New Nissan Kicks Design Inspired By Sneakers and Football Helmets

Automotive designers have often looked outside the automotive world for design ideas. Jet technology was an obvious influence on cars in the 50s. Many recent designers cite the designs of nature, such as the nose of a lion or the streamlined form of certain fish. Several decades ago, when Mazda models were particularly curvy, the designs were inspired by the compound curves of the human form. Sometimes, these influences can be too subtle for the rest of us to see, but when Nissan Senior Designer Ken Lee describes what influenced the design of the new Kicks, it isn’t hard to see at all.

Coming soon to Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington, the 2nd-generation 2025 Kicks is an all-new design that departs significantly from the first generation as well as pretty much any current Nissan model. "When we first set out to design the new Nissan Kicks, the overarching message we wanted to convey was that of agility and toughness at the same time," said Ken Lee, Nissan Senior Designer. He goes on to say that the name of the Kicks additionally led the design team to look to the intriguing designs of modern sneakers for ideas. "When you look at sneaker culture, there's a lot of vibrancy, energy and new ideas," Lee said. "Many designers – myself included – find it fascinating." 

This is not meant to make the Kicks look like a shoe, but simply to convey elements from sneaker design that you already associate in a specific way and convey that to the vehicle. An obvious example is the crosshatch designs all around the lower portion of the Kicks, which imply the textured rubber souls of modern athletic shoes. The use of vibrant color in places like the roof was also sneaker-influenced. 

Some design elements are directly influenced by new aspects of the Kicks’ capability. With this second generation, all-wheel drive is available for the first time, so muscularity was formed around both the front and rear fenders to give a sense of power coming from each wheel. 

Sneakers were not the only athletic element that had an influence. "Our inspiration board had an American football player with a round helmet resting on top of strong shoulder pads," said Marcus Quach, who created the final exterior design. "You can see that in the front view of Kicks, which features big, strong fenders with the rounder cabin resting on top."

Quach also points to the very distinctive daytime running lights that emerge from the side of the rectangular grille, which he states was inspired by the black lines football players apply below their eyes. 

While not saying it, the inside of a football helmet may be a theme for the interior. "When you walk inside, you feel like it's a cocoon that provides a sense of protection from the outside world. It's all about comfort and feeling at ease," says Lee. "For example, on the instrument panel, what looks like a carbon fiber finisher is actually a soft-touch material that is padded and comfortable to the touch. The customer is going to spend hours in the vehicle. We want them to be comfortable, first and foremost."

The 2025 Nissan Kicks is expected to be available in dealerships in late summer 2024 and thus will likely be in the Dick Smith Nissan of Lexington inventory by the time you read this. Grab your sneakers and sprint on down to Dick Smith Nissan to see what the all-new Kicks has to offer.