#wind breaker 114

[shadowmoonarts]

The Great Fires of Extinction

How it started -> How it was going -> How it ended

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 27 - Record-Breaker

Mallard Broke the World Speed Record; It Broke Her:

4468 Mallard broke the world steam speed record in 1938, changing her life forever…

1938:

The quiet, almost timid engine sat in the works, listening to the workers. “You hear? That engine there is fastest in the world!” one said, pointing to the famous engine. Mallard blinked, amazed. She’d never been told if she’d actually broken the record – but to hear that she had, and to hear that it was major news! It was incredible.

There was no one better than her in that moment – she was the greatest!

“Ah, the engine of the hour!” cheered a voice. Mallard gazed down, spotting Sir Nigel Gresley himself walking over. Mallard gasped in amazement. The Chief Mechanical Engineer almost never visited his engines. “I came to congratulate you again, Mallard. I am proud of you – you are truly a credit to this railway. The poster child for what every Northeaster engine should strive for. Well done, and keep up the good work, Mallard.”

Mallard beamed, thanking her designer. Then, she turned to the gossiping workers. “Well? You heard him – I need to be back in service now! Hurry it up!”

1963:

“So, which of us is to be preserved?” asked Silver Link, staring down apprehensively at the members of the British Railways board. The men had come to decide on a Gresley Pacific to save from the scrapper’s torch.

“Who do you think?” snorted one of the men in the bowler hats. “We must choose the locomotive that achieved the greatest feat of a steam locomotive – 60022 Mallard, you are to be restored to your LNER looks and sent to the Museum of British Transport Museum. The rest of you… hope someone purchases you.”

Silver Link just stared in shock as several diesels sniggered in the background. “But I… but… She didn’t even make it back to London! I am the first! I reached 114—” “Stop speaking 60014, there is no reason for you to complain. You are already withdrawn, and shall be sent away once we have the time.” “Mallard… are you going to allow this?” asked Silver Link, eyes wide in horror. “Well, elder sister, some of us are just… more important than others. I represent our class, and I am the best at such an honour.” Silver Link went red in the face, but Mallard was already steaming away, blowing smoke at her elder sister.

Behind Silver Link, Flying Scotsman and Silver King shared a nervous look.

1975:

Flying Scotsman sat on the points outside the brand new York National Railway Museum, Green Arrow on one side and Gordon on the other. It was the first time that the four had seen each other – the fourth being an indignant Mallard sat opposite them.

“What do you mean, he’s worthy of being the same level as me?” sniffed Mallard. “He’s a mixed traffic engine!” “Green Arrow is an LNER engine, same as us,” reminded Scott crossly, facing down his cousin. “And there are only nine LNER Pacifics left, so your levels are completely worthless! We need to end this… this… this…” “Elitist garbage!” Gordon snapped. “We are long past this, cousin. What’s stopping you from accepting Green Arrow?” “Green Arrow is a simple mixed traffic engine,” hissed Mallard. “I am the greatest steam engine to have ever been built! No one has ever, or will ever, beat my record. There’s a reason that I am in this museum, and you are out slaving away to keep in steam.”

“Slaving away?!” Gordon let off steam furiously. Scott just clenched his jaw. “There’s no point arguing with her,” he sighed. “We’re better off just getting the rest on side.” The three steamed away, leaving Mallard to be pushed gently back into the grand museum by a timid diesel shunter.

None of the other engines in the museum spoke to her as she was shunted into place. Not Evening Star, not Aerolite, not Coppernob. They all just shot her dark glances.

1988:

Mallard sped along the line, feeling the wind rush past her face. “I forgot what this was like,” she huffed, finally arriving back at Doncaster after crossing the country to reach Scarborough and back. Several relatives of her crew from back when she’d broken the world record sat in her coaches – but they were inconsequential. After all, any crew could have gotten her up to her record-breaking speed.

“So, how was the run?” asked Gordon politely, sitting in the next platform over. Mallard ignored him. Gordon rolled his eyes. Green Arrow and Spencer shared a look.

