The 2020 Nissan Kicks has been priced from Rs 9.50 lakh onwards, while the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos are priced from Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 9.89 lakh (ex-showroom) respectively
Nissan has finally launched the BS6-compliant Kicks in the Indian market, and while the Japanese carmaker decided to discontinue the SUV’s diesel powertrain, a new turbo-petrol engine has been introduced that makes it the most powerful car in its class that is largely dominated by the Korean cousins i.e. Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos.
Here in this article, we compare the newly launched 2020 Nissan Kicks against the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos to see if the updated car has what it takes to go neck and neck against the segment leaders, take a read –
Dimensions
If the dimensions are to be considered, the Nissan Kicks is superior to both the Koreans car it puts up against in the Indian market.
| Dimensions | Nissan Kicks | Hyundai Creta | Kia Seltos |
| Length | 4,384 mm | 4,300 mm | 4,315 mm |
| Width | 1,813 mm | 1,790 mm | 1,800 mm |
| Height | 1,656 mm | 1,635 mm | 1,620 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,673 mm | 2,610 mm | 2,610 mm |
The Nissan Kicks is 84 mm longer, 23 mm wider and 21 mm taller than the Creta, while it is 69 mm longer, 13 mm wider and 36 mm taller than Creta’s cousin, Kia Seltos. Both the cars also have a 63 mm shorter wheelbase as compared to the Kicks.
Powertrains
With the BS6 emission norms coming into effect, Nissan has decided to stop producing diesel powertrains for the Indian market. In order to fill the void of the now-gone oil burner, the Japanese carmaker has launched an all-new 1.3-litre turbocharged petrol engine that is co-developed with Mercedes-Benz. This engine makes the Nissan Kicks the most powerful SUV in its class.
| Powertrain | Nissan Kicks | Hyundai Creta | Kia Seltos |
| Engine | 1.5L NA petrol | 1.5L NA petrol | 1.5L NA petrol |
| Power | 106 PS | 115 PS | 115 PS1 |
| Torque | 142 Nm | 144 Nm | 144 Nm |
| Transmission | 5-speed MT | 6-speed MT/IVT | 6-speed MT/IVT |
| Powertrain | Nissan Kicks | Hyundai Creta | Kia Seltos |
| Engine | 1.3L turbo-petrol | 1.4L turbo petrol | 1.4L turbo petrol |
| Power | 156 PS | 140 PS | 140 PS |
| Torque | 254 Nm | 242 Nm | 242 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/8-speed CVT | 7-speed DCT | 6-speed MT/7-speed DCT |
The new turbo petrol engine makes 156 PS of max power, along with 254 Nm of peak torque. Transmission duties are handled by a 6-speed manual gearbox, along with an optional 8-step CVT. This new powertrain will be offered on the higher trims, while the entry-level variants still get a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol motor rated at 106 PS/142 Nm, paired with a 5-speed MT.
Both the 2020 Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos can be had with two different petrol powertrains, as well as an oil burner. The 1.5-litre NA petrol engine offered with the SUVs is rated at 115 PS/144 Nm, and can be had with either a 6-speed MT or an IVT auto.
The 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol TGDi petrol motor puts out 140 PS of power along with 242 Nm of torque, and is offered with a 7-speed DCT auto gearbox in both the cars, while the Seltos additionally gets an optional 6-speed MT for this motor.
Since the 2020 Kicks is a petrol-only car now, we do not compare the Seltos and Creta’s 1.5-litre oil burner, but the said engine is worth mentioning. It churns out 115 PS of max power and the peak torque output is rated at 250 Nm. The transmission options include a 6-speed manual gearbox and a 6-speed torque converter automatic.
Features
Nissan continues to offer the 2020 Kicks with features like dual-chamber LED projector headlamps, around-view monitor, an 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, NissanConnect connected-car tech with over 50 features and smartwatch connectivity, auto climate control, cruise control, 17-inch machined alloy wheels etc.
The Creta gets 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment with smartphone connectivity, an 8-speaker Bose premium sound system Hyundai’s BlueLink connected-car tech, paddle shifters, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, electrically adjustable driver’s seat, a 7-inch TFT colour display in the instrument cluster, a touch-enabled smart air purifier, and drive mode select as well.
Just like the platform and the powertrains, the Seltos shares a lot of features with the Creta. However, some of the features are unique to the Kia SUV including a 360-degree camera, a blind-spot monitor, front parking sensors, multi-colour LED sound mood lighting and an 8-inch head-up display.
Safety
The Nissan Kicks comes with four airbags, ABS with EBD, hill start assist, electronic stability control, traction control, vehicle dynamic control, and a 360-degree parking camera for safety.
Both the Creta and the Seltos get 6 airbags, a tyre pressure monitoring system, Electronic Stability Control, Vehicle Stability Management, Hill-Assist Control, driver rear view monitor, ABS with EBD, an electronic parking brake with auto hold (Creta only), traction control and rear disc brakes.
Price
Nissan has priced the 2020 Kicks from Rs 9.50 lakh onwards for the 1.5L petrol trim, while the 1.3L turbo petrol variants start from Rs 11.85 lakh onwards, going all the way up to Rs 14.15 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom) for the top-end automatic trim.
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Hyundai retails the 1.5L trims of the Creta between Rs 9.99 lakh and Rs 16.15 lakh, while the turbo trims are priced in the range of Rs 16.16 lakh – Rs 17.20 lakh. On the other hand, the Kia Seltos is priced between Rs 9.89 lakh to Rs 17.34 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom).
Comparison Verdict
While the Kia Seltos and the Hyundai Creta dominate the segment largely because of the vast powertrain list, as well as the extensive features on offer, the 2020 Nissan Kicks will definitely have a lot of takers given its new 1.3-litre turbo petrol engine that offers best in class performance, dimensions, while its equipment list is not far behind either.
