Nissan Kicks SR 2018

Replacing the Juke at the small end of Nissan’s SUV lineup, the Kicks is a cheeky entry into the subcompact-crossover class. The sole engine is a 125-hp four-cylinder mated with a CVT and front-wheel drive, so it loses the turbocharged Juke’s fun factor, but it attempts to make up for that with more interior space and plenty of features. Forward-collision warning and autonomous emergency braking are standard, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are optional. It goes on sale in June 2018.
Despite the jump in size, Nissan hasn’t seen fit to augment anything under the hood. In fact, it has done exactly the opposite by installing a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter inline-four in the Kicks as the sole powerplant. It produces a paltry 125 horsepower and 115 lb-ft of torque, down 63 ponies and 62 lb-ft compared with the Juke’s turbocharged 1.6-liter unit. Further sapping the fun, the Kicks comes only with a continuously variable automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.