks to us about our work are of utmost importance.