[riturajsharma19]

So, as evident from the thread title, I am contemplating buying a Nissan Kicks 1.3 turbo. Before you wonder why I ended up shortlisting the Kicks when there are several other ‘safer’ choices available, do hear me out.

I reside in Jorhat, Assam and own a 2011 Fiat Punto Active diesel that has barely run 40k kilometers. Being ten years old and also being devoid of any active or passive safety features, barring seatbelts of course, I think it’s time to upgrade even though mechanically and cosmetically it is in the pink of health. Besides, the quality of most roads here in Assam doesn’t make cars like the Punto a practical choice anymore for long journeys. Roads here in Assam, particularly the highways, are something of a mixed bag – ranging from smooth, well-laid stretches to long stretches filled with large and deep potholes that could potentially damage low riding vehicles.
The resale value of a ten-year old Punto diesel, on the other hand, is a different matter altogether. During these pandemic times, I find it a risky proposition to offer test drives to strangers due to obvious reasons. I have finally decided to upgrade to a safer car with a budget of approximately 15lakhs, with as many safety features that I can afford, while hoping to get a good exchange deal on my Punto. So here are the cars that I had shortlisted

• Ford Ecosport Titanium Sports diesel: My sister owns a 2018 Ecosport Titanium S diesel and I have driven it extensively.

• Pros
• Solid build
• Great ergonomics
• Great engine and gearbox combo
• Decent handling

Cons

• Ride quality at low to medium speeds
• The brakes seemed inadequate, especially compared to the braking performance that the Punto offers.

• Mahindra XUV 300 diesel : Yet to test drive. The dealer seemed disinterested. Also boot space is a major issue.

• Tata Nexon diesel : Liked the facelifted front fascia. However, the rear seems disjointed. The extensive use of shiny plastics on the inside is a complete no no for me.

• Nissan Kicks 1.3 turbo petrol – I always liked the Kicks due to its looks though Nissan’s shaky position in the Indian market never made me seriously consider it. However, with the advent of the Magnite, things appear to change for Nissan India. I test drove the diesel Kicks recently, as the turbo petrol was not available with the dealer for TD.
Pros

• Solid enough build quality
• Good handling
• Superb ride quality on a variety of road conditions
• Decent brakes, seemed better than the ones on the Ecosport
• o Cons

Only four airbags where top end trims of competitors offer six.
Weird ergonomics (static armrest, audio controls behind the steering and numerous other such issues)
Host of missing features that competitors offer (no dead pedal (present on the Punto), no sunroof, no TPMS and several other missing features)
Hard clutch on the diesel. Apparently the clutch on the petrol is better but can’t be sure.
It needs to be mentioned here that only the following manufacturers have dealers here in Jorhat –

• Maruti
• Hyundai
• Tata
• Mahindra
• Honda
• Nissan
• Ford
• Renault

I could have waited to check out the upcoming Kushaq and Taigun twins but the lack of dealers in the 300km radius made me think otherwise. I find Maruti and Hyundai products unappealing due to a variety of reasons. Kia too has no presence in the vicinity.

Despite not being too happy with the braking performance of the Ecosport, I had initially decided to make it the top contender, while hoping to get used to the brakes eventually. What truly made me drop the Ecosport was the exchange value of Rs 85,000 that the dealer offered for my Punto.

The Nissan dealer on the other hand has offered me Rs 2 lakhs for the Punto, apart from an additional discount of Rs 30k for the top end XV Premium (O) MT.
I am tempted to go for the Kicks, even though it is a market dud. The deal that I have received on the Punto seems too good to pass up. At the same time buying a Nissan product does appear to be a gamble in more ways than one.

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

The Nissan dealer on the other hand has offered me Rs 2 lakhs for the Punto, apart from an additional discount of Rs 30k for the top end XV Premium (O) MT.
I am tempted to go for the Kicks, even though it is a market dud. The deal that I have received on the Punto seems too good to pass up. At the same time buying a Nissan product does appear to be a gamble in more ways than one.

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

Think of the exchange price for your Punto as additional discount on the Kicks. Please don't look at this exchange price to decide on any car but rather look at the landed cost of the new vehicle after exchanging the old one, the overall value that the new car gives and most important, the satisfaction you get from the new car.

