Nissan to firm up India operations with Kicks SUV, Leaf EV launch

Nissan India is expected to launch Kicks compact SUV as Jeep Compass rival by the end of 2018. The Japanese carmaker will also bring in the Leaf as its halo electric car here.

Nissan, the Japanese carmaker has been in Indian passenger vehicle business for a long time. However, the company is yet to strike a chord with the customers. Lack of models could be one of the reasons as it sells only Micra hatchback, Sunny sedan and Terrano SUV in India in addition to halo car, the Nissan GT-R. However, the scenario is expected to change soon as the company has lined-up the Kicks crossover SUV and Leaf EV for India.

Nissan Kicks has been long rumoured for India while there was no clarity over when the compact SUV will be launched here. A report in NDTV Auto claims the Kicks will enter Indian market by the end of 2018 and the company is working on aggressive localisation for Kicks to price the SUV competitively.

Revealed globally in May 2016, Nissan Kicks gets a V-motion grille, boomerang styled head and tail lights, and floating roof. The crossover features beefier wheel arches and blacked-out A and B-pillars. It has boxy stance yet Nissan designers have successfully added modern touches. The gliding wing dashboard design with centrally-mounted seven-inch, automatic climate control, a flat-bottomed steering and dual-tone upholstery are the highlights inside the cabin.

While the global-spec is based on the V-Platform, the India-spec Kicks is expected to be based on the M0 platform that also underpins Renault Duster and Captur SUVs. The M0 platform is one of the most successful platforms globally for the Renault-Nissan alliance. It is a low-cost platform and that makes it ideal for a price sensitive market like India.

Nissan India to foray electric vehicle segment

Nissan is also planning to enter electric vehicle segment of India with Leaf. The new Leaf will be launched in India in India by the end of 2018 reports Autocar. Nissan Leaf will be imported to India as a completely built unit (CBU) and it is expected to be priced Rs 40-50 lakh bracket. The new Leaf gets power from a 40kWh battery and it makes 140hp. The claimed range for the Leaf is 400km and