“I’m impressed,” hummed Spencer. “Though I’ve heard that the East Germans have built a steam locomotive that’s almost able to match Mallard’s speed.” Mallard’s eye twitched. “No they haven’t!” she suddenly snarled, spooking several of the passengers on the platform. “I am the fastest. That’s my role! Don’t talk such drivel around me.”

Spencer sighed. As the only one of Mallard’s siblings willing to speak to her, and one of only four engines that had spoken to Mallard (he’d checked with Duchess of Hamilton) in the last ten years, he was uniquely able to see just how much his younger sister had changed.

Where Mallard had once been a healthy pale, her pallor had grown almost dangerously blue – while her formerly vibrant eyes had gone dull, with just a hint of something… unsettling in them. And yet her paintwork was spotless, her brass polished until it glistened in the sun, even after a full run with passengers.

“Are you alright?” asked Spencer quietly. Gordon and Green Arrow pretended not to hear. “I beg your pardon?!” roared Mallard, spooking yet more passengers. “Are you insinuating something?! That such a simple run would tire me out? I am the fastest steam engine in the world – I am more than competent, thank you.” “I just wanted to ch—” “Well don’t!” sneered Mallard. “I am fine.”

Spencer’s tentative frown turned downwards into a scowl, and the great silver engine hissed steam as he started away. Gordon watched him go, knowing deep in the pit of his boiler that the silver engine wouldn’t be back.

Silver King had never truly forgiven his younger sister for the way she’d spoken to Silver Link, even if his name had changed, as had his owners and his lifestyle.

2013:

Spencer, Bittern, Dominion of Canada, Dwight D Eisenhower, Union of South Africa, and Sir Nigel Gresley all stood in awkward silence. Their sister – Mallard – was being wheeled out of the museum for a photoshoot. “So… did you hear her last night?” asked Dwight quietly. “She was screaming at the shunting diesels again.” “I can’t believe they made me agree to his,” hissed Spencer. “I promised myself after 1988 – never again. And yet here I am. At least Scott gets to hide in the workshops.” “It cannot be that bad?” tried Woodcock – only the humans called her Dominion of Canada, “I mean… she has to have made some friends in there, right?” “Unlikely,” snorted Osprey – the humans had given her that name in the 1980s, and she much preferred it to ‘Union of South Africa’, “she spends most of her days just glaring at everyone. Last I heard, it’s a real treat for them when she gets brought out here to be gawked at.”

“Shh! Shh! She’s coming,” warned Bittern. The six all went silent as Mallard was dragged off the turntable and over to the line of engines.

“Ah, good, you all made it,” Mallard said haughtily. “It’s what I deserve, getting the humans to bring you all here to celebrate our class’s greatest achievement.” “What you—” Osprey cut off, indignant. Beyond her, Dwight gawked in shock while Spencer just rolled his eyes. The shunter braked the famous engine to a stop, jolting slightly.

“Did you just jolt me?” hissed Mallard, voice deathly quiet. The shunter gulped. “Don’t you dare!” snapped Spencer, speaking to the world-record holder for the first time in nearly thirty years. “You cannot deride these hard-working engines, I refuse to allow it!” “Oh? As if you are any better, Mr Private Engine,” sneered Mallard. “Silver King, the weird runt of the class who galivants off to that backwards island where our Crewe-rebuilt cousin lives.” “Gordon still pulls his express!” roared Spencer, letting off steam furiously. “Gordon treats everyone with respect! He’s a far better representative of our railway than you are – he’s out there, pulling passengers and acting as the ambassador for Gresley’s work. He holds a record for the longest-serving express engine in the world!”

“He has Midland parts,” snarled Mallard. “He’s a mongrel of parts, and I can’t stand him! I can’t stand him and his righteousness! This is my celebration, my record, my museum! He can talk when he has a proper record of his own. Let’s see him try and beat me – oh wait, didn’t he lose his dome last time he attempted that?”

None of the other A4s spoke, and the moment the photoshoot was over, all four in steam left, taking Dwight and Woodcock with them, leaving Mallard alone.

