Bigger and more technologically advanced: this is the new Nissan Kicks, manufactured in Brazil and coming to Argentina.

With the promise that it will arrive in Argentina by the end of the year, Nissan presented the new Kicks in Brazil , the SUV manufactured at the Resende plant, 160 kilometers from the city of Rio de Janeiro.

The first certainty after the launch, in which Clarín participated alongside Argentine and Brazilian media outlets, is that what's "new" this time is much more than an update to the Kicks currently on sale; it will continue to be manufactured and marketed under the name Kicks Play.

The Japanese brand conceived this new vehicle as a "new" car , with the idea and objective of broadening the competitive spectrum within the SUV market . Therefore, what you see is a completely different vehicle, both in its interior and exterior design, as well as in its engine and the technology it incorporates.

The brand-new Kicks comes equipped with a 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder turbocharged engine , delivering 125 horsepower and 220 Nm of torque. This is how it will arrive in Argentina.

It is a different version from the one already manufactured in Mexico and has a 2-liter, 142-horsepower engine .

This new generation, produced in Brazil and tested by Clarín on a 150-kilometer journey, offers good performance and efficient mileage, averaging about 500 kilometers in the city on its 48-liter tank.

It's a nimble vehicle to handle, both in urban areas and on routes that allow for higher speeds. It's stable and has a smooth ride.

Another important change compared to the Kicks Play is that the automatic transmission is a 6-speed dual-clutch (DCT), like the one used by Nissan in the GT-R coupe, which offers faster shifts. What's notable here is that there's no longer a gear lever , but rather a button panel for selecting gear options.

Also notable among its new dimensions are its longer (4.36 meters), wider (1.8 meters), and taller (1.6 meters). It has an extended wheelbase of 2.65 meters. It also has increased trunk capacity, which grows to 470 liters and can be further increased with the seats folded down.

The interior space is also larger. And although they've grown in size, the rear seats suffer in part from the decision to make the trunk larger, which reduces interior space. Therefore, it's a comfortable vehicle for five passengers, as long as they're children or not too tall.

"It's a new model for us. The SUV segment is growing and becoming more complex. We see it at the top of the B segment and close to the C segment due to its equipment and sophistication," said Angeles Zocchi, deputy director of marketing in Argentina, in Sao Paulo. She added: "It's the same name that is synonymous with success, but it has nothing to do with the previous one. It's a different car."

The new Kicks will coexist with the current Kicks, and will therefore be the brand's third SUV (the other being the X-Trail) that, despite ceasing to produce the Frontier pickup in Argentina, seeks to clear up doubts about its future in the country with this move.

The goal, they commented in São Paulo, is for SUVs to grow, out of Nissan's entire portfolio in Argentina, which also includes the Versa and Sentra sedans (plus the electric Leaf), to reach and even exceed 50% of sales volume, which currently represents 35%.

They believe the new Kicks is a path to achieving this. Hence the strategy of coexisting with the current model and positioning it in competition with models like the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Creta, the Volkswagen T-Cross, and the Jeep Reneagade, in the B segment. They also aim to " fight" for the market with other larger SUVs, such as the Jeep Compass, the Toyota Corolla Cross, and the Volkswagen Taos.

The new Kicks' equipment includes Safety Shield, with 23 levels of driver assistance systems (ADAS), with ProPilot technology as the highlight. This adaptive cruise control system is capable of maintaining a distance from the vehicle in front.

It also has four exterior cameras and side radars that provide, among other functions, forward collision warning with autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian recognition, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The interior is also completely different . The instrument panel, on the higher-end versions of the range, adds an integrated 12.3-inch screen to the digital dashboard. There are also four front and rear USB ports, and a premium sound system with six speakers in the front and rear and four in the headrests, similar to the one found on the Exclusive version of the Kicks Play.

In addition, the new model includes zero-gravity leather seats (the most expensive option) and a panoramic sunroof with the same system as the X-Trail. As for ride comfort, Nissan incorporated soundproofing panels that proved successful, as rolling noise does not filter into the cabin.

Although it's not yet known which versions will be available in Argentina, it has been reported that in Brazil there will be four options : Sense, Advance, Exclusive, and Platinum. The entry-level model will retail for R$164,990, approximately 35 million pesos, while the most expensive model will cost R$199,000, approximately 43 million Argentine pesos.

We'll have to wait until November to find out which versions will ultimately be sold in Argentina and how much they will cost.

The Nissan Kicks was launched in Brazil in 2016 , for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games. Construction of the Resende plant was already underway, and it began operating in 2017 and currently employs 2,500 people.

As in Argentina, Brazil will also seek to grow and compete in the SUV segment with an additional objective: " To transform the brand into an export hub that gives it prominence in a segment like the SUV, which is growing worldwide. According to company figures, 60,000 units of the Nissan Kicks, now known as the Kicks Play, were sold last year.

"We believe in working to improve a little every day. That's the culture we set for ourselves as a company. This is the beginning of a new story for Nissan," said Gonzalo Ibarzábal, the Argentine who is currently the president of Nissan Brazil.