KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS

Posted on August 28, 2014 | Last updated February 16, 2025

This is a review of KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS, a new energy drink from Mountain Dew’s KICKSTART series.

KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS

Manufacturer	PEPSICO
Country of Origin	USA
Price	1 USD
Flavor	Orange
Total rating	★★★☆☆

Author information Author: Energy Drink-kun

In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.

Flavor of KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS

As you can see, the can design and color scheme are fantastic, and the content is a nice bright orange. The aroma isn’t very strong, and the scent level is about what you'd expect from the light orange color.

The flavor is quite mild, with almost no depth. Despite being named "Orange Citrus," it has almost no acidity and is quite sweet.

KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS
The sweetness is not like that of orangeade, but more akin to a lightly carbonated orange drink, like Fanta Orange, with an artificial sweetener taste. It feels a bit diluted. A name like “Orange Light” might convey it better.

Rather than the typical tangy taste of orange, there’s a hint of orange peel, but it's unclear if this was intentional or if it's a result of combining orange and artificial sweeteners.

In conclusion, the strength of Mountain Dew’s flavor is almost absent in the Orange Citrus variant, and it might be best to think of it as a different product altogether. The can design and logo might lead you to expect more, though...

Energy Ingredients of KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS

KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS
It contains 92mg of caffeine, with a relatively low calorie count of 160kcal, and 42g of carbohydrates, which is also on the lighter side.

The sweetness is probably not as intense because of this.

The juice includes ingredients like limeade, white grape, and orange. For some reason, orange seems to be the least prevalent ingredient (；´∀｀).

Design of KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS

KICKSTART ORANGE CITRUS
There’s no doubt this is a brand with great taste. The color catches your eye and the balance is well done. The logo, flavor design, and font all feel just right.

However, because the can design is so good, the mild taste feels a bit mismatched with the expectations. It might have been better with a more intense flavor and stronger carbonation. If you like lighter flavors, though, this could surprise you with its refreshing and delicious taste!