Sub-Terrano Nissan Kicks Compact SUV is India-bound

Showcased as a concept first in 2014 and again in 2015, the Nissan Kicks will be put into production. It’s headed to Latin American markets but an India arrival is on the cards, too. Production for the vehicle has been given a green signal at the Rio de Janeiro facility, and the company is looking at selling the vehicle globally, adds Nissan in an official statement. As for its launch here, the Kicks is expected to come to India next year, reports India Today.

Positioning the vehicle won’t be too difficult, either, since there’s a slot empty below the Terrano. Indian Autos Blog mentions that multiple reports suggest that the Kicks will be based on the company’s V platform – which the Micra and the Sunny are based on, too – hence production in India won’t be an issue, either. It could use a 1.8-liter ‘Flex’ engine, but considering the 1.5-liter dCi unit does its job well across the Renault Nissan range in India, expecting that won’t be wrong, either.

Competition will mainly consist of other sub-four-meter compact SUVs like Ford EcoSport, Mahindra TUV300, upcoming ones like Tata Nexon, Maruti Suzuki Brezza etc.

The company has made an investment of $192 million to manufacture the vehicle, and an additional 600 jobs are expected to be created once the production starts.

Sources: 1, 2