Leaning into the connection between its name and slang for sneakers, Nissan unveiled the 2025 Kicks in Brooklyn at the opening rounds of this year’s NCAA tourney at Barclays Center.
The compact crossover does move in the right direction in terms of its styling, notably binning the so-called ‘V Motion’ corporate grille in favor of something a great deal more rectilinear. A wider stance and distinct boxiness are a welcome change to these jaundiced eyes, as are the integrated spoiler and hockey stick taillamps which give way to full-width LED lights. Further leaning into an association with sneakers, designers say those three-dimensional accents on the rocker panels are inspired by athletic sneaker soles. Run with it, we say.
Nissan will offer all-wheel drive for the first time on this model, complete with attendant driving modes to help traversing the white stuff. Ground clearance apparently stands at a significant 8.4 inches, which is leagues ahead of most other crossovers of this size. Under the hood we find a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine making 141 horsepower and roughly a like amount of torque. The sole transmission choice is a take-it-or-leave it Xtronic.
Its cabin features dual screens, as do most rigs these days, with the driver cluster measuring 7.0 inches while the center touchscreen is either an 8.0- or 12.3-inch tablet depending on trim level and option selection. Both rows deploy Nissan’s zero-gravity seats, a first at this end of the price pool. In keeping with the target market of this thing, interior storage abounds including bottle holders in the doors which are allegedly large enough to fit a 32-ounce Yeti tumbler. We idly muse if the drinks company paid for that product placement. In a fit of punctuation on just how far this segment has moved, a panoramic sunroof is also available.
Certainly, the Kicks is no slouch in Nissan showrooms. A total of 66,823 of them found homes last year, second only to the Pathfinder and Rogue in terms of crossover volume.
The new Kicks will reach Nissan dealerships later this summer in the U.S. and Canada. Full pricing will be available closer to the on-sale date.
[Images: Nissan]
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