En route to the Kicks’s 5-star ASEAN NCAP safety rating, Nissan’s compact crossover was inadvertently listed for the Philippine market (see below). In fact, the ASEAN NCAP managed to break down the Kicks’s standard safety specifications for the local market:

• Anti-lock Brakes (ABS)
• Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
• Driver’s Airbag
• Front Passenger Airbag
• Side and Curtain Airbags (listed as Optional)
• Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
• Forward Collision Warning (FCW)

The remaining question is down to what sort of engine the Kicks will get for the Philippines. So far, there are two engine variants available: a conventional 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine or an electrified 1.2-liter powertrain called Nissan e-Power.

In its 1.5-liter guise, the Kicks generates 125 horsepower and 156 Nm of torque. It is the primary engine used for the North American market. Meanwhile, if Nissan chooses the 1.2-liter, it makes 129 horsepower and 260 Nm of torque thanks to Nissan e-Power (click here to read more about it). The latter has been made available for ASEAN markets such as Thailand and Indonesia, and is the variant tested by the ASEAN NCAP for homologation.

Either way, if Nissan Philippines does decide to sell the Kicks here, it could mean the demise of the Juke. This could also give them breathing room to possibly bring in the Magnite as well.