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Japanese car giants Nissan are hoping to make a spring splash with their latest creation, the new Nissan Kicks compact crossover which made its bow at a glitzy ceremony at the Y K Almoayyed &Sons showroom in Sitra.
The latest member of the Nissan fleet, first unveiled at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, has been designed with an aerodynamic philosophy to optimise fuel consumption and minimise noise.
Other design quirks include the V-motion grille, the boomerang head and taillights, and the coupé-style roof with a wrap-around visor look to the windscreen and side glass. The interior is spacious too, with the familiar gliding wing shape stretching the width of the dashboard.
Ranjit Nair, senior manager of sales and marketing, said: “The new Nissan Kicks was developed to be the most innovative, stylish and functional crossover in its class. It is equipped with advanced technologies making the vehicle comfortable to drive, in addition to being strong and stable thanks to the advanced chassis control technology.”
Such technology includes the Around View Monitor (AVM) that is displayed on the seven-inch colour touchscreen to make parking easier. Using four cameras, placed at the front and rear of the car and in both door mirrors, AVM creates a bird’s eye 360-degree view of the car which can be displayed on the central monitor and used as a parking aid.
Furthermore, Nissan Intelligent Mobility uses smart tech to reduce stress for drivers through innovations such as the Moving Object Detection system (MOD). When the MOD system detects a moving object, such as a pedestrian, a warning is sounded to alert the driver to the hazard and prevent a potential accident.
Under the bonnet, the Kicks has a 1.6L engine which produces 118BHP and 149Nm of torque.
The aforementioned screen is simple to use and provides access to functions such as navigation, audio and Bluetooth phone connections. A second screen is located in front of the driver and relays information from the on-board drive computer, audio system and navigation systems, as well as displaying warnings. Vehicle settings can also be easily adjusted using the four-way selector on the steering wheel.
Other safety features include Active Trace Control, Active Ride Control and Active Engine Brake. Active Trace Control is an innovative way to prevent a sudden loss of grip while driving as it works by applying brakes to wheels individually making it more stable on the road.
Similarly, Active Ride Control helps stabilise the car if it hits any bumps in the road or anything that will cause a ‘bounce” effect on the suspension by applying the brakes for a split-second after the encounter.
Finally, the Active Engine Brake is the last of the electric trio, which stabilises the speed when the accelerator is released while approaching a corner. This ‘cruising’ effect is often associated with automatic and CVT gearboxes.
The Nissan Kicks is available now for test drives from the Y K Almoayyed & Sons showroom in Sitra. Prices will be announced shortly. For more information, call 17734218.
