[mav3r1ckblu3]

Originally Posted by blueshift

I took Duster into account before booking Ecosport as I was ok with the bare minimum features it offer. But my general understanding through the threads here and elsewhere is that Duster has lot of maintenance issues along with the costly servicing. Does it still hold true?

The Turbo 1.3 L petrol engine doesn't have any niggles (haven't come across any, so far). Old Duster 110 PS diesel engine BS4 model had recurring injector issues, whereas the 85 PS didn't seem to have any. This engine (1.3 L Turbo petrol) is used by Merc-Benz in A class, Renault in Clio and Duster and Nissan too in Kicks and other cars in various states of tuning. This Engine has a lot of cred that ways! I bought it purely for the driving pleasure, and for 12 Lakhs OTR for the top variant (True OTR pricing minus 2.5 lakhs approx for old vehicle exchange, corporate discount etc.) there was absolutely no other vehicle in this price range which could match the Duster in terms of power and engine refinement. Hence I went for it. I haven't regretted that decision yet ()

[aKrain]

I too had requirements similar to the original poster - needed a car with good suspension, reliability and automatic gearbox which could be serviced in smaller towns of Himachal and Uttarakhand. Finally, boiled down to Kia Seltos Diesel HTK Plus AT vs Duster Turbo CVT. Ended up buying the Duster as the engine/ gearbox combination is super smooth and Renault has service centers in a lot of smaller towns owing to the Kwid.

Originally Posted by mav3r1ckblu3

The Turbo 1.3 L petrol engine doesn't have any niggles (haven't come across any, so far). Old Duster 110 PS diesel engine BS4 model had recurring injector issues, whereas the 85 PS didn't seem to have any. This engine (1.3 L Turbo petrol) is used by Merc-Benz in A class, Renault in Clio and Duster and Nissan too in Kicks and other cars in various states of tuning. This Engine has a lot of cred that ways! I bought it purely for the driving pleasure, and for 12 Lakhs OTR for the top variant (True OTR pricing minus 2.5 lakhs approx for old vehicle exchange, corporate discount etc.) there was absolutely no other vehicle in this price range which could match the Duster in terms of power and engine refinement. Hence I went for it. I haven't regretted that decision yet ()

Great to see a happy customer of the Duster Turbo. I share the same feeling about the car as you.

[inclmal1]

Originally Posted by 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.

Open the engine bay, you'll see a huge Renault written on most parts.

The re-badging of Duster is nicely done in Kicks, and offers superior nvh levels. Having driven CVT based turbo petrol, it is suited for sedated driving, but offers more power on tap than its counterparts and is stable even on 150+ speeds. So far my ownership has been hassle-free and with the small community of owners, the feedback has largely been positive.

[tj123]

In my opinion if you like the car and if it fulfills your requirements then go for it simple ! When I buy a car I generally don’t think for resale which is going to happen 10 years down the line.

Regarding service these days cars are pretty reliable and generally service interval are once in a year affair. Biggest positive is the drivetrain, the 1.3-litre engine is quite responsive and this engine also does duty on the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class. The new generation CVT seems to quite reliable haven't heard any major issues with it so far.

Looking at Magnite’s success I am sure Nissan is going to stay here for the long haul. Nissan has lined up a number of new launches in North America which looks promising and I am sure some of it will trickle down here soon.

[hummer]

I love exclusivity and cars that stand out from crowd, but definitely not at the cost of peace of mind.

I owned Nissan Terrano for good 4+ years and enjoyed it's pliant ride quality, robust build and it definitely made heads turn. I didn't have any problems with service from Shahwar Nissan, Bengaluru. Later I moved to Duster AMT as I wanted an automatic but didn't want to lose that ride quality and space of Terrano.

Here is my Terrano Ownership Review: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ano-85-ps.html

I buy cars of my choice, not for friends or social media, nothing is permanent in this world, make ourselves happy by gifting nice drives to self, don't think too much about resale etc, also we have to deal with service once in a year unless we encounter issues with the car. All new gen SUVs in that category seem to have boot of around 400 ltrs, which is too small to my choice, my Duster has 475 ltrs. I don't recommend to buy Duster in this era, interiors are way too old.

