It's starting to look more likely that the Nissan Kicks will be replacing the Juke in Southeast Asia. It had been spied making rounds in Thailand back in December 2019 and we also reported that it will be assembled there as well. With Thailand being one of the major manufacturing hubs in the region, we might just see the Kicks here in the near future.
But now, there's a major update to this story. Not only has the B-segment (subcompact) crossover been spied again, it was spotted with zero camouflage too. What you're looking at is the facelifted version of the Kicks.
Side by side with the first-release Kicks, Nissan made fairly big changes to their small crossover. The headlights, for instance, are now much longer than before and it's now linked to the grill. Also, the grill itself has been made larger, incorporating a more dramatic interpretation of the brand's V-Motion design language. Nissan had even changed the front bumper by giving it a more rounded look, slimmer air intakes, and repositioned fog light housings.
Other differences between old and new Kicks? The wheels now sport a new five-spoke design. It's still a two-tone look but the spokes had been rearranged to make it look slimmer. Taillights have been given a slight tweak as well, now with slimmer reverse lights and turn signals. Also, part of the rear bumper is now body-colored which was either left unpainted or had a strip of chrome in last year's model.
Also, it is said that the 2020 Kicks will come available with Nissan's e-Power technology. To simplify, e-Power acts much like a hybrid system albeit in reverse. Typically, the vehicle will revert to engine power if battery energy is low but e-Power uses the engine to charge up the battery instead. In a way, the engine is used as a generator to keep charge levels up, allowing the driver to stay in full electric mode longer. It doesn't even need to be recharged since it's the engine that keeps the battery topped up.
Because of the current situation, it is possible that the Kicks will have an online debut if Nissan wants to launch it as soon as possible. It is said that the car will be fully revealed next month and other countries that may include the Philippines, could hold local debuts once the pandemic crisis subsides.
Source: Nissan Kicks Club Thailand