2016:

Flying Scotsman sat outside the NRM, steam wafting from his funnel. He was the last one left. Spencer had permanently relocated to Sodor after 2013, the other A4s steered clear of York Museum, Gordon had his own work, and Green Arrow had moved to Shildon. So, it was only him left to talk to her.

“Oh, it’s the money pit.” “Mallard. I came to say goodbye.” “Goodbye? Where are you going, Gresley Disgrace?” “I’m going to run mainline excursions,” Flying Scotsman replied evenly. “I’m not going to have to listen to you anymore when you scream abuse at the others or rant about the new PRR engine.” “Rant? Abuse? 4472, you don’t understand! I am Gresley’s pride and joy! I am the greatest – he would roll over in his grave if he saw you now. It’s my destiny to be the greatest – and everyone needs to accept that!” “Sir Nigel Gresley loved us all equally,” snapped Flying Scotsman. “And don’t you forget, any one of your class—”

“I did it!” roared Mallard. “Me! Not any of you! I am the world record breaker – I am the greatest steam engine of all time! You’re nothing compared to me! I am Sir Nigel’s triumph! I am the legacy of the Northeasters! Me! How dare you speed to me like that?! Learn your place!”

Flying Scotsman stared evenly back at the shrieking engine. “I have,” he said simply. “And it’s not here. The other engines can survive listening to your abuse, but I don’t have to. You’re nothing, Mallard. Not anymore. You sit here, on this siding, in this shed, and you cling to the past because that’s all you’ll ever have.”

Flying Scotsman puffed out of the shed, the wrecked screams of his cousin following him through the sliding shed doors. They transformed from howls of rage into a hail of screeching tears, as Mallard’s entire self-worth crashed down on her. The former icon of steam and speed finally lost it, all the rage and anger and simmering hatred growing inside her frames boiling over as she cursed her cousin.

Flying Scotsman couldn’t help but feel sorry for the engine – but all the same, she had spent decades wrecking their designer’s good name with her attitude. Her stardom had placed her up on a pedestal – one where the loneliness of fame had engulfed her.

Back to Master Post

[solaarbeeam]

LAWDDDDDDDD CHAPTER 114 OF WIND BREAKER AND GAHDAMNNNN

TOGAME IAN KNOW THE PULL UP GAME WAS DEEP LIKE THATTTTTTTT

[vinora-nyghtshayde]

