[arindambasu13]

From what I can see, the only fly in the Ecosport ointment as far as you are concerned is the slightly lower braking performance. I keep shifting between a Honda City petrol and the diesel Ecosport as part of my daily drives. From that perspective, yes, the Ecosport's initial brake bite and stopping power seems marginally lesser than that on the City. That said however, in hard braking situations where one need to come to a sudden stop, the Ecosport brakes perform well enough and there is good brake feel and bite.

To take care of this difference in braking power, I have now adjusted to braking slightly earlier and using slightly more pressure on the Ecosport than I do on the City, and everything works out well.

In other words, the brakes are certainly not inadequate, but Ecosport being a heavy built car, the braking force required to arrest the momentum is higher than a lighter Japanese/ Korean car (and this is important to keep in mind when driving heavier cars, as a general rule). With this in mind, I would suggest that you pick up the Ecosport without any reservations. It is a fantastic car, and should serve you reliably for years - with the added fun quotient that you get from a Ford. Ride quality and space wise, the Kicks is definitely better. But in all other departments the Ecosport would rule.

[Youngindus]

Of course you are aware of all the risks (and potential low resale value) of going for Nissan Kicks.

I just want to add that a friend owns Kicks Diesel for last 2.5 years in Noida (UP), is quite happy with it, and bought it after a thorough research. His main criteria was value for money and driving experience.

[starke]

I would say go for Kicks and the new 1.3 T (Merc sourced) petrol engine is buttery smooth and fast enough. Considering the investment they laid for Magnite, its success and their export volumes, Nissan India won't pack up that easy.

Ecosport would be my second choice for sure, but not compared to Kicks as it is one segment higher than all other contenders (XUV 300, Ecosport, Nexon etc) and the ride quality it offers is unmatched by nothing in the segment (Including the Seltos)

Explore your nearby service centre review to get an idea of how good it is from some owners nearby and take your decision.

[Kashi053]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

• Maruti
• Hyundai
• Tata
• Mahindra
• Honda
• Nissan
• Ford
• Renault

Kicks is a wonderful car but its future is completely unknown and like you said it will be a big gamble. I would suggest avoid unless you are looking for automatic. (Kicks cvt)
If Manual, my choice in above brand is Xuv300 anyday. Please do test drive and check this car once.

[aayusht]

Hi Rituraj

Just sharing a few thoughts -
You have had the Punto for 10 years and driven 40k km. I don't foresee you changing that ratio drastically with a new car, especially with Covid impacted shift in behavior. Hence I suggest consider Petrol. You never know other states may follow NGT and ban 10 year+ diesel cars.

You also seem to have kept the Punto for such a long time and don't seem to have any issues, I am guessing you aren't abusing the car, hence even if you end up buying a car like kicks , you are likely (just a guess) to stick with it for 10+ years. At that age, (10-15) I feel resale value is less material. The delta between a 10 year old Kicks vs a 11 year old Kicks would be very low for the same set of conditions.

Since Kicks shares lot many parts with Duster, I don't think you would have many issues with serviceability, you may need to go to FNGs at times, but I feel that should not be a deal breaker

The 1.3L turbo is also used by Mercedes in their new A class sedan launched in India, so I do hope that this engine will be great.

As some have pointed out, Nissan is here to stay. With the Maglite, many BHPians had mentioned that it would be a make or break effort for Nissan in India and Nissan seems to have done well and I guess they will stay for the foreseeable future.

Wish you a happy buying experience. Do let us know how it goes.

[Maverick Avi]

NEVER conclude your buying decision based on the value of your old car that the dealer is quoting. I did that once and realized my mistake later on. If you love Kicks then its an altogether different story and you can go for it since you would be fine with all its shortcomings and low resale value later on. But if that's not the case then don't gamble on a product that might be out of production soon. Nissan as a company can still soldier on since they appointed an aggressive India CEO so they might be planning to test their waters longer(unlike Ford). But Kicks as a product is definitely a gamble. Ecosport is a "comparatively" safer option in my opinion so you may consider it keeping your constraints with other brands.

[Miel]

I would consider these aspects if going for a sales dud like the Nissan Kicks. As resale value will be very low generally, I will need to keep it for a decade or more at least, to maximize value. Therefore:

• How good is the parts availability looking from a long-term perspective? As years go by, will I need to wait for long with severe downtimes? Will I get the parts at all?
• How long do I expect to have easy access to a skilled ASC or FNG which can maintain the car for 10 years? If the options are 3 or less now, and that is being optimistic, won't the numbers reduce as years go by?
• Will the sales pick up? In India cars generally are either decent sales performers or sales duds on arrival. IMHO, I doubt an uptick in Magnite numbers will spell wonders for Kicks.

