Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
With the Formula One done and dusted, I had that familiar post-race blues and needed to bag myself a test drive to release my inner Lewis Hamilton on Bahrain’s roads.
While the Nissan Kicks won’t be taking any chequered flags anytime soon, and won’t even put me in danger of putting the kingdom’s much-maligned speed cameras to use, it was a relaxing and smooth drive that opens a pathway into the mini-SUV market for the Japanese marque.
That particular segment is exploding in popularity worldwide, and the Kicks is designed to tap into the increasing demand at an extremely competitive price for such a trusted marque. It fits in the same range as the familiar Juke and Qashqai, falling somewhere between the two in size.
The look is a mix of Juke styling cues, including a distinctive hump around the rear wheel arch, alongside a V-motion grille, boomerang head and taillights. The coupé-style roof with a wrap-around visor look to the windscreen and side glass creates an aerodynamic feel, with less noise and fuel-consumption promised by the brand.
Under the bonnet, the Kicks has a 1.6L engine which produces 118BHP and 149Nm of torque. While this doesn’t pull up any trees, it has enough oomph to get in and out of traffic at your right foot’s desire.
The Kicks comes with a few interesting technical features designed to cope with the kingdom’s rougher roads. Of particular note are Active Trace Control, which applies the brakes mid-corner to keep the car on line, and Active Ride Control, which uses the brakes briefly when the car hits one of the many potholes that line my commute from home to the GulfWeekly office and to the Nissan showroom in Sitra.
On the road, these systems are barely noticeable as the Kicks is a reliable, smooth machine. The cornering is superb and the suspension strong enough to withstand bumps and obstacles. However, it’s comforting to know they are there as a fall-back in more extreme circumstances.
There’s a healthy amount of space across the front cabin, and while you sit high in the rear, anyone up to six feet tall should be more than comfortable.
The seven-inch screen on the centre stack 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.
Perhaps the most useful benefit of the screen is the Around View Monitor (AVM) that makes parking a doddle. 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. Handy for squeezing into those narrow spaces on Exhibitions Avenue where parking is at a premium.
Overall, this is a roomy, comfortable vehicle with a number of easy-to-use features that proves a match for its competitors.
The Nissan Kicks is available now from the Y K Almoayyed & Sons showroom in Sitra. Prices start at BD6,495. For more information, call 17734218.