List of anime, a majority of them dubbed, I've watched over the years

1 .Hack//Legend of the Twilight

2 .Hack//Roots

3 .Hack//Sign

4 A centaur's life

5 A lull in the sea

6 A Whisker Away

7 Accel World

8 Ah! My Goddess

9 Akame Ga Kill

10 Amnesia

11 Android Kikaider the animation

12 Angel Sanctuary

13 Angels of Death

14 Armitage III

15 Arrietty

16 Assassination Classroom

17 Attack on Titan

18 Attack on Titan Junior High

19 B: The Beginning

20 Baccano

21 Banner of the stars

22 Basilisk

23 Bastard

24 Battle B-Daman

25 Beastars

26 Betterman

27 Beyblade

28 Beyond the Boundary

29 Big Fish & Begonia

30 Black Blood Brothers

31 Black Butler

32 Black Clover

33 Black Lagoon

34 Bleach

35 Blood Blockade Battlefront

36 Blood+

37 Blue Exorcist

38 Blue Seed

39 BNA: Brand New Animal

40 Boogiepop Phantom

41 Boruto

42 Bungo Stray Dogs

43 Cardcaptor Sakura

44 Carole & Tuesday

45 Case Closed

46 Casshern Sins

47 Castlevania

48 Castle in the Sky

49 Cells at work

50 Ceres, Celestial Legend

51 Charlotte

52 Cheer Boys

53 Chobits

54 Chrono Crusade

55 Code Geass: Lelouch of the rebellion

56 Code Geass: Akito the exiled

57 Code: Realize

58 Code: Breaker

59 Coppelion

60 Cowboy Bebop

61 Crest of the stars

62 Cyborg 009

63 D.Gray-Man

64 D.N.Angel

65 Dance with Devils

66 Deadman Wonderland

67 Death Note

68 Diabolik Lovers

69 Digimon

70 Dr. Stone

71 Dragon Ball Z

72 Dragon Ball GT

73 Dramatical Murder

74 Durarara

75 Erased

76 Ergo Proxy

77 Fooly Cooly

78 Fafner

79 Fairy Tail

80 Fire Force

81 Fist of the North Star

82 Flint the Time Detective

83 Free

84 From the new world

85 From up on Poppy Hill

86 Fruits Basket

87 Fullmetal Alchemist

88 Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

89 Fushigi Yugi

90 Gad Guard

91 Gate Keepers

92 Gate Keepers 21

93 Ghost Hunt

94 Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

95 Ginga Densetsu Weed

96 Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin

97 Gravitation

98 Gungrave

99 Gunslinger Girl

100 Gurren Lagann

101 Haikyu

102 Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East

103 Hakuoki

104 Hamtaro

105 Hell Girl

106 Hellsing

107 Hellsing Ultimate

108 Hetalia

109 Hitorijime My Hero

110 Howl's Moving Castle

111 Hyperdimension Neptunia

112 IGPX Immortal Grand Prix

113 Inuyasha

114 Isekai Quartet

115 Izetta: The Last Witch

116 Japan Sinks

117 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

118 K

119 K-On

120 Kamigami no Asobi

121 Kamisama Kiss

122 Karas

123 Karneval

124 Kekkaishi

125 Kenichi The Mightiest Disciple

126 Kiki's Delivery Service

127 Kill La Kill

128 Kiss him, not me

129 Kiznaiver

130 Knight's & Magic

131 Konosuba

132 Kuroko's Basketball

133 Kyo Kara Maoh

134 Laughing Under the Clouds

135 Last Exile

136 Little Nemo

137 Little Witch Academia

138 Love Stage

139 Lupin III

140 Medabots

141 Megaman

142 Megaman NT Warrior

143 Mekakucity Actors

144 Mirage of Blaze

145 Mirai

146 Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid

147 Mobile Fighter G Gundam

148 Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team

149 Mobile Suit Gundam 00

150 Mobile Suit Gundam Seed

151 Mobile Suit Gundam Seed Destiny

152 Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

153 Monster Rancher

154 Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit

155 My Hero Academia

156 My Neighbor Totoro

157 My Love Story

158 My roommate is a cat

159 Nanbaka

160 Naruto

161 Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

162 Nekopara

163 No. 6

164 Noein To your other self

165 Noragami

166 Noragami Aragoto

167 Oban Star-Racers

168 One Piece

169 One-Punch Man

170 Ouran High School Host Club

171 Outlaw Star

172 Paranoia Agent

173 Peacemaker Kurogane

174 Please Teacher

175 Please Twins

176 Pom Poko

177 Ponyo

178 Porco Rosso

179 Pretear

180 Prince of Stride Alternative

181 Princess Mononoke

182 Prison School

183 Promare

184 RaXephon

185 Re:Zero

186 R.O.D the TV

187 Ronin Warriors

188 Rosario + Vampire

189 Rurouni Kenshin

190 RWBY: Ice Queendom

191 Servamp

192 Sk♾️ The Infinity

193 Sailor Moon R

194 Sailor Moon

195 Saint Seiya

196 Saint Seiya: The Lost Canvas

197 Saiyuki

198 Samurai 7

199 Samurai Champloo

200 Samurai Deeper Kyo

201 Sankarea

