Nissan Kicks Australia launch still under consideration

Key highlights

• Nissan is investing £170 million to build the Kicks in the UK for Europe and the UK.
• Australia is considering the Kicks, but Nissan has not confirmed a local launch.
• The Kicks uses petrol and e-Power hybrid powertrains in different markets.

The Nissan Kicks is edging closer to Australia, but a local launch is still not confirmed. Nissan Australia says it is examining the business case for the second-generation Kicks, following confirmation that the small SUV will be built in right-hand drive at Nissan’s Sunderland factory in the UK. Nissan will invest £170 million, or around A$320 million, at the British plant to produce the Kicks for the UK and European markets. Those versions will use Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system.

For Australian buyers, the significance is simple; the Kicks is now being produced in another right-hand-drive market, making it a more realistic candidate for Australia than it was previously. Nissan Australia has said it is “examining the business case” for the Kicks, but has not confirmed whether or when it will launch locally.

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Built almost everywhere except here

The new Kicks isn’t exactly a niche product globally. It’s already rolling off production lines in Mexico and Brazil for the Americas, and in Japan for the home market, with production having kicked off back in 2024. The Japanese-built version is the one most likely to eventually make its way here, given right-hand-drive requirements.

There’s also an older first-generation Kicks still being built in Thailand and Taiwan for Asian markets, plus a Brazilian variant called the Kait that runs alongside the newer model. Since launching in 2016, Nissan has managed to shift more than 1.8 million Kicks worldwide across over 70 countries. It’s a proven seller, just not one Australians have had access to.

What’s under the bonnet?

The version heading to the UK uses Nissan’s e-Power hybrid system, which works a bit differently to a conventional hybrid. Rather than the petrol engine driving the wheels directly, a 1.4-litre three-cylinder engine acts purely as a generator, feeding a 105kW/315Nm electric motor that does the actual driving. All-wheel-drive versions add a second 50kW/140Nm motor at the rear for extra grip.

Other markets get the Kicks with more conventional turbocharged 1.0-litre or naturally aspirated 2.0-litre petrol engines, and there’s also a tougher-looking Rock Creek variant with a bit more visual attitude for buyers who want their small SUV to look the part off-road, even if it’s not a serious bush basher.

Inside, the Kicks gets a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a matching 12.3-inch touchscreen, along with Nissan’s ProPilot system bundling adaptive cruise control with lane-centring, plus safety extras like blind-spot assist and a surround-view camera. Sizing-wise, it’s a touch smaller than the Qashqai in every dimension, which hints at where it would likely sit in the range if it ever arrives here.

Why would it matter for Australian buyers?

Timing is everything, and right now it’s looking pretty good for a Kicks business case. Qashqai sales in Australia have dropped a brutal 72.8 per cent this year, following the axing of cheaper petrol variants and a hybrid-only switch that pushed pricing up by more than $10,000. Nissan sold just 4,478 Qashqai locally last year, a fraction of what it was moving a decade ago.

With the Juke gone and the X-Trail now Nissan’s cheapest model in Australia at $38,305 before on-roads, there’s a genuine affordability gap sitting wide open. A well-priced Kicks could plug that hole nicely, and might even pull some buyers away from an increasingly pricey Qashqai rather than cannibalising sales elsewhere.

For now, it’s all still speculation. Nissan hasn’t confirmed pricing, specs or a launch date for Australia, and the local team has been careful not to overpromise. But given the growing pressure to offer something below the X-Trail, and the sheer number of overseas markets already building the thing, a Kicks for Australia looks more like a matter of when than if.