Japan has missed its chance to advance to the quarterfinals at the men's soccer World Cup in Qatar. The Samurai Blue lost to Croatia on penalties.
This was the third World Cup to pit Japan against Croatia which was the runner-up in 2018.
It's only been a few short years since the Nissan Kicks was introduced, but Nissan has the tiny crossover's first update ready to rock. The 2021 Nissan Kicks gets revised styling in front and back, some thoughtful interior changes and a number of tech improvements.
You'll notice the new grille first, mostly because it's so much bigger than before. Due to its size, Nissan has changed the name to "Double V-Motion," as opposed to just "V-Motion." Groundbreaking stuff. The grille does serve its purpose of making the little Kicks look bigger and more SUV-like, though. It's complemented by redesigned LED headlights, LED foglights and a more aggressive bumper. Around back, Nissan gave it a full-width rear light with a new LED element. There's a new bumper design with some fake-looking strakes poking down from the rear finisher, too. And Nissan introduced three new colors: Electric Blue Metallic (what you're seeing in the photos, Scarlet Ember Tintcoat and Boulder Gray Pearl.
The 2021 Nissan Armada and 2021 Nissan Kicks are set to be revealed at 11 a.m. ET today. You can watch the livestream reveal of this event via this link here that'll take you to Nissan's hosting page.
Both the Kicks and Armada were teased once over the past week. We got a quick look at the Kicks' new front end, previewing a larger grille. As for the Armada, that teaser revealed a dusty image with new LED lights poking out. Both look like refreshes, not totally new models.
The Nissan Kicks is getting a refresh for the 2021 model year. Nissan launched the Kicks for 2018, which means it's time for the mid-cycle update. As a little preview to the full reveal on December 8, Nissan has given us a quick teaser video.
Nissan provided zero information beyond the video. The whole front end is shrouded in darkness, preventing us from seeing much of anything in detail. At the very least, the headlights look changed versus the current model. They look more squared-off versus the bubbly and fun lights on the current Kicks. The grille looks to be a bit wider than before, but it's keeping the same general shape as the outgoing Kicks' grille.
Japan's "Go To Eat" program encouraging people to dine out kicked off on Thursday. The campaign focuses on supporting restaurants affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
Through the program, diners can earn points when they make reservations at restaurants through booking websites.
A newly formed opposition party in Japan, the Democratic Party for the People, has officially approved the lineup of party executives.
The opposition group held its inaugural meeting in Tokyo on Tuesday.
The July Grand Sumo Tournament started at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan arena on Sunday.
The venue was moved from Nagoya to Tokyo to help limit the spread of the coronavirus.
Nissan has introduced the facelifted Kicks to its home market, where it will go on sale from June 30, priced from 2,759,900 yen ($24,845).
The 2020 Nissan Kicks is a refreshingly honest tool for people who know what they honestly need from a car. It doesn't have all-wheel drive, but you know what, most people don't really need it -- front-wheel drive and a useful extra bit of ground clearance will be just fine to access that campground, and if snow is in the forecast, snow tires will mean more than all-wheel-drive anyway. It doesn't have much power, but you know what, the Kicks is probably going to spend most of its life in traffic and the general urban grind, and in that setting, its engineers have made it feel surprisingly spritely. That it's reasonably quiet and comfortable on the highway should make that weekend trek to the campground sufficiently pleasant.
And what about all the stuff you'll be bringing to that campground? The Kicks may have comparable exterior dimensions to most subcompact SUVs, but it's packing a shocking amount of cargo room. On paper, it has 25.3 cubic feet of space, whereas nearly all its competitors are in the teens. Only the Honda HR-V comes close at 24.3. And as you're about to see, it lives up to that promise in person.
It's easy to roll your eyes at many of the tiny "crossovers" that are flowing out of carmakers these days. Though marketed as crossovers and given a few token styling cues to go with a modest increase of ride and seat height, most are simply glorified hatchbacks. That description certainly applies to the 2020 Nissan Kicks, which doesn't even offer all-wheel drive to satisfy the crossover M.O. But here's the thing: Being a hatchback isn't bad, and the Kicks is quite a good one. It supplies a massive amount of space for a vehicle its size, comes with a wealth of safety features for a vehicle with its modest price, and doesn't feel like a penalty box to sit in or drive despite the hatchback reputation. For those seeking an efficient, inexpensive urban runabout that can swallow enough stuff for a weekend getaway, it makes a lot of sense.
Indeed, it makes more sense in that scenario than other subcompact "crossovers" that usually cost more and provide less space. Upper trim levels are also quite nicely adorned, with a few key trim pieces drawing your eyes away from understandably cheaper ones. However, there are reasons it's not a slam dunk. Nissan's engineers did their best to make the Kicks feel quick enough, but there's only so much one can do with a wheezy 122 horsepower. Its lack of all-wheel drive is another issue, and the unusual steering can frustrate. This is by no means a fun car to drive, and it's hardly a comfy, quiet, long-distance cruiser, either. So it's not perfect, but within the segment company it keeps, it doesn't need to be.
Nissan is launching an all-new version of the Kicks crossover in Thailand that features the brand's e-Power series hybrid setup. And while that powertrain setup is unlikely to make it to the states, the subcompact utility's new styling cues probably herald what's in store for the model that first debuted here in 2018 as a replacement for the polarizing Juke.
Let's focus on e-Power first anyway, because it's interesting technology, even if it's been around for a while. In the Kicks, it's comprised of a 1.2-liter, 12-valve three-cylinder engine that sends power to the electric-drive system; essentially, it's an EV you can't plug in that generates power for the battery from gasoline. There's also a 1.57 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, and electric motor, generator and inverter, which offer up a maximum 95 kW (127 horsepower) of power and 191 pound-feet of torque. The system allows the ability to route power to the electric motor from both the battery and the engine when it's needed, like climbing a hill or passing on the freeway.
E-girls member Washio Reina has kicked off her solo project 'Rei.' Her song "Call Me Sick" has been picked up as the theme song for the movie 'Shosetsu no Kamisama: Kimi to Shika Egakenai Monogatari' to premiere on May 22.
E-girls recently announced that they would disband after this year. At the same time, Washio had announced that she would be starting her activities as a solo artist. Directed by Kubo Shigeaki, 'Shosetsu no Kamisama' will star Sato Taiki (EXILE, FANTASTICS from EXILE TRIBE) and Hashimoto Kanna.