Nissan Kicks 1.3 Turbo is one hell of a josh machine, I had driven it during test drive, it's based on the proven Duster platform and sharing many parts, with so much discounts it's a great deal. If I was in for a SUV, I would have just closed the deal without second thought. I haven't heard anything bad from a Kicks owner, only they can give REAL FEEDBACK.

[Iamcarnovice]

I just sold off my Polo TDI after a good 1.3L on the Odo at Cars24. I am now looking for a Mini-Van that is:

1) Petrol & Automatic (Have a Tiago AT -therefore vary of Tata Nexon XZA Petrol)
2) City drive-ability
(Enjoy the music and not worry about when the down-shift will happen)
3) Highway maneuverability (Get to cruise mode around 90-100 and stay there without feeling bad)
4) Build Quality (Owned Polo and Punto before that - Korean twins and Maruti dont appeal that much)
5) Dont want a spare tyre poking out of the car's tail - Bye Bye Ford!

Right now, Kushaq/Taigun vs Kicks is my bet

[sabbu44]

I think Kicks is an underdog in the category. I am yet to find somebody who has posted negative review for Turbo CVT. Ofcourse, service centre is a gamble. Hope Magnite success will get Nissan it's due recognition. They are also launching GTR to re position their imagery.

[das_ren_auto]

Is the clutch of Kicks hard like Terrano. I would not mind if it is manageable as I am presently driving Vento 1.6 TDI that has very long clutch travel. Initially I was looking forward to buy Kicks but the unavailability of a dealer within 200 km deterred me from that. Duster's interiors look too old and more over it is getting discontinued.
Not impressed by Kushaq/Taigun as they do not haver anything extra to offer in terms of driving pleasure than my present ride. Never interested in Korean twins.
After a long wait I almost made my mind to settle with Astor and after the price announcement also I am ok with it. Till now I have not taken the test drive. But from what i can make out from the reviews, it is no way close to kicks in terms of driving dynamics. It has again put me in deep confusion. I am not able to go past Kicks/Duster. What is the right course of action? totally confused

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

Initially I was looking forward to buy Kicks but the unavailability of a dealer within 200 km deterred me from that. Duster's interiors look too old and more over it is getting discontinued.

Kicks hasn't sold in good numbers and can be called a dud. If the model getting discontinued or future parts availability/waiting time or resale value are of concern for you, its better you avoid Kicks. If you are aware of these and ready to take the risk, then negotiate a good deal and get the car home. After Vento, Compass would be a good upgrade for you. Even if a new one is expensive, a sparingly used can be a very good deal too.

[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by ashis89

resale value are of concern for you, its better you avoid Kicks.

Thanks for the response.

Resale value is not a concern for me and even I am confident that routine services won't be an issue. My major worry is in case of a break down/accident it may be a problem. Is there a chance that an updated version may come any time soon because it seems that they have almost stopped production of kicks and it is made against orders only. I checked with two prominent dealers in Kerala and both of them are not having stock other than the display/test drive vehicle. Initially I was planning to book Astor ASAP but now I will wait till year end with the hope of some positive news. I am not able to convince me about any other vehicle below 22 L OTR.

[Nalin1]

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

Thanks for the response.

Resale value is not a concern for me and even I am confident that routine services won't be an issue. My major worry is in case of a break down/accident it may be a problem. Is there a chance that an updated version may come any time soon because it seems that they have almost stopped production of kicks and it is made against orders only. I checked with two prominent dealers in Kerala and both of them are not having stock other than the display/test drive vehicle. Initially I was planning to book Astor ASAP but now I will wait till year end with the hope of some positive news. I am not able to convince me about any other vehicle below 22 L OTR.

Is your concern proximity to service centers? Then you should think hard before you go for the Kicks as it can be a headache at times. Also keep in mind these cars are so reliable these days that one visit per year is the norm.

But if you are concerned about availability of spares in case of a major breakdown/accident, even India's top 2, Maruti and Hyundai will make you wait until parts arrive. No car manufacturer stocks up all parts all the time. Only those that come under PMS are available in their service centers all the time.

