Nissan’s $19,000 Kicks Hybrid Makes The US Version Look Expensive

A Far Humbler Launch

A week ago, Nissan said it would launch a new model. There wasn't much fanfare surrounding the announcement, but it did encourage its fans and followers to guess what it might be in its social media post. At the time, we thought it was the Skyline, although we might have been aiming a little too high.

Mind you, the Skyline is still coming, and Nissan even said it's developing it in record time. But back to the present: the car just launched was the Kicks, already available in the U.S. We could just stop right here, but the Japanese version has something that might be of interest to American buyers.

Meet the New Kicks e-Power

For the Japanese market, Nissan didn't bother to offer it with combustion options. Instead, it's a pure hybrid packing the brand's proprietary e-Power system. More specifically, it's the newly developed 5-in-1 e‑Power electric powertrain unit. It's a series hybrid system, meaning its 1.4-liter three-cylinder engine merely serves as a generator to recharge the batteries.

That also means the engine isn't connected to the vehicle's drivetrain. Instead, the electric motor (or motors) drives the wheels with no assistance from the engine. The first-generation Kicks already had this technology, though it wasn't available in the U.S. In fact, that same model was just given a facelift.

As for the car itself, it should be a familiar shape by now. Save for the lack of those DOT-mandated side marker reflectors and a steering wheel on the right-hand side, it looks largely the same as the ones sitting in showrooms right now.

Specs and Highlights

As mentioned, the Kicks e-Power's engine is merely a generator, so power is largely delivered to the electric motor. Still, for those curious, the said 1.4-liter mill churns out 97 hp, but that's not the full story. The electric motor that powers the electrified Kicks produces 141 hp, exactly the same as the 2.0-liter in the U.S model. However, it has far more torque at 232 lb-ft, easily trouncing the pure gas model's 140 lb-ft.

All-wheel drive is an option for this electrified Kicks, with front-drive being the standard drivetrain. Regardless of the wheels driven, the power output remains the same. Advanced driver assists are, of course, standard, and the digital instrument display has a unique arrangement.

In Japan, the all-new Kicks comes in four main trims, all of which can be specified with all-wheel drive. Prices start at ¥2,999,700, which is incredibly affordable; if converted, that's the equivalent of $18,700. The most expensive version with all-wheel drive rings in at about $26,500. Should there be any plans to bring it to America, those prices will go up, but it still has the potential to be one of the cheapest (if not, the cheapest) hybrid crossovers around. Either way, the U.S will finally be getting e-Power technology soon.

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