[Auto] Auto Review: Get your Kicks from Nissan

[_Happy boy]

The 2020 Nissan Kicks is something that fits just between the Rogue Sport and Versa Sedan. If you need something to whip around the urban landscape and get remarkable mileage, look no further.

Under the hood of the 2020 Kicks is a 1.6L 4-cylinder engine making around 121 horsepower and put to the pavement via a continuously variable transmission CVT and front-wheel drive. There’s not a lot of expectation for this car to win ¼ mile races and it definitely doesn’t “kick” you back in your seat but it’s a whole lot of predictable and efficient driving.

Exterior styling won’t wow you with style or aggressive lines. In fact, it’s quite the opposite and lands on the side of boring and functional. I’m not by any means declaring the Kicks a boring car, it just works and functions well without any fanfare. At first glance, you’ll think it’s a Rogue, but after careful scrutiny, you’ll notice it’s not quite as tall, wheels are more at the corners and the windows aren’t tinted. These are giveaways to a smaller crossover vehicle. Upfront are large headlamps and at the corners are black wheels. Follow the lines up and back to the extended rear tailgate with a black bumper and single exhaust pipe.

THE GOOD, THE BAD ...

The Good: SV package for blackout, comfortable interior.

The Bad: Small engine and boring drivability.

Jump into the driver's seat and the first thing I noticed was how cozy and intuitive things are on the dash. A touchscreen centers the show with HVAC and storage just below. A traditional shifter is there as well as an old-fashioned emergency brake handle. The driver's instrument panel is mostly digital like most nowadays.

Seating in front is very comfortable and there is a good amount of space in the back for other passengers. I was able to latch my child seat, but it was a little cramped for the boys around it.

Rear trunk space is fairly adequate as well and was enough room for baseball equipment. Overall, the interior was a decent place to spend time and is able to carry a family around well. It also came optioned with the Rockford Fosgate sound system and I have to say I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping for a pulse-pounding experience and I have to say it was far from that. Either way, it’s a better-than-standard sound system, but left some to be desired.On road, the Kicks is a bit loud and a bit light on its feet. I have to say, most of the time I drove it I wasn’t completely turned off. At highway speed, it can be a little loud and get pushed around by the wind. On suburban roads, it was kind of fun to throw around the corners and held speed really well. It’s also really easy to maneuver in the city and tight alleyways. I found it was at home in the city setting with smaller roadways and areas to park.