Nissan hits US market with two new models

Nissan has an optimistic near-term plan. Dubbed ‘NEXT’, the company hopes to modernise its portfolio and release ten new models in the US market in the space of 20 months. It started with the new Rogue, and also launched its first all-electric SUV, the Ariya.

The latest two models to be launched are the 2021 Armada and 2021 Kicks. The large SUV and compact crossover have been redesigned, both with distinctly more modern exterior and interior details.

Armada

The Armada includes new front fenders that are far chunkier, making the vehicle appear distinctly more formidable head on. Body work from the fenders slices into the centre of front lamps, highlighting the sharp ‘C’ shape signature. The lamps now have more than 50 LEDs each. The inner part of the lamps meet the chunky chrome outline of the grille, which was previously positioned slightly inside the grille on the earlier generation – a simple change that has made the front look tidier and more formidable.

The new rear lamps are each made up of 70 LEDs and have a similar ‘C’ shape as the front lamps but inverted. They are topped by a thin strip of chrome that spans the width of the rear, replacing the thick piece of chrome that was at the centre of the boot on the previous Armada.

From the side, the new Armada looks almost identical to the older generation. It has the same rectangular silhouette, and the rear windows finish in a familiar point that draws the eye to the small spoiler.

Seven exterior colours are available: Hermosa Blue Pearl, Mocha Almond Pearl, Gun Metallic, Super Black, Brilliant Silver Metallic, Aspen White TriCoat (premium color) and new Coulis Red Pearl. Other details are available when opting for the Midnight Edition trim, such as black mirrors, black roof rails, black grille and black skid plates.

The inside the new Armada is not so different from the previous generation. There is a new 12.3-inch touchscreen with improved graphics that now sits astride the dash, and a new 7-inch driver display screen. But the shape of the dash remains the same, with the curved spaces of the two front occupants created by a glossy surface that sits between the upper and middle sections of the dash. There is also the same large, featureless section of dash above the glove compartment with the teardrop vent at the far edge.

Seats on the standard trim are made of Prima-Tex – which is Nissan’s own faux leather material. The SL and Platinum trims, however, have genuine leather seats, and also can include optional “captain’s chairs” on the second row and a removable central console.

Also available on the Platinum version is an intelligent rear view mirror, with a frameless design and larger screen than in the previous generation. The mirror helps to improve visibility in low-light conditions and expands the field of view.

Four interior colour trims are available: Charcoal, Almond, Brown and Black (Midnight Edition only).

Kicks

The front of the Kicks is completely different to the previous generation, with Nissan’s V-motion grille taking centre stage. It’s much larger than the grille on the previous Kicks, pushing both down into the bumper and out to meet the head lamps.

The lamps are new, thinner in their shape and topped with a glossy black surface. A thin strip of chrome also runs beneath them before changing direction to outline the grille shape. Body work at the front is cleaner, particularly underneath the head lamps and surrounding the daytime running lights.

The design of the side and rear of the new Kicks are both similar to the previous generation. An LED light strip connects the rear lamps, with the aim of emphasising the width of the model, while a new thin rear bumper sits low down and sticks to a single horizontal line instead of pushing up into the body work.

Three new colours are available – Electric Blue Metallic, Scarlet Ember Tintcoat (premium colour) and Boulder Gray Pearl – while previous options still available include Gun Metallic, Super Black, Aspen White TriCoat (premium color) and Fresh Powder. There are also five two-tone paint combinations, including three new options – Super Black/Scarlet Ember Tintcoat, Super Black/Electric Blue Metallic and Super Black/Boulder Gray Pearl. Also offered are Super Black/Aspen White TriCoat and Super Black/Monarch Orange Metallic.

Inside, the new Kicks almost looks older than the previous generation. Not much has changed, apart the flatter centre console. There are also new seat and door trim designs available in the SV and SR grades. The SR Premium package includes Prima-Tex seating with three-tone design and stitching, as well as a Bose Personal Plus sound system with eight speakers including one in the driver’s seat headrest.