[Owner’s Review] Choosing a Car with Peace of Mind in Sydney. The “Ultimate Reassurance” and Appeal of Advanced Features Brought by the Nissan Kicks e-POWER

Living in Sydney, Y.N. used to feel constantly anxious about the future breakdown risks of his old car and the reliability of servicing at local mechanics. Amidst these concerns, he chose the “Nissan Kicks e-POWER” provided by Roundabout as his next vehicle. We caught up with him to get his real owner’s feedback on how the advanced safety features and driving performance of the Kicks e-POWER have won him over amidst Australia’s unique road conditions and strict traffic rules.

I used to drive a 2010 Toyota Corolla—a petrol car with about 150,000 kilometres on the clock. By Australian standards, I suppose it was still in relatively decent nick. However, coming from a Japanese mindset, driving a car with 150,000k’s meant I always had this constant fear in the back of my mind that it could break down at any time, anywhere.

Three times a week—specifically on Tuesday and Friday evenings during the absolute worst peak-hour traffic—I drive across the Harbour Bridge into the City to coach Kendo. Because it was an older car, I constantly had this dread somewhere in my mind: ‘What if this car just dies right in the dead-centre of the bridge?’ I felt that any fear or stress associated with driving should absolutely be avoided, and that was the biggest reason for upgrading.

The number one reason was that they provide high-quality Japanese cars that have been thoroughly inspected at workshops in Japan. For me, those two safety blankets—’being maintained in a Japanese workshop’ and ‘being a trustworthy Japanese brand’—accounted for 99% of my reason for choosing them. The brand power of Japanese cars, or rather that ultimate sense of security that you can’t go wrong if you choose Japanese, is just immense.

When I had my car looked at by local mechanics in Australia, there were quite a few times when their approach felt a bit too laid-back. I’d find myself thinking, ‘Wait, didn’t I ask them to fix this?’ or ‘I wanted them to look at this, too.’ The items weren’t even listed on the invoice, so they had clearly forgotten about them. Because of those frustrations with local servicing, Roundabout’s cars—which are imported only after being maintained to Japan’s strict standards—carried an overwhelming level of trust that you just can’t find elsewhere.

At first, since it’s a car you rarely see on the roads, I was a bit worried about what would happen if I needed replacement parts. However, as I researched the Kicks beforehand, that anxiety disappeared. I realised that because this car comes with a brilliant ‘360-degree camera (Around View Monitor)’, the actual risk of scraping or hitting something in the first place is extremely low. As long as I don’t cause any major body damage through my own driving, many of the internal wear-and-tear parts are shared across the manufacturer anyway. I also heard that the parent company is an authorised dealer, so that completely reassured me.

The size is absolutely spot-on; I love it. I currently live in the southern part of Sydney (around Hurstville), and this area has a lot of main roads where big trucks pass by frequently and the lanes feel narrower than in Japan. In a large car, the pressure from both sides can be quite intimidating. But since the Kicks is a compact size while still being an SUV, it leaves a comfortable amount of room on either side, making it incredibly easy to drive.

In the Sydney CBD, there are often situations where you have to parallel park (on-street parking) into a tiny, tight spot. Even then, thanks to the compact body and the 360-degree camera, I can park smoothly every time. There have been plenty of times where I’ve thought, ‘I would never have fit in there if it weren’t for the Kicks.’

Also, since getting this car, I’ve moved house twice. If you just fold the back seats down flat, you can easily load three or four large pieces of luggage. This car handled both moves perfectly. That’s something I could never have done in my previous car (the Corolla), so having this much boot capacity in a car of this size is a massive lifesaver.

Without a doubt, Cruise Control. Speed enforcement in Sydney is incredibly strict, with speed cameras set up absolutely everywhere. But if you set the speed limit with this feature, it ensures you don’t exceed it, and if there’s a car ahead, it adjusts your speed and tracks it automatically. By linking my smartphone’s navigation app via Apple CarPlay, the road’s speed limit is always displayed on the screen. So, all I have to do is check the nav and set the cruise mode, and I never have to worry about speeding. It honestly feels like the car smartly solves the exact pain points that Japanese drivers struggle with and fear most when first driving overseas.

I always drive in ‘Eco Mode’, and it performs incredibly well—more than enough power. This Eco Mode is brilliant; when you lift your foot off the accelerator, the car decelerates a bit quicker and smoother than a standard car. Once you get used to driving it, this prompt deceleration actually helps immensely with safety on the roads.

Owning an old car in Australia comes with a lot of risks and stress. Driving a fantastic car like the Nissan Kicks e-POWER, which is so easy to handle and packed with advanced safety tech, with total peace of mind truly feels like the best ‘investment you can make for your own time and safety.