202 Say I Love You

203 s-CRY-ed

204 Sensitive Pornograph

205 Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign

206 Serial Experiments Lain

207 Servamp

208 Shaman King

209 Shinzo

210 Shonen Maid

211 Show By Rock

212 Silent Mobius

213 Sirius the Jaeger

214 Snow White with the Red Hair

215 Sorcerous Stabber Orphen

216 Soul Eater

217 Soul Eater Not

218 Spice and Wolf

219 Spirited Away

220 Stars Align

221 Sukisho

222 Sword Art Online

223 Tactics

224 Tales of Zestiria the X

225 Tenchi Muyo

226 Tenjou Tenge

227 The Ancient Magus's Bride

228 The Boy and the Beast

229 The Cat Returns

230 The Devil is a Part-Timer

231 The Morose Mononokean

232 The Prince of Tennis

233 The Promised Neverland

234 The Rising of the Shield Hero

235 The Royal Tutor

236 The Seven Deadly Sins

237 The Vision of Escaflowne

238 The Way of the Househusband

239 The Wind Rises

240 Tiger & Bunny

241 Tokko

242 Tokyo Ghoul

243 Toradora

244 Trigun

245 Trinity Blood

246 Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle

247 Uta No Prince-sama

248 Vampire Hunter D

249 Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust

250 Vandread

251 Violet Evergarden

252 When Marnie Was There

253 Whisper of the Heart

254 Wise Man's Grandchild

255 Witchblade

256 Witch Hunter Robin

257 Wolf Children

258 Wolf's Rain

259 X

260 Yamada & the Seven Witches

261 Yami No Matsuei

262 Yashahime

263 Yona of the Dawn

264 Your Name

265 Your lie in April

266 Yu-Gi-Oh

267 Yu Yu Hakusho

268 Yuri!! On Ice

269 Zatch Bell

270 Zoids

[lgbt-i-guess]

1-150 cute asks

1. Who was the last person you held hands with?

idk

2. Are you outgoing or shy?

both

3. Who are you looking forward to seeing?

bf

4. Are you easy to get along with?

idk

5. If you were drunk would the person you like take care of you?

idk

6. What kind of people are you attracted to?

boy

7. Do you think you’ll be in a relationship two months from now?

i hope so

8. Who from the opposite gender is on your mind?

purgatorian-princess

9. Does talking about sex make you uncomfortable?

sometimes

10. Who was the last person you had a deep conversation with?

idk

11. What does the most recent text that you sent say?

im not posting it but it was abt my dad being an asshole abt my trauma

12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now?

1) must have been the wind by alec benjamin

2) last of her kind by alec benjamin

3) now shes getting married alec benjamin

4) on the borderline by thomas sanders

5) voodoo doll by 5sos

13. Do you like it when people play with your hair?

yeah

14. Do you believe in luck and miracles?

idk

15. What good thing happened this summer

idk

16. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?

havent kissed

17. Do you think there is life on other planets?

yah

18. Do you still talk to your first crush?

honestly no

19. Do you like bubble baths?

yes

20. Do you like your neighbors?

dont talk to them

21. What are your bad habits?

i bottle up my emotions until i have a breakdown

22. Where would you like to travel?

idk

23. Do you have trust issues?

yea

24. Favorite part of your daily routine?

sleeep

25. What part of your body are you most uncomfortable with?

the vaginus

26. What do you do when you wake up?

get up?

27. Do you wish your skin was lighter or darker?

idk

28. Who are you most comfortable around?

idk

29. Have any of your ex’s told you they regret breaking up?

no

30. Do you ever want to get married?

yeah

31. Is your hair long enough for a pony tail?

nope

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?

idk

33. Spell your name with your chin.

cxaz`dws

34. Do you play sports? What sports?

i used to play football and rugby

35. Would you rather live without TV or music?

tv

36. Have you ever liked someone and never told them?

yeah

37. What do you say during awkward silences?

uwu

38. Describe your dream girl/guy?

idk

39. What are your favorite stores to shop in?

m+s? idk

40. What do you want to do after high school?

college

41. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance?

no

42. If youre being extremely quiet what does it mean?

chances are im either tired or upset

43. Do you smile at strangers?

yeah

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean?

