Rent Nissan Kicks 2022 in Dubai

Want a higher seat than a hatchback without taking on the bulk of a proper SUV? That is the slot the Nissan Kicks 2022 fills, and we rent it in Dubai with 250 km a day built into the rate, so a week of school runs, mall trips and the odd airport pickup rarely pushes you into extra mileage. It is a compact crossover for one or two people and light family use. This page is about whether that small footprint and modest 122 hp suit your week here, or whether you should size up to something with more room and more pull on the highway.

A quick spec read

The Kicks runs a 1.6-litre four-cylinder making 122 hp through a CVT automatic to the front wheels. There is no all-wheel-drive version, so treat it as a tall hatch, not an off-roader.

How much luggage actually fits

The boot holds 432 litres with the rear seats up, which in real terms is one large suitcase and a couple of soft bags, or two medium cases if you pack flat. That covers a couple flying in for the week or a small family doing weekend trips. Drop the 60/40 rear seats and you free up enough for a flat-pack run or a bicycle, but you lose the back seat to do it.

Where it gets tight is four adults plus their airport cases. The cabin seats five on paper, and three across the back is fine for short hops, but luggage for a full car does not fit behind them. If that is your trip, look at a larger crossover or a sedan with a deeper boot. For one or two people, the Kicks has more space than the numbers suggest.

Parking, ramps and speed bumps

This is where the Kicks earns its keep. At under 4.3 metres long it slots into the tight bays you find in older Marina towers and packed mall car parks, and the high seating gives you a clear view over the bonnet for judging gaps. U-turns on a divided road take one bite, not a three-point shuffle.

Ground clearance is 178 mm, higher than most hatchbacks. Dubai's speed bumps, especially the steep ones in residential clusters, and the sharp lips on some mall ramps clear without scraping. You sit up enough to see over the traffic without the parking headache of a full-size SUV.

Heat and how fast the cabin cools

Leave any car parked in a Dubai July and the cabin hits oven temperatures by midday. The Kicks has a small interior volume, which works in your favour here: the AC has less air to chill, so front-vent output pulls the temperature down to bearable inside a few minutes once you get rolling. Rear passengers rely on airflow from the front rather than dedicated rear vents, so on a 45-degree afternoon the back seat takes a bit longer to settle. For two up front it cools quickly. With kids in the back on a long midday drive, start the AC and let it run before you load everyone in.

Fuel, range and the running cost

At roughly 7 litres per 100 km in mixed driving, the 41-litre tank gives you close to 580 km of real range. For a typical Dubai week, errands, the school run, a couple of longer trips, that is one fill, maybe a top-up before you return it. The 1.6 is genuinely frugal, which is the main reason renters pick it over a thirstier crossover.

You pay the Salik tolls yourself, and they add up fast if your daily route crosses Sheikh Zayed Road gantries. Any RTA fines during your rental pass to you as well, so watch the speed cameras on the E11. Seat belts are required in every seat, and children under four need a child seat, which we can arrange.

On the road and where it runs short

Around town and at city speeds the Kicks is easy, light, and exactly enough. The 122 hp through the CVT is unbothered by stop-and-go traffic and stoplight pulls.

The honesty has to come on the highway. With 122 hp and a CVT, overtaking at 120 on Sheikh Zayed Road means planning ahead, not a quick stab of the throttle. It cruises fine and holds its lane comfortably, but it is working harder than a bigger-engined crossover when you ask for a sudden burst. For DXB or DWC airport runs and the occasional intercity trip it is perfectly capable. If your week is mostly fast highway miles with four people aboard, you will want more grunt.

Who should rent it

Rent the Nissan Kicks 2022 if you are one or two people who want a raised, easy-to-park crossover that sips fuel and handles Dubai's bumps and bays without fuss. It is ideal for city errands, light family use and airport pickups for a small group.

Size up if you regularly carry four adults with luggage, or if your driving leans heavily on fast highway overtaking. For those trips a larger crossover or a mid-size sedan will serve you better. For everyone else who just wants a frugal, manageable runabout with a higher view of the road, the Kicks is a sensible pick.