You might end up with a similar dilemma few years down the line when you want upgrade from a Kicks and are worried of its market value.

Edit: Sometime ago, Nissan was offering huge discounts on the Kicks. Your dealer might be offering the same 'disguised' as exchange price.

[S15]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

The Nissan dealer on the other hand has offered me Rs 2 lakhs for the Punto, apart from an additional discount of Rs 30k for the top end XV Premium (O) MT.
I am tempted to go for the Kicks, even though it is a market dud. The deal that I have received on the Punto seems too good to pass up. At the same time buying a Nissan product does appear to be a gamble in more ways than one.

Assume I am a car dealer for noob automobiles. I have a car called flop.
The Noob Flop, as a model doesn't sell very well, and the company has allowed me to offer discounts of upto 1.5 lakhs.

Some random potential buyer comes to me with a demand to trade in their old discontinued hatch.
I can make out, from the way that he talks about his car, that he likes it too much.
So I, instead of offering him 1.5 Lakhs on the car, offer him just 30K on the car, and add the extra 1 lakh to the price of his discontinued hatch. And I keep the extra 20k as extra bargaining power in hand. If the buyer is a sharp negotiator, I'll offer him the extra 20k, else that's my salesperson's commission.

[Kosfactor]

From Fiat to Nissan that too a model which does not sell, I`m not sure if that is very wise.

Its unlikely that True Value or FirstChoice will show any interest in your existing car from an exchange perspective - as I have seen how they operate. They only touch vehicles that goes off their used car showroom in a week`s time, regardless of the brand. You do understand this will repeat with your Nissan too.

However if you manage to get a decent value for the Punto from Mahindra that would pay for the down payment, go for it and get the XUV3OO. There is a waiting period due to production constraints but test drive it of course , if you are an engine guy, this is it.

[sodapop]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

Despite not being too happy with the braking performance of the Ecosport, I had initially decided to make it the top contender, while hoping to get used to the brakes eventually. What truly made me drop the Ecosport was the exchange value of Rs 85,000 that the dealer offered for my Punto.

The Nissan dealer on the other hand has offered me Rs 2 lakhs for the Punto, apart from an additional discount of Rs 30k for the top end XV Premium (O) MT.

Since it is clear you like the Ecosport very much, I think you should go ahead with it. Its a beautiful car and despite being old, is still arguably the best car in the segment. You can find various threads here itself mentioning the same thing. Please do not drop it just because of resale value the Ford dealer is offering. You should check out organised players like Cars24 who might be able to give you a fair price for the Punto or somebody in your know.

If you go with the Nissan dealer just because he offers better money for your old car, you're just being Penny wise, Pound foolish

I am tempted to go for the Kicks, even though it is a market dud. The deal that I have received on the Punto seems too good to pass up. At the same time buying a Nissan product does appear to be a gamble in more ways than one.

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

Since you live in a relatively remote place, I don't think buying a Nissan would be a wise idea especially as there are high chances of the dealer folding up suddenly. In the long term spares could also be an issue being a rare powertrain and a high tech turbo petrol engine at that

Also please just somehow drive the 1.3 turbo variant first. IMO you shouldn't judge a completely different engine by driving another one.

Also honestly, in terms of quality, the Kicks is nowhere near the Ecosport. However, if you still really like the Kicks so much that you're willing to go through all the hassle and uncertainty, then go for it!

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by ashis89

You might end up with a similar dilemma few years down the line when you want upgrade from a Kicks and are worried of its market value.

+1. Cant agree with you more.

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

A BIG gamble IMO. Fast forward to 2025 and I guess, you might still find more number of Puntos on the road than the Nissan Kicks. I am not saying Kicks is an incompetent vehicle, but a sales dud for sure. Punto still is a favourite among enthusiasts and has a decent fan following which probably is not the case with Kicks.

Among the ones that you have considered, Ford Ecosport seems to be the best option if you ask me.

[condor]

Another way to look at it is: Making good use of the car you buy. Keep it for longer. The point to focus on would be what you get from the car, more than the resale value. Good resale is bonus, but would also depend on where you are put up. But you never know, there may be some one who looks at it practically.