spaece

45. What makes you get out of bed in the morning?

the knowledge ill get yelled at if i dont

46. What are you paranoid about?

irl ppl finding my tumblr

47. Have you ever been high?

no

48. Have you ever been drunk?

no

49. Have you done anything recently that you hope nobody finds out about?

wh

why would

i tell you

50. What was the colour of the last hoodie you wore?

balacc

51. Ever wished you were someone else?

constantly

52. One thing you wish you could change about yourself?

depression

53. Favourite makeup brand?

idk

54. Favourite store?

euro pizza

55. Favourite blog?

this one

56. Favourite colour?

blue

57. Favourite food? 

cheesy chips

58. Last thing you ate?

blt

59. First thing you ate this morning?

b

blt

60. Ever won a competition? For what?

ive won sports things, i won a local arts competition, etc

61. Been suspended/expelled? For what?

no

62. Been arrested? For what?

no

63. Ever been in love? 

yeah

64. Tell us the story of your first kiss?

n/a

65. Are you hungry right now?

yeah

66. Do you like your tumblr friends more than your real friends?

yea

67. Facebook or Twitter?

twwiter

68. Twitter or Tumblr?

tumblr

69. Are you watching tv right now?

yeah

70. Names of your bestfriends? 

c^itl^n, k^tie, m^r^^l

71. Craving something? What?

idk

72. What colour are your towels?

whwwwwhite?

72. How many pillows do you sleep with?

5

73. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?

y

74. How many stuffed animals do you think you have?

15

75. Favourite animal?

dog/wolf

76. What colour is your underwear?

currently white flowers on dark blue

77. Chocolate or Vanilla?

choco

78. Favourite ice cream flavour?

mint choco

79. What colour shirt are you wearing?

white

80. What colour pants?

blue

81. Favourite tv show?

rn either santa clarita diet, merlin, or blue exorcist

82. Favourite movie?

atm the space between us

83. Mean Girls or Mean Girls 2?

mean girls

84. Mean Girls or 21 Jump Street?

mean girls

85. Favourite character from Mean Girls?

HONESTLY REGINA

86. Favourite character from Finding Nemo?

dory

87. First person you talked to today?

dad

88. Last person you talked to today?

dad

89. Name a person you hate?

dad

90. Name a person you love?

bfs

91. Is there anyone you want to punch in the face right now?

dad

92. In a fight with someone?

idk probably

93. How many sweatpants do you have?

5

94. How many sweaters/hoodies do you have?

2

95. Last movie you watched?

detective pika pika

96. Favourite actress?

ruby rose

97. Favourite actor?

asa butterfield

98. Do you tan a lot?

never

99. Have any pets?

many

100. How are you feeling?

not bad rn

101. Do you type fast?

very

102. Do you regret anything from your past?

so many

103. Can you spell well?

half the time maybe

104. Do you miss anyone from your past?

yah

105. Ever been to a bonfire party?

yeah

106. Ever broken someone’s heart?

idk

107. Have you ever been on a horse?

no

108. What should you be doing?

stufying probably fndjl

109. Is something irritating you right now?

no

110. Have you ever liked someone so much it hurt?

yeah

111. Do you have trust issues?

yeah is this a repeat

112. Who was the last person you cried in front of?

idk

113. What was your childhood nickname?

not saying

114. Have you ever been out of your province/state?

yeah

115. Do you play the Wii?

used to

116. Are you listening to music right now?

no im watching merlin

117. Do you like chicken noodle soup?

no

118. Do you like Chinese food?

yeah

119. Favourite book?

atm good omens

120. Are you afraid of the dark?

yeah

121. Are you mean?

only if ur mean first

122. Is cheating ever okay?

no

123. Can you keep white shoes clean?

no

124. Do you believe in love at first sight?

sometimes

125. Do you believe in true love?

yeah

126. Are you currently bored?

yeah

127. What makes you happy?

idk

128. Would you change your name?

yeah

129. What your zodiac sign?

aquarius

130. Do you like subway?

yeah

131. Your bestfriend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do?

my best friend ‘of the opposite sex’ is a bi trans woman, which is kinda a deal breaker as a gay trans man

132. Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with?

