Nissan Kicks: Appreciating the unconventional

The Kicks isn't a replacement for the now-defunct Nissan Juke, but you can certainly see its influence in the short wheelbase and sloping roofline.

Behind those odd-looking taillights is 25.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Folding the rear seats down results in 53.1 cubes.

It's a good thing the Kicks is small. A 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine knocks out a mere 125 horsepower and 115 pound-feet of torque.

The only transmission available is a CVT, which does a fairly decent job at mimicking a traditional automatic.

The Kicks is offered in seven colors, including groovy two-tone combinations, and you can even color-customize parts like door handles and mirror caps in the Nissan Color Studio.

The Nissan Connect infotainment system runs on a 7-inch touchscreen that's standard across the board, while Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard in SV and SR trims. 

For an extra $1,000 you can get a Bose stereo with eight speakers, including two in the driver's headrest.

Driver's aids are a bit on the light side, although automatic emergency braking is standard on all Kicks. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert come in on the mid-trim SV, while the top-of-the-line SR gets a 360-degree camera.

Nissan's Zero Gravity seats are standard in the front. These über-comfy seats are some of the best out there and make the Kicks an easy car to drive long distances.

The 2018 Nissan Kicks starts at just over $18,000. Keep scrolling for more photos of this value-packed runabout.