2001 Nissan Kino - AllCarIndex

Original name: ニッサン キノ

A six-seat compact minivan designed for young families and providing a host of "living-room comforts". The Kino is an ideal vehicle for young families with children. Executed in a refined design and incorporating a wealth of new ideas, the Kino has generous interior space in which six independent seats are arranged in three rows within its compact size. The vehicle can accommodate a wide variety uses, thanks to its highly functional appointments and versatile seating configurations.

It also features an asymmetrical door layout on the right and left sides, with three doors on the driver's side and two doors on the passenger's side. This door arrangement works in tandem with the low floor height to enhance entry and exit ease markedly.

The Kino concept car provides a level of comfort equal to one's own living room.

Spacious interior with unique appointments for superior convenience

Three rows of full-size seats allow versatile seating variations

Six monoform seats suggestive of home furnishings are arranged in three rows on the low floor that allows exceptionally easy entry and exit. To ensure effective use of the interior space, the seats adopt a unique construction split into three sections that fold up compactly. Rails embedded in the floor allow two seats to be stowed under the instrument panel. First- and second-row seats swivel, and a dedicated child seat can be installed in either the second- or third-row seats. This seating system versatility enables the Kino to be used in three different modes.

Limousine mode: When two seats are stowed under the instrument panel and only the first- and third-row seats are used, third-row passengers can enjoy the large roominess to their heart's content.

"Living-room" mode: Two seats are folded away under the instrument panel and the front passenger's seat is swiveled around to face the third-row seats. Two tables can be taken out from the center console and moved on the rails to the center of the vehicle. Cup holders and a cooler are also built into the center console.

Cargo mode: Stowing away the first-row passenger's seat and the second-row seat behind it creates ample space for carrying mountain bikes, a wheelchair or other equipment. Cargo can be easily loaded through the large opening provided by the B-pillar-less construction. In addition, the stackable third-row seats can be placed on the second-row seats to provide cargo-carrying space at the rear.

Abundant storage places and accessories

The Kino abounds in thoughtful storage places, including cabinets built into the door trim panels.

Storage compartments that can be opened and closed from outside the vehicle when the doors are open are also provided on both sides of the roof. These compartments also incorporate ventilation ducts and a personal reading light for each passenger.

Each seat occupant can pull out a 3.5" vertical screen housed in the door for use as a personal communications tool, such as for accessing e-mail or as a videophone. Opening a door trim cabinet reveals a variety of accessories inside that a seat occupant can customize as desired for personalized use. Such items include a drink warmer, cup holder, light, flower vase, video game remote control and toys.

Sliding instrument panel cover

The Kino adopts a sliding instrument panel cover that opens toward both sides from the center, allowing the dashboard to be used selectively in a "driving mode" while the vehicle is on the road and in a "parking mode" while the vehicle is stopped.

In the driving mode, the instrument panel cover opens toward both sides to reveal the large-size screen and control panel housed inside. The vehicle speed and other information needed for driving are displayed on the driver's side of the screen while navigation information is presented in the center. The passenger's side of the screen can be used as a rear-seat monitor that shows the faces of children or other passengers riding in the rear seats. It can also display detailed information about places in the surrounding area.

The instrument panel cover closes automatically in the parking mode.

Ceiling-mounted 15" double-screen monitor

A 15" double-screen monitor for entertainment use is mounted on the ceiling. In the "living-room" mode, occupants can sit face-to-face and adjust the angle of their respective screen so that they can enjoy playing video games, surfing the Internet or other forms of entertainment.

Compact, monovolume exterior

The exterior design of the Kino expresses the spaciousness of the interior while also taking into account good aerodynamics. The "flying wing grille" that distinguishes Nissan cars has been adopted at the front. Executed in an overall arch-shape, the glass roof curves back as far as the third-row seats, enhancing interior comfort by bringing natural light into the passenger compartment. The unique fender line treatment draws a clear contrast between the sharp edges and the rounded surfaces, giving the Kino a stable and sporty look. In addition, the vertical headlamps and tail lamps produce light that resembles the radiance of sparkling gems.

The door layout is asymmetrical between the two sides of the car. The driver's side has three doors, with the rearmost one being a rear-hinged center-opening door that enhances ingress and egress ease for the third-row seat passengers. Two doors are provided on the passenger's side. The rear one is a sliding door, which, together with the absence of a B-pillar, provides a large opening. The rear hatch is split into two sections, with the lower part lifting up over the top glass to facilitate easy opening and closing even in tight parking spaces. Moreover, the rear bumper can be lowered and used as a step, if necessary, for easy loading and unloading of heavy items.

SOURCE: Nissan