idk

133. Favourite lyrics right now?

stop thinking about the easy way out

134. Can you count to one million?

yeah

135. Dumbest lie you ever told?

idk

136. Do you sleep with your doors open or closed?

closed locked and barricaded

137. How tall are you?

5′1

138. Curly or Straight hair?

straight unless wet

139. Brunette or Blonde?

brunet but dyed

140. Summer or Winter?

winter

141. Night or Day?

night

142. Favourite month?

feb

143. Are you a vegetarian?

no

144. Dark, milk or white chocolate?

milk and dark

145. Tea or Coffee?

neither

146. Was today a good day?

eh

147. Mars or Snickers?

mars

148. What’s your favourite quote?

idk

149. Do you believe in ghosts?

yeah

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?

don’t waste your energy even imagining the possibility

[dipulb3]

2021 Nissan Kicks makes value a virtue

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-nissan-kicks-makes-value-a-virtue/

2021 Nissan Kicks makes value a virtue

The 2021 Kicks looks sharper than its predecessor.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

As far as affordable small cars go, you could definitely do worse than the Nissan Kicks. It’s an efficient, feature-rich little thing, and for new car shoppers on a budget, the Kicks is one of the best overall values available today.

Like

Excellent fuel economy

Lots of driver-assistance features

Excellent overall value

Don’t Like

All trims need LED headlights

Interior could use more personality

No all-wheel drive option

The Kicks gets a much-needed glow-up for 2021, with styling that’s way less frumpy than before. It’s a good look, and while I personally prefer the more extroverted designs of competitors like the Kia Soul or Hyundai Venue, I think the Kicks is altogether more refined than the wacky Hyundai Kona or Toyota C-HR. You get 16-inch wheels on the base Kicks S, but SV and SR trims upgrade to larger 17s. My SV test car has the optional black-painted alloys, which cost $495 and would probably look better alongside one of the available two-tone paint schemes — one with a black roof, for example.

The Kicks’ interior plays it down the middle with a no-nonsense design. The controls are exactly where you expect them to be and none of the buttons or stalks feel flimsy. Sure, the doors are lined with hard plastic and the piano black trim around the gear shifter will never, ever look clean, but the stuff you’ll touch most often — the steering wheel, window switches, infotainment controls, etc. — are all nice. I do wish the cup holders weren’t one big rectangle with a partition in the middle, though. Smaller drinks like, oh, I don’t know, a grande vanilla nonfat latte from Starbucks can easily tip over while making a turn. Ask me how I know.

2021 Nissan Kicks packs a lot of features in a small footprint

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Nissan’s awesome Zero Gravity seats aren’t available in the Kicks, but the cloth chairs in my SV tester are nevertheless comfortable, and they even have an interesting diamond pattern for a little visual flair. You sit high up in the Kicks, too, and the seating position is nice and comfortable for a 5-foot, 8-inch average dude like myself. Plus, this higher seat height gives you a nice, commanding view out the front and side windows — and it’s better for your posture, too.

The back seats are serviceable, but better suited to smaller adults or children, and there’s enough room behind them to schlep a couple of carry-on bags or a shopping cart’s worth of groceries. The Kicks offers 25.3 cubic feet of space with the rear seats upright, which bests the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Kona and Kia Soul. However, fold the bench flat and you only get 32.3 cubic feet, which is almost half the max capacity of the Soul and worse than the aforementioned Ford and Hyundai. If you need to haul on the regular, the Kicks might not be for you. But since most people will use the hatch without folding the back bench, I’m glad Nissan chose to err on the side of seat-up spaciousness.

The interior looks plain, but it’s quiet and the seats are comfortable.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

Every Kicks uses the NissanConnect multimedia system, with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. The base Kicks S has a 7-inch touchscreen but the SV and SR use a slightly larger, 8-inch head unit; these upper trims get an additional 7-inch display inside the gauge cluster, too. NissanConnect’s graphics are dated and the menu structure is kind of weird, but it’s easy enough to plug your phone into one of the USB ports and let the Apple or Android software do the heavy lifting. SV and SR trims come with both USB-A and USB-C outlets, by the way.

