First Drive: Nissan Kicks e-Power – A Very Different Charge

Mooted for Malaysian market entry since 2019 at least, the new Nissan Kicks e-Power finally makes its overdue arrival.

This Took ETCM A While, Right?

You’d be right about that. In fact, Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) mooted the idea of introducing the Kicks in Malaysia as far back as 2019. However, various internal and external factors, including a pandemic, meant the Nissan brand’s first B-segment SUV offering was inevitably delayed.

Nevertheless, it finally enters our market by Dec this year with two Thailand-made variants planned – VL and VLT. All it took was some crafty negotiations by ETCM with its Thai counterparts, which also sees ETCM exporting Malaysia-made Nissan Serena S-Hybrid MPVs into the Kingdom in return.

Besides breaking its absence in a highly lucrative marketspace, ETCM also fought for the Kicks’ Malaysian market entry for another key reason: to properly introduce the Japanese marque’s second-gen e-Power electrified powertrain tech locally.

Two-tone exterior colourway is offered exclusively in the range-topping VLT variant pictured.

It Doesn’t Look All That Bad Though…

Despite being late to the party, the Kicks e-Power doesn’t look too shabby. Touches like the full-LED headlights, prominent grille and its surround trims, as well as typical rugged SUV touches like its wheel arch claddings and decent ground clearance, all arguably bode well.

There will be five hues available for both the base VL and higher-end VLT guises, but only the latter sees the added option for a two-tone twist through a black-painted roof. As for rolling stock, you’ll find 17-inch five-spoke alloys lifted from the pre-facelift Leaf EV hatch.

Full-LED headlights, distinct taillight cluster, prominent front grille design, snazzy 17-inch alloys, as well as typical SUV-like exterior body cladding and wheel arches, all bode well in the Kicks e-Power's exterior.

As far as footprint is concerned, the Kicks is indeed compact at 4,290 MM long with a 2,615 MM wheelbase, 1,760 MM wide and 1,605 MM tall. Kerb weight is slightly on the hefty side too at 1,350 KG, but we reckon this is partially due to the electrified powertrain.

Two-tone (black and brown) leather upholstery for the dash, door cards and seats is present only in the VLT range-topper. These get replaced with fabric trims in the VL variant.

What Is It Like On The Inside?

Given the dimensions stated, it’s obvious the Kicks is not the roomiest or most spacious thing in class, especially when contrasted against the segment-leading Honda HR-V. Nevertheless, there’s enough real estate here to keep almost all occupant types at ease, especially in VLT form.

That because said range-topper gets arguably more plush two-tone leather upholstery wrapping parts of its dash, door cards and, critically, those plush ‘Zero Gravity’ front seats. Cow hide is traded off for regular fabric instead in the VL variant, but this is perhaps not a deal-breaker for some.

Touchscreen's resolution and presence of an analogue speedo dial do indeed look 'dated' aboard the Kicks.

Basics are covered, evident through the adoption of an automatic climate control plus an electronic parking brake with auto-hold function.

Signs of the Kicks’ age becomes apparent when you take note of the 8-inch infotainment touchscreen’s resolution, and the presence of an analogue speedo clock. Otherwise, there’s enough amenities abound across both guises to make daily life both comfier and easier.

Highlights include keyless entry and ignition, single-zone automatic climate control, a neat 7-inch digital multi-info panel in the instrument bin, both wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, electronic parking brake with auto-hold function, and a rather decent 423-litre standard boot space, amongst others.

Exclusively primed in the VLT are both a digital rear-view mirror and 360-degree parking camera.

Any Interesting Kit?

Yes, but only in the VLT variant. Naturally, this range-topper gets endowed with all the bells and whistles apart from posh leather. Highlights include basics like a 360-degree parking camera, as well as a rather neat digital rear-view mirror.

If safety is a priority, then the VLT varaint’s beefed up driver assistance package makes it worthwhile. That because this range-topper gets Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) added on top of the VL variant’s standard-equipped Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) suites.

Intelligent Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), along with RCTA and BSM, come as standard only in the range-topping VLT variant.