[Shanksta]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

Hi riturajsharma19,

Having gone through your post and considering your location I would strongly suggest you to get the Ford EcoSport over Nissan Kicks. As others have already mentioned the exchange value offered by the dealer should not be a deciding factor. I too sold my 82k run 2011 Grande Punto 90hp Emotion Pack 2 months ago and upgraded to a Ford EcoSport. I wanted 2 lacs but was offered 1.8 which I considered a fair sum taking into account the age, condition and the fact that the manufacturer is longer there in our market.

I would urge you to bargain hard with the Ford dealer for a better price or also alternatively sell it through a renowned used car dealer in your city.

All modern cars are pretty reliable but the only differentiating factor with respect to a good ownership experience is the availability of support and spares incase of any downtime encountered. Ford is definitely better than Nissan at-least in this aspect. Also if you are still unable to make a good deal I would suggest you to consider buying the Renault Duster 1.3 turbo over the kicks. I feel Renault is a tad better than Nissan.

Best Regards,
Shanksta

[riturajsharma19]

Thank you everyone for the insightful comments.
Well, what I didn't tell you in the original post is that I had already booked the Kicks. After going through each comment carefully, I have now cancelled the booking . Having said that, it wasn't merely the exchange value on my Punto that got me attracted towards the Kicks. It was the Duster-derived suspension and underpinnings and their suitability to the kind of roads in this part of the country that really caught my fancy. The Duster, on the other hand, was never in consideration, primarily due to its dated and unappealing interiors. I have decided to pause the car hunt for a little while. Once the prevailing Covid surge subsides, I will have a relook at my options, maybe with an increased budget. In any case, the Ecosport isn't going anywhere.

[Goku_YNWA]

One of my close buddy was in similar situation back in 2020 August, took the plunge and bought home the Nissan Kicks 1.3 Pre(MT) with paltry discounts as the car had just launched.
Car has done over 15,000 km till date and he regrets his decision due to thug attitude of very incompetent dealers in Bengaluru ( Surya and Shahwar )
and Hosur ( Maverick )

Below are the experiences which made him think Kicks should have been avoided.

1. Purchase and Extended warranty : Car was purchased at Maverick Nissan- Hosur, as we had tough time with the Surya Nissan in Bengaluru who was reluctant to waive of handling fees.
Hence purchased was made in Maverick Nissan who we initially thought was kind enough to waive off handling charges but only to realize later that extended warranty
was not provided although we had opted for it and paid for it! Such a bummer that we overlooked to check the documents handed over during the time of delivery. Later, Dealer asks us to buy it during the first service and denies to accept that the price paid was exclusive of extended warranty.

2. First Service , 1000 km-: It was done at Shahwar Nissan, Bengaluru. My friend requested for the oil to be changed, it was not required as per the service manual.
Dealer didn't have the stock of oil filter although appointment to service was made couple of weeks prior. Hence it was just a general inspection along with the wash. Then came the service bill of 1800+ INR which included sanitation, washing and general service charges. I wonder why Shahwar Nissan didn't honor free First service offered by Nissan.

3. Second Service, 10,000 km -: Was done at Surya Nissan, Bengaluru. We were apprehensive that the dealer would goof up with the oil change thinking its a more common 1.5 NA Petrol or 1.5 Diesel, Hence we clearly mentioned
that this is 1.3 Turbo and please stick to the recommended Oil specifications while performing the oil change. When the bill came, Oil used was 10W 30 instead of 10W 40. When we alerted this to SA,
His response was blunt, it would be fine that's the Oil we are using for the 1.3 Kicks. I am not sure how detrimental it may turn out to be in the long run, Car made over 5000kms post the oil change.


Other observations of the car

1. Mileage - It returns about 8-9 Kmpl in City and 13-14 on the highway ( 80-100 Kmph). It return around 600-650 km for one full tank, ~50L.
2. Very easy to stall. GTO has mentioned in the Renault Duster 1.3 review. My friend had a tough time to reach Nandhi hills on Sunday morning with Bumper to Bumper traffic,
When he reached the top of the hill there was smoke coming the Engine bay, I believe it was due to the use half-clutch on the incline. Car seems to be running fine post that.
Made an half hearted call to Surya Nissan, Whose response was more about expenses I may incur if the Clutch had failed. I visited the local mechanic who took her for a short spin and assured that clutch seems to be okay and suggested us to get it checked during next service routine.
3. Interior quality is a bit of let down. Panels and Bottle holders in the rear doors flex way to easily.
4. 1.3 Turbo motor. Its a joy on the Freeway, once its past its lag below 2k Rpm it pulls like a train.