One negotiation point is you could tell the dealer that this is a flop car and you would have a problem selling it later. See if that gets you some more discount.


If you like the car, and the service for Nissan at your location is good, then do consider it.

[Ramchi]

I have bought a Nissan Kicks XV Premium Petrol Automatic on March 31st. I had actually booked Kia Seltos HTX, waited for almost two months out of a 3 1/2 month waiting period before cancelling it in favour of the Kicks. I hadn't test-driven the Kicks before placing an order for the Seltos since I wasn't aware of it. I liked the Seltos with its neat design, ergonomics, classy interiors, good engine, nice features like UVO and Tyre pressure monitor, but after test driving the Kicks a couple of times and after maneuvering the it in my tricky parking lot, I felt the need for features like HSA, plus safety features like traction control, Vehicle Stability system, auto engine off-on, etc. made me think twice. These features are available only in GT-DCT variants of the Seltos. Since my requirement needed an automatic transmission as my family members also wanted to drive the car, the comparable models between Seltos and Kicks posed a huge price difference (close to ₹ 4 lakhs) with all those features plus Dual Clutch, Multi-Mode, Bose Speaker system, Wireless Charging in the Seltos GT-DCT. In addition to this, a March 17th manufactured Kicks was made available for me within a week of placing the order.

Definitely, the Nissan Kicks lacks a few things in the gizmos area and the Seltos' interiors were really looking good. Again, Nissan the Kicks has tinted glasses, which weren't there in the Seltos HTX. I found the Nissan's interiors not far behind as long one can tolerate few compromises like lack of dead pedal, lack of steering wheel controls, seat quality, obviously plasticity doorpads, no sunroof and sliding rear window sunshade.

On the other hand, I have found that the 1.3 Turbo Petrol Automatic engine is so responsive (some people say it has been designed by Merc, built to last) and the car very easy to maneuver in city traffic even with its larger footprint. I haven't driven much due to other limitations. Hence, I can't comment on its highway manners, mileage etc, but as far as the ride quality is concerned, I really felt the car is made for my taste. Its music system seems to be better than the Seltos stock Arkamys one. Boot space is very generous. As I have upgraded my seats with the Nissan black leather seats, the interiors look far better.

The rear seating capacity is for two adults and a child and probably a few inches lesser than the Creta & Seltos. Its 17-inch machine-cut alloy wheels are definitely an eye-catcher (these were not available in Seltos HTX. Kia only offered regular 17-inch Hyper alloy wheels). After driving a 2004 Honda City MT for about 11 years, I wanted my new Vehicle to be an SUV because the suspension of my Honda City could not negotiate many bumps and the car ended up getting hit at the bottom. The Nissan Kicks with its 210 mm GC, gives me complete peace of mind while negotiating tough terrain. During my drives and tricky parking, I have found out that the steering wheel is buttery smooth and the turning radius really good for driving back and forth.

I have been always been attracted to my neighbour's Maruti Nexa S-Cross, but now, my Nissan Kicks is sort of magnificent looking compared to the S-Cross when I look at it from the side.

I was actually going for a test drive of the S-Cross during my Seltos waiting days, and the Nissan showroom was on the way back, next to a Nexa showroom. I just dropped in to see the Magnite which I was after, but ended up test driving the Kicks.

Inside the cabin, I couldn't hear any noise from outside during my limited usage, the AC was very effective both in the front and at the back. Apple Carplay and Nissan connect behave a little weird sometimes and I am not happy with the USB port which is very sensitive (you will lose the connection, basically) to any movement after connecting the mobile through a USB cable.

As far as Nissan's future, its dealerships, service and support goes, I think I would have taken the same gamble with Kia, which is no different in my opinion. Since Nissan has a plant at my area and its producing cars on global platforms and shipping them across continents for more than a decade, I won't lose sleep over its future. My experience with the dealer was very smooth and almost hassle-free with minimum paperwork.

My ex-boss says he drove a Nissan Micra without servicing for three years and 70,000 km.