A huge selling point for the 2021 Kicks is the sheer amount of standard driver-assistance tech. Automatic emergency braking (front and rear), blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, parking sensors and rear cross-traffic alert are standard across the board, even on the base, $20,000 model, and SV and SR trims add adaptive cruise control. No, you can’t get Nissan’s cool ProPilot Assist highway driving assistant, but that’s not a total deal-breaker. You can, however, get a 360-degree camera on this little guy, though it’s only available on the top-level SR.

There isn’t much to get excited about under the hood, but the Kicks’ powertrain is nevertheless adequate and efficient. The 1.6-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine produces 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, which sound pretty dismal on paper, but on the road, it’s totally fine. Remember, the Kicks only weighs 2,744 pounds in its heaviest spec, so that engine doesn’t have a ton of car to lug around. The Kicks only comes with front-wheel drive, however, so if you’re looking for a tiny CUV with AWD capabilities, try the Honda HR-V or Mazda CX-3.

SV and SR models get an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

You can only get the Kicks with a continuously variable transmission. And before you balk at the idea of CVT, don’t forget that Nissan’s been offering this transmission type for years, meaning the company’s had a lot of time to fine-tune its so-called Xtronic setup. Seriously, the Kicks has one of the best CVTs around, quietly operating in the background without the high-revving drone that people tend to associate with these transmissions.

Plus, that CVT helps the Kicks return bangin’ fuel economy. Official EPA ratings aren’t available just yet, but Nissan estimates you’ll see 31 miles per gallon in the city, 36 mpg highway and 33 mpg combined — numbers right in line with what I saw in the real world. That makes the Kicks more efficient than a lot of other small crossovers, beating the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Venue, Kia Soul and more.

The Kicks handles daily driving duties admirably, and it’s actually pretty fun to drive. The suspension is nicely tuned for both city and highway driving and the brakes are strong with solid pedal feel. The steering is light, just like every other small crossover, but it quickly responds to inputs, and more importantly, the Kicks is easy to maneuver and park. No one is expecting the Kicks to be a thrill, but it’s a perfectly pleasant little runabout. Yeah, it’s pokey, but it might surprise you on a winding road.

These black-painted 17-inch wheels are a $495 option.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

You can get into a Kicks for as little as $20,595, including $1,095 for destination. The midgrade SV adds a lot of the niceties you’ll actually want, and it starts at a still-affordable $22,395. The loaded SR comes in at $23,035, and its only big-ticket option is the $1,200 Premium Package, which brings the price to $24,235 delivered.

The SV grade should make up the bulk of Kicks sales, but I actually think a loaded SR is the best value. The SR gets you all the best driver-assistance tech and it also comes standard with LED headlights (and foglights). That last bit is especially important — the halogen lamps on my SV test car are so dull that, at one point, I actually pulled over to make sure I had the low-beams on and wasn’t just relying on the running lights (like so many other oblivious Los Angeles drivers). LED headlights are brighter and therefore safer. Why they aren’t standard on every car at this point is kind of beyond me.

It’s hard to beat the Kicks’ overall value.

Steven Ewing/Roadshow

But the loaded SR’s virtues extend beyond illumination. Add the Premium Package and you get heated seats, a heated steering wheel and that premium Bose audio system you’ve probably heard — you know, the one with speakers in the driver’s headrest. Nothing makes an inexpensive car feel premium quite like heated seats and a kickin’ (get it?) stereo. All that and more for less than $25K? I know it’s not always easy to swing a couple thousand extra when you’re on a tight budget, but you’ll also be hard pressed to find this many amenities for this little cash.

The Kicks plays in a super-crowded class, alongside everything from the dumpy Chevrolet Trax to the dumpier Ford EcoSport to attractive and compelling hatchbacks from Korea like the Hyundai Kona, Venue and Kia Soul. Personally, I’d probably go with the Soul if it were my money; the Kia has a better interior and it’s nicer to drive, as well. Even so, the Nissan still offers more features, and it’s more efficient than anything else in its segment. Any way you slice it, the Kicks offers great value and it’s hard to argue with that.

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