Apart from which, we’ll agree that perhaps the Kicks is lacking in this department, especially when contrasted against contemporaries like the rivalling Honda mentioned, not forgetting burgeoning new Chinese rivals that come at significant lower – read: more accessible – prices. At least the basics are covered, but the real draw of the Kicks lies elsewhere if we’re honest…

Nissan's second-gen e-Power is indeed a very unique electrified powertrain setup.

Is The Drive ‘Electrifying’?

Yes and no. Whilst drive and propulsion is handled by an e-motor and compact 2.1 kWh battery pack, it’s not as explosive in its delivery as a typical EV. It does however remain relatively silent, seamlessly smooth, and offers decent on-demand torque when you need it.

Said e-motor puts out 129 PS and 280 NM to the front wheels, and sees 0-100 KM/H dashes done in a fairly good 9.5 secs. Arguably, this controlled, predictable and ICE-like pace should bode well for those who aren’t used to EVs.

Primary drive stems from an e-motor outputting 129 PS and 280 NM, and it even offer its driver the choice for single-pedal (EV) drive mode too.

For said crop, the e-Power setup’s frugal efficiency will be a huge draw. That because the thermally efficient 1.2-litre 3-cyl petrol mill present, which puts out 82 PS and 103 NM, serves exclusively to charge the compact battery pack mentioned, or send charge to the e-motor via an inverter.

The latter only occurs under heavy acceleration or aggressive throttle inputs but trust us when we say it doesn’t feel as ‘disconnected’ as one would imagine – It actually feels more akin to a typical ICE-powered and CVT-equipped contemporary if you asked us.

1.2-litre 3-cyl petrol mill serves solely as a generator that charges up the 2.1 kWh battery pack mounted under the seat. It does power the e-motor via an inverter too, but only under hard acceleration.

For the light-footed, natural hyper-milers, the setup’s ability to sip as low as 4.6 litres/100 KM on average and yield up to 900 KM of range with each full fill-up, makes the Kicks e-Power a very ideal candidate once fuel subsidies are rationalised – and they will be very soon.

Moreover, the fact that Nissan offers EV-like selectable single-pedal driving mode – on top of Normal and Sport modes – ought to amplify its frugality further. Just don’t mind the slightly subdued level of excitement here versus a pure-electric contemporary.

During our drive, what surprised us most was the Kicks e-Power's tremendous high-speed stability, even when caned well past 'normal' Malaysian highway speeds.

Any Other Upsides?

Yes, and we’ll highlight the biggest surprise here, that being high-speed stability. For a compact crossover of this size, the Kicks can definitely hold its own when caned, even past ‘normal’ Malaysian highway speeds.

The other big bonus here is the high levels of noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) suppression lining its cabin. Dare we say it, the Kicks really outshines the bulk of its segment contemporaries on this front.

These aside, we’re also certain that its comfortable and easy drive dynamics ought to make it easy for just about any type of driver to adopt it. All that remains is whether if these merits highlights are enough for one to look past this crossover’s age.

Look past the Kicks' age and it's easy to see that the unique twist to electrified mobility offered by this crossover is indeed very appealing.

Should I Bother?

Still don’t trust richly equipped and accessibly priced but still somewhat unproven crop of Chinese-badged alternatives? Or do you find yourself unimpressed with the hybrid system primed in the rivalling Honda HR-V? Then perhaps the Kicks e-Power is worth a look.

And you need not wait too long either as ETCM has confirmed plans to officially launch the Nissan Kicks e-Power during the upcoming KLIMS 2024 expo, with initial deliveries slated for late Jan or early Feb at the earliest. The only mystery left is price, and your guesses are as good as ours for now.

Prices remain anyone's guess for now, but we have not long to wait as ETCM will officially launch the Kicks e-Power during KLIMS 2024 next month.

At least ETCM were kind enough to detail the decent after-sales package it’s willing to offer buyers of the Kicks e-Power, which sees a five-year or 100,000 KM base vehicle warranty plus 8-year or 160,000 KM warranties for the e-motor, EV battery, ECU and inverter.

So, if you’re willing to look past the Kicks’ age, then it perhaps could be an arguably solid alternative against EVs or even hybrids. Certainly, for avid hyper-milers, this is one electrified option to seriously consider.