Nissan “Sneaks” Debut of 2025 Kicks in Brooklyn

The New York International Auto Show is usually the place where you would expect a new vehicle to debut in the springtime. However, before appearing at the show, Nissan provided a sneak preview of the completely redesigned 2025 Nissan Kicks at the opening rounds of the 2024 NCAA® Men’s Basketball Tournament at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The vehicle was seen through an interactive digital 3D “shoebox,” and the display and venue are appropriate because sneakers are an inspiration for the model’s bold design. Nissan of Rochester is proud to tell you more about this exciting new Nissan model.

“Unboxing the all-new Kicks at Barclays Center places our thrilling new model at the heart of the action as passionate sports fans pour into the arena for the exciting experience of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament,” said Marisstella Marinkovic, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Nissan U.S. “By aligning our brand with consumer passions at pivotal touchpoints, we showcase our products to the right audiences, fostering meaningful connections in the most impactful manner.”

Kickin’ It With A New Design

At first glance, the new Kicks does not resemble the current model, nor does it look like a Nissan, as it sports very little of the current Nissan design language. From the completely new grille to the boomerang-shaped taillights, the new Kicks boldly takes a new design direction.

Vehicle appearances have been compared to sneakers before and not always in a positive manner, but the Kicks owns it. For example, the textured patterns on the side of a sneaker’s rubber soul can be seen in the geometric design on the front bumper and rocker panels. One Nissan design element the new Kicks does sport is the floating roof treatment, and the available colored roofs echo another athletic shoe element, as do specific fabric inserts in the interior.

“When we first set out to design the new Nissan Kicks, the overarching message we wanted to convey was that of agility and toughness at the same time,” said Ken Lee, Nissan Senior Designer.

For “toughness,” they looked to football, specifically uniformed linebackers. “Our inspiration board had an American football player with a round helmet resting on top of strong shoulder pads,” said Marcus Quach, a Senior Design Manager at Nissan Design America in San Diego. “You can see that in the front view of Kicks, which features big, strong fenders with the rounder cabin resting on top.” The daytime running lights, Quach added, were inspired by football players’ eye black.

More Power, Features, Space, Fun

There is plenty of other news beneath the design, and the biggest for anyone in Minnesota may be the availability of Intelligent All-Wheel Drive for the first time in the Kicks model line. Thanks to a new 141 horsepower 2.0-liter inline-four engine, the model will have more power and a more responsive Xtronic transmission.

The 2025 Kicks is larger and roomier than its predecessor and features best-in-class cargo space and ground clearance. Nissan Safety Shield® 360 is standard across the model line, complete with Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Rear Automatic Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and High Beam Assist.

Higher trim levels include upscale features such as dual 12.3-inch displays for the driver and center touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™, panoramic sunroof, Intelligent Around View Monitor, Bose® Personal Plus 10-speaker audio system and Nissan’s ProPilot Assist.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks will be offered in S, SV, and SR grade levels with two available Premium packages. Models can be expected to arrive in the Nissan of Rochester showroom and inventory in late summer.