SAO PAULO MOTOR SHOW: Nissan Kicks Concept

Nissan has revealed the Kicks concept at the biennial Sao Paulo motor show — a city-savvy compact SUV designed to reflect the colour and passion of Brazil.

Despite being teased on two previous occasions, Nissan has released very little relevant information on the new model, apart from its new design.

In the absence of any details on the car's engine, gearbox, interior layout or technology advances, Nissan has only confirmed that the concept was the result of a collaboration between Nissan Design America in San Diego and Nissan Design America in Rio.

The latter is a new addition to the Japanese car-maker's global design force, in an indication of the importance of the Brazilian market.

"This concept is a product of global collaboration, but it was inspired by the streets of Brazil and designed for its people," said Mamoru Aoki, Executive Design Director of Nissan’s Global Design Strategy Department, which oversaw the design.

The Kicks concept has the raised ride height and flared wheel-arches typical of compact SUVs, along with showy 19-inch alloy wheels with orange accents that match the roof.

The rear-end sports edgy, angular LED brake lights not unlike those seen on the new Lexus NX, while the front-end is dominated by Nissan's new corporate grille design.

Nissan's press statement on the new vehicle mentioned nothing about whether the vehicle would reach production, but the design is not so radical it couldn’t make the transition to a sellable vehicle.

However, even if it did become a production reality, it's unlikely to be sold in Australia.

Nissan Australia Managing Director Richard Emery previously told motoring.com.au that he would have to remove a model from its significant SUV range before he could add another such as the Kicks.

"There were some products I saw [in a top-secret new model preview] that I wouldn't add to the line-up without taking something else out," he said.

Measuring 4300mm long, the Kicks is shorter than the Nissan QASHQAI (-77mm)  but longer than the JUKE (+165mm), and could hypothetically slot in between the two compact SUVs or replace one of them.

"So Nissan might offer three cars globally that in Australia would all fit within the one segment," explained Emery. "So sometimes you think 'would that one be better than that one when we are already have too any models, we are too spread'," highlighting the company's quandary.

Raising more questions than it answers, the Nissan Kicks does provide an insight into the future design direction of Nissan's compact SUVs, as the Vice-President of Nissan Design America, Taro Ueda, explained.

"It's not only just for the Brazilian market, but we capture the idea of Brazil and then we apply it to our global design improvement, making a stronger design line-up for future Nissan designs," he said.