[mav3r1ckblu3]

IF you're not too bothered by half a decade old interiors and lack of techno-gizmos, do take a test drive of Renault Duster 1.3 Turbo as well. It has all the basic safety features and necessary electronics. However, there's almost a difference of approx INR 2.50-3.00 Lakhs on-road between the top variants of the Nissan Kicks and the Renault Duster. Plus with their Kwid/Triber and now Kiger selling well, they ain't gonna shut shop in the near future, and their after sales service has always been better than Nissan's.

Happy Hunting!

[shancz]

Risk it is, like others have mentioned some years down the line you will be in a similar situation with the Kicks. I doubt how long before they discontinue the Kicks, so a risk not worth taking especially if you have other good options around.

I would recommend you to TD the XUV300 and the S-Cross too. These two along with the Ecosport are good options to choose from.

[greyhound82]

1. Nissan after sales is a gamble due to their low sales.

2. Nissan and Duster is based on a decade old platform which fares badly in safety department

I will suggest
1. XUV 300 : safe , fun to drive , interior quality is good but layout is a bit dated , breadth of service centre even in rural towns
2. Nexon : safe , fun to drive diesel, good interiors
3. Ecosport : actually it should come at 2 but Ford decision on India is unknown
4. Scross : one of the best from the Maruti stable

[MisterG]

I maybe a bit biased when it comes to Nissan Kicks as I have been driving one for almost 2 years, running close to 30k kms. Even though it is a diesel variant, I found it to be a neat, no-frills vehicle that does its intended job very well. The company seems to have put in a lot of thought on ergonomics, ride comfort and NVH levels. Even the engine is quite capable and never finds itself out of breath.

The figures for new Turbo 1.3 is much better than the Diesel on paper. I haven't driven the 1.3 myself but have heard amazing things about it from other owners. In terms of service, I haven't faced any issues so far as the staff have always been friendly and responsive. ( Could be because I stay in a tier-1 city)

I have also had the pleasure to interact with many in the Kicks owners group and the general sentiment is that the company is very responsive to any issues faced by owners in case of an escalation. Fortunately, I haven't had the need to experience it first-hand (which is a good thing).

Regarding the build quality, I am impressed as it has gracefully handled more than a few fender benders in city traffic (thanks to few fellow drivers who keep their brains and eyes safely in a box before hitting the road) and emerged with nil to minimal damage.

Having said that , few things that some may not feel comfortable with Kicks are its shape/design, the lack of dead pedal, roof height (tall drivers may feel very little clearance between their head and the roof), lack of latest gizmos and of course, the service network depending on where they stay.

If getting a very good resale value is among the top priorities, Kicks may not be the winner, but if it's about the ownership and practical driving experience, it checks most of the right boxes.

Also based on your short list, Kicks is one segment above XUV300, Nexon and Ecosport, offering adequate space for 4-5 people and plenty of luggage in the boot.

Hope this helps in your decision making process.

[TrackDay]

Huge gamble. The car has not really taken off in our market. Had it been a less moving current model with great history, say like the Duster, it would be fine. Here the ownership circle too would be in the minor category. However if resale value and service is not an issue do go ahead. If you can source parts in the future and get the works done at an FNG it would be fine.

From the options shortlisted, the EcoSport could be a potential candidate. Another option would be the S-Cross which more or less is similar to Kicks in terms of body shape. Good luck shopping and do let us know which car you went for.

[KPR]

Please don't go by Punto experience w.r.to Kicks. Punto as such demands very less maintenance and Kicks hasn't established like a Punto or Linea. You will be under trouble when you enter 5+ years of ownership especially for spares and servicing if you buy a Kicks. Stick with Ecosports diesel (even Titanium is sufficient) or S Cross depending upon fuel choice and space required. Ecosport will be lateral upgrade and SCross will be vertical upgrade. Also I find GC is very important to you. So these two cars are perfect to select from.

[Godzilla]

I would say go for the Nissan Kicks. You can read my ownership review for more details. I have completed around 13000 Kms and it has been 1.5 years. I am really happy with the car.

Ecosport has less space at the rear and it is only comfortable for 2. However Kicks is super comfy even for 3.

Ride quality is definitely much better in the Kicks. Ecopsort is better in terms of steering feel and low end tractability.