[Matteo]

While its not the most capable subcompact to join the market, it is one of the best valued new vehicles. Highly customizable and much more appealing to the mass market than the Juke, the Kicks is well positioned to take some market share from segment rivals.

 

[Justforkicks]

I appreciate the fact that Nissan went with such an unconventional design on the Juke, but I would have liked to have seen some it's powertrains borrowed for the Kicks. 125hp isn't going to make for the most thrilling driving experience.

 

[eta]

I appreciate the fact that Nissan went with such an unconventional design on the Juke, but I would have liked to have seen some it's powertrains borrowed for the Kicks. 125hp isn't going to make for the most thrilling driving experience.

Take most reviewers with a grain of salt. Most are spoiled from driving expensive luxury & sports cars on winding canyon roads and race tracks; while forgetting the common folks driving more affordable cars to and from work, stuck in rush hour traffic. Of the reviewers, Alex on Autos is more down to earth.

In the Kicks category of cars, fuel efficiency sells better than more horsepower. Where the Kicks nails it is in the packaging of the SV & SR. You get the important stuff that make that everyday commute much more pleasant. Stuff that one would usually find in luxury cars - Smart key, blind spot alert, 360 surround cam, remote start, premium stereo, etc.
Who knows, if the Kicks is a big hit, it is likely that Nissan might add a turbo power sports version.

 

[ontherun]

Take most reviewers with a grain of salt. Most are spoiled from driving expensive luxury & sports cars on winding canyon roads and race tracks; while forgetting the common folks driving more affordable cars to and from work, stuck in rush hour traffic. Of the reviewers, Alex on Autos is more down to earth.

In the Kicks category of cars, fuel efficiency sells better than more horsepower. Where the Kicks nails it is in the packaging of the SV & SR. You get the important stuff that make that everyday commute much more pleasant. Stuff that one would usually find in luxury cars - Smart key, blind spot alert, 360 surround cam, remote start, premium stereo, etc.
Who knows, if the Kicks is a big hit, it is likely that Nissan might add a turbo power sports version.

It all comes down to experience and perspective, which none of them have. It becomes even clear once regular owners come along and correct them.
Motortrend has been one of the few consistently good publications, aside from that its the most independent guys that provide value.

 

[Matteo]

While I don't think they need to go quite as high as Nismo variant, I agree that a turbocharged model would be a great addition. This is a value oriented product, so Nissan was probably trying to avoid premium gas and the additional maintenance that comes along with owning a turbo.

 

[DesertDriver]

I’ve noticed so many reviewers comment on how slow the kicks is, the fact it doesn’t have all wheel drive and the use of hard plastics. These reviewer‘s really need to check themselves, these are not luxury cars or sports cars so you cannot compare them to that. Also if you compare the options in the kicks and select any of its competitors and option them out the same way as the kicks you will be above $25K. If you’re looking for a vehicle that gets great gas mileage, has a lot of options then the Kicks as a good choice. If there are other vehicles that are just as nice but I think the price points are a lot higher.

 

[Caestus75]

While I don't think they need to go quite as high as Nismo variant, I agree that a turbocharged model would be a great addition. This is a value oriented product, so Nissan was probably trying to avoid premium gas and the additional maintenance that comes along with owning a turbo.

Great points, however, it is important to note, that not all turbo engines need premium gas. The engine can be tuned to run 87 and still provide a power kick. However, with smart ECUs now a-days they can adjust to 93 octane on the fly for extra power. Many manufacturer's already do this