First launched in Brazil in 2016, the Nissan Kicks replaced the Juke in the company’s North American model range starting in 2018. About three years later, the crossover was facelifted with a new front-end design and new technologies, and now it is ready to enter the 2023 model year. It doesn’t bring visual revisions, though there are changes in the equipment and pricing.
Every 2023 Kicks comes with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 family of safety systems, even the base Kicks S with a starting price of $20,290. The standard equipment on the entry-level model also includes a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, three USB ports, and an engine start-stop button. Upgrading to the Kicks SV adds 17-inch wheels, roof rails, adaptive cruise control, a larger eight-inch infotainment display, and a remote engine start. The Kicks SV retails for at least $22,150.
Gallery: 2023 Nissan Kicks
The range-topping Kicks SR, in turn, costs at least $22,850 and has a black-painted roof and exterior mirror caps, LED headlights and fog lamps, a leather steering wheel, and automatic climate control. The optional Premium package can add a Bose high-end eight-speaker audio system, heated front seats and steering wheel, Nissan Connect services, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
| Kicks S | $20,290 |
| Kicks SV | $22,150 |
| Kicks SR | $22,850 |
Regardless of the trim level, all 2023 Kicks models are powered by the same 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which carries over from the previous model years without modifications. This means its peak output is 122 horsepower (163 horsepower) and 114 pound-feet (154 newton-meters). The power is channeled through a continuously variable transmission and reaches exclusively the front wheels.
With the 2021 facelift, the Kicks received a pair of fresh new taillights at the back with a LED bar across the trunk lid and more visible changes at the front. The highlight of the visual revisions was the so-called Double V-motion grille, which joined the optionally available LED headlights. The bumper also got a refresh with an edgier overall shape, as well as new LED fog lamps on certain trim levels.
