Nissan Kicks Beach Patrol Concept Has All the Proper Baywatch Vibes

Built specifically for the 2025 SEMA show now ongoing in Las Vegas, the Beach Patrol makes no secret of what it is supposed to represent: a nod to the rescue trucks that were used in the past to patrol beaches, packing the full Baywatch vibes it can pack.

Even in production form the new Kicks is something the likes of which the range has not seen before. First up, it offers what Nissan likes to call a "best-in-class standard ground clearance" (8.4 inches/21 cm) and pairs that with the carmaker's Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, something the family did not have on the table until now.

In concept form the model builds on all that and adds a custom suspension lift that raises the ground clearance by an extra two inches. The suspension system ends in 18-inch Nismo off-road tires of the Ascend variety, shod in Yokohama Geolandar AT GO15 all-terrain tires.

All of the above is meant to facilitate the SUV's operation on the sand of beaches, but the package would not have been complete with an upgraded look to make it stand out among beachgoers. The first thing one notices is the special graphics that wrap around the bodywork.

Compared to its standard self the Kicks received a custom skid plate and protection for the bumper, rock rails, and rocker sill. At the front there are now six- and four-inch driving lights, and up top, on a roof rack, six-inch scene lights can be seen. All come from the Nismo inventory, and are complemented by an emergency strobe light bar.

The rack mounts installed on the roof can support traction boards and a surf rescue board, and there are even coolers and a shower kit included in the build.

Nissan made no major changes to the Kicks' powertrain, except for the inclusion of a custom Nismo sports exhaust system. That means the Beach Patrol relies on the same 2.0-liter inline-four engine that equips all existing Kicks models.

The powerplant is rated at 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, and works by means of the Xtronic transmission.

As with most SEMA builds, there are no public plans to turn the Beach Patrol into a production version, but one can only hope a special edition could be added to the range that includes at the time of writing S, SV and SR versions.

Nissan is selling the entry-level Kicks from $21,830, making it one of the most affordable SUVs on the market.