Car has good road presence compared to Ecosport, Explosive 1.3 motor and even rides well. But absolutely misses out on the "Peace of Mind" factor , all Thanks to the appalling after sales from Nissan.
So the onus is on you decide if you really need to take the gamble.


Parting pictures of the Service bills and the Kicks with my 2019 Ecopsort 1.5 D

[VVN]

Was going to suggest Nissan Kicks but after reading our Liverpool fans review here, I will advise you against it. It's a good car but as mentioned, the 'Peace of Mind' factor is lost. I then remembered why I opted for Honda instead of Skoda apart from the iVtec. Say what you want about Honda, the cars are built to last. I never have to think about reliability whenever I get into the City. Peace of Mind is of utmost importance. Go for the Ecosport. Looks like the best option to me.

[07CR]

Moving from a sales dud, to another super Sales dud? (No offence to the owners), I am pretty sure you would know the risks associated.

IMO it's not future of Nissan that's in doubt. I believe Nissan is here to stay. However, I am pretty sure Kicks won't. It is getting bruised and battered from the cars in lower segment, and the mid to higher variants of Seltos/Creta. Adding to it, I have a couple of colleagues who have Nissan cars, and have terrible after sales experience. If Kicks is discontinued, the risk increases manifolds.

I would suggest ignore the exchange price for now (because the exchange price you receive on selling the Kicks would negate it, since it would have an even lesser price in future). Try approaching Cars24, who I believe would offset this with a much better price.

About the ecosport S, you can't go wrong with it. Except the rear space for 3 full size adults and a stiff city ride, this car has it all! Do go for it. All the best!

[Ibanez_70]

Originally Posted by riturajsharma19

Despite not being too happy with the braking performance of the Ecosport, I had initially decided to make it the top contender, while hoping to get used to the brakes eventually. What truly made me drop the Ecosport was the exchange value of Rs 85,000 that the dealer offered for my Punto.

The Nissan dealer on the other hand has offered me Rs 2 lakhs for the Punto, apart from an additional discount of Rs 30k for the top end XV Premium (O) MT.
I am tempted to go for the Kicks, even though it is a market dud. The deal that I have received on the Punto seems too good to pass up. At the same time buying a Nissan product does appear to be a gamble in more ways than one.

What do you guys reckon? How much of a gamble would it really be?

I too own the Ecosport Diesel S BS6 and have driven extensively from Guwahati to Tinsukia abnd back thrice till now. The highways improve during winters and go bad again during the rains. What I have concluded from all these trips is that ride quality is of paramount importance here in Assam. For me Ecosport works just fine maybe because I have come from a 2010 Ford Figo.

To answer your question I feel its absolutely safe to go for the Nissan Kicks. It has got an amazing ride quality, I loved the interiors, now it gets an amazing turbo petrol too. I am not sure of the service quality that Nissan offers so I would recommend you to check that out since we have been pleased with Ford's service in Tinsukia and Guwahati since 2010.

My choice would be the Nissan Kicks definitely because of its ride quality and the interior and boot space, and Ecosport would be a close second.

[armumbai]

I find too many people praising the Ecosport. I owned a Punto for 6 years and replaced it with a Ecosport Titanium (O). I used it for 7 years and sold it recently in March ‘21 after driving it for 72000 km. I hated the lack of power and the braking in the Ecosport. The first year after moving from the Punto to Ecosport were really rotten for me as I missed the Punto sorely. On the Mumbai Pune Expressway I used to continuously find myself up shifting even though I was in 5th. It was a real underperformer in the power department. It’s handling too was nothing like that of the Punto, in which I could zip on the Ghat sections of the highway at far higher speeds. The braking was pathetic as the car would judder badly on sharp braking.
I too am very interested in the Kicks and am torn between the CVT Kicks and the DCT Sonet. That’s as far as my budget takes me. The sales performance for this car is the main concern as I tend to sell cars in the 6th - 7year once the Zero Dep policies become unavailable. Due to the spike rate in the pandemic my car buying is temporarily on hold but I am really drawn to the Kicks. Having said that I think you should choose a car with far better service network and spares availability in your region. These are not really concerns in a Metro like Mumbai but I am sure they will make a difference to you, sooner or later
I wish someone could put a Mumbai buying perspective on the Kicks and a CVT Kicks vs DCT Sonet head to header including the merits of either transmissions

[SideView]

Does Kicks share parts with duster/terrano?

If yes, then I would say it would be still ok. If not, i would say stay away.

Its not only driving pleasure but maintenance once has look into.