[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by Nalin1

Is your concern proximity to service centers? Then you should think hard before you go for the Kicks as it can be a headache at times. Also keep in mind these cars are so reliable these days that one visit per year is the norm.

But if you are concerned about availability of spares in case of a major breakdown/accident, even India's top 2, Maruti and Hyundai will make you wait until parts arrive. No car manufacturer stocks up all parts all the time. Only those that come under PMS are available in their service centers all the time.

Those are confidence eliciting words. No Kicks owners have complained about the reliability till now. My nearest dealer/ASS is 200+ kms away. I will wait for a few months and most probably will take a calculated risk.

[Kick'OKicks]

Nissan Kicks is a proven trouble free platform with the most powerful yet the most efficient Engine. It has been tested in the market for nearly Two Years. I own Nissan Kicks Turbo CVT. It is a tank like construction and fitted with flawless Mercedes Benz Engines. Recently I accidentally drove it outside the endge of a rural road during the night time, it was raining and absolutely no power/light, hit a sign post before recovering the vehicle back on the road. In this incident wheel cover, claddings were severely damaged, front bumber with minor scratches, headlamps came out of the vehicle, wasn't damaged working fine(though from the outside the damage may look more severe, actually it happened to be very minor since vehicle dynamics allowed me to lift the vehicle from the ditch in no time, that too during the rain). This repair took less than 10 days including few additional works like under body painting and side doors painting. During the process, service experience was excellent and they took care of (Autorelli Nissan Chennai) all insurance paperwork, they immediately called and made me comfortable as soon as I reported the incident while I was still out with the messy vehicle. Took some help from my parents native who have helped in removing the wheel cover(refused to take single rupee), cladding, tied the bumper and headlamps with a zipper which ensured my 450 KM return trip without any issues.

From this experience I would not worry about Nissan Service.

As such Nissan Kicks is available readily, dealers are made to order Kicks which will be ready in few days plus duration of transport.

Mileage also surpringly good for me at 13.5 KMPL in cities and at 19 KMPL in highway driving with my Turbo CVT as I keep the rev under 2000 RPM

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

Thanks for the response.

Resale value is not a concern for me and even I am confident that routine services won't be an issue. My major worry is in case of a break down/accident it may be a problem. Is there a chance that an updated version may come any time soon because it seems that they have almost stopped production of kicks and it is made against orders only. I checked with two prominent dealers in Kerala and both of them are not having stock other than the display/test drive vehicle. Initially I was planning to book Astor ASAP but now I will wait till year end with the hope of some positive news. I am not able to convince me about any other vehicle below 22 L OTR.

Right now Nissan Kicks Turbo CVT or MT are booked at festival discount rates, with exchange bonus etc which you will not get it in any of the competing ones forget alone 3 cylinder Engines with 26 inch alloys.

Kicks is a proper mid sized SUV, dimension wise and with a proper 4 cylinder engine for adequate power to pull the 1380 kg monster. You are comparing ₹15-₹16 lakhs OTR top of the line "segment above" SUV with ₹20-₹24 lakhs "segment below" vehicles some with substantial waiting period and some has 3 cylinder engines. Choice is yours.

[das_ren_auto]

Originally Posted by Kick'OKicks

You are comparing ₹15-₹16 lakhs OTR top of the line "segment above" SUV with ₹20-₹24 lakhs "segment below" vehicles some with substantial waiting period and some has 3 cylinder engines. Choice is yours.

I have no doubt whatsoever about the quality and reliability of Kicks. Even when i zeroed in on Astor i was very much aware that I am making a lot of compromises just because the nearest Nissan dealer is 200 Kms away. Same is the case of Jeep also.

My only worry is about unanticipated incidents which may require ASS support immediately. Rest everything I am very clear.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by das_ren_auto

My only worry is about unanticipated incidents which may require ASS support immediately. Rest everything I am very clear.

Even an incomplete or not up to the mark service might need repeated visit to the service center. Squeaky brakes, improper wheel alignment, streaking wiper or that random leak - few things you might not observe right at the time of delivery after service but can manifest itself after a few days.