Nissan Kicks

What We Like

Value

The Kicks is now the lowest-priced SUV in the U.S., starting at $23,330 with all-wheel drive. Beyond that distinction, the Kicks does make a strong impression for its features, interior finish, and general practicality for the money.

Rare features in the segment

The Kicks has Nissan’s comprehensive Safety Shield 360 on all trims, ensuring all buyers get the latest active safety features, such as blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking. The panoramic roof and two large screens on the SR add an upscale feel. The Bose stereo brings premium audio to this price-sensitive class. It includes speakers in the front head restraints, allowing clear high notes to mask some road and wind noise. We found this stereo excelled more at some music than others, with crisp highs and rich midtones. But the bass isn’t as full as you might expect.

Ride height

The ground clearance is higher than most small and even midsized SUVs, giving the Kicks a tall stance. This aids both access and provides a commanding view of the road. But despite the appearance, the Kicks is definitely not an off-roader.

Fit and finish

The cabin is nicely dressed for the price, even on the midlevel SV. The two large, glossy-black curved display screens on our test car go a long way toward making the cabin look high-tech, but we’re more impressed by the padded upper dash with contrasting stitching, the large swath of padded fabric trim at mid-dash, the textured wood-look-like plastic trim for the window controls surround and the center console, and the slightly padded sides (with stitching) on the center console. Hard plastic window sills, including up front, and the plasticky steering wheel are letdowns. The SR interior impresses even more, looking exceptional for the class, with its two-tone stitching and cool carbon-look material. Sporty-looking seats with leather-wrapped bolsters and checkered center fabric inserts further dazzle. Even the top of the center console has a premium look and feel. For under $30,000, the cabin is quite fetching.

Handling

The Kicks is responsive, making it quite tossable through turns. The suspension skews firm, even on the SV. The steering is quick, and body motions are restrained, adding confidence for spirited driving. It is more fun to pilot than most other models in its cost-conscious class. That said, ride quality is another matter, as we explain below.

Driving position

The seat height is between that of a traditional car and an SUV. Yet once seated, it feels a bit low because the dash and hood are relatively high. The resulting driving position feels different from a car and gives it a bit of personality, like the Juke (which Nissan sold from 2011 to 2017 in the U.S.), Kia Soul, or Mini Countryman. The driver’s legs angle out a little, rather than being chairlike vertical. Our team found it easy to dial in a comfortable driving position, although even the SR does not have power adjustments. (Nissan explains this cost-cutting measure as the typical buyer is a single driver, meaning, there isn’t an alternate driver who would need to make frequent adjustments.) There is good space overall, with lots of headroom and only a minimal amount of center console intrusion. Stitching on the side of the center console and armrest can rub against exposed skin.

Inside storage

The huge front center cup holders are scaled for Big Gulps and the door pockets are large. However, the armrest console storage is tiny. Nissan affirmed to us that their buyers are very focused on hydration, so this may be the ideal compromise.

Cargo space

The rear cargo space is a key virtue, with a wide, square opening and roomy compartment for a vehicle this size. Plus, there is useful underfloor storage. However, the manual liftgate is rather heavy to close. A power function on the SR trim would be welcomed, but then again, active lifestylers could chalk the resistance up as being core to their CrossFit routine.

Brake feel

The pedal is firm and easy to modulate, making it a cinch to stop exactly where you want. There are no low-speed touchiness or abrupt tip-in issues.

What We Don't Like

Ride

The ride is stiff, busy, and uncomfortable in the SR with its 19-inch wheels. Even the SV on 17s feels brittle with hard, rubbery shots jarring the driver over every pavement flaw. The body motions are less controlled on the SV, making it bouncy across rough road surfaces. This is a key area where the driver is reminded that this is a budget-priced car. Again, the target buyer may be fine roughing it.

Noise

There is a persistent soundtrack of engine, road, and wind noise. The aural feedback is quite surface and speed-dependent, but some drivers found the cabin louder than some rival models and the collective noise to be less pleasant. Nissan has increased the sound-deadening materials with this generation, but our team’s feedback underscores that the state of the art keeps advancing.

Telematics

There are no connected services, such as remote start, roadside assistance at the touch of a button, or automatic crash notification. That may be fine for budget-focused buyers who do not want yet another subscription service.

What We'll Keep an Eye On

Powertrain

Don’t get excited about this Kicks having 19 more horsepower than last year. Our 2025 AWD Kicks weighs 300 pounds more than the last Kicks we tested, and those horses are wee ponies. The modest power from the naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder makes you work at it to find what’s buried within. No delays zipping off the line and an unobtrusive speed buildup is a plus. The net effect is that the engine is just adequate, with acceleration being leisurely and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) magnifying the perception that the engine is overtaxed. Around town and across cities, where Nissan expects many Kicks to travel, the engine does the job. It is highway merging and climbing hills that expose its weakness. Another 20 horsepower would be welcomed, but then again, that is a universal truth that could be applied to all vehicles. The mechanical simplicity of this powertrain bodes well for its longevity and future repair risk, compared with a small-displacement turbo. (It will be interesting to monitor future reliability surveys to see if this promise bears out.)

Controls

Most controls are simple to use, and their operation will be familiar to Nissan owners. We appreciate the concept of clustering common functions in the center of the dash for rapid access, and we treasure the large text and icons that make the controls easy to interpret at a glance. The shiny piano-black climate controls are tucked a bit low and can cast reflections. In New England where you can experience four seasons of weather in a day, we missed the convenience of automatic climate control in our SV. It is standard with the SR.

The drive mode button is obscured by the gear selector when the vehicle is in Drive, and the ignition button is tucked under the dash, making it hard to see.

Front seats

Initial impressions varied here. Our drivers agree that the seats are fine for at least short drives, but when traveling longer than an hour, some wished for a wider seat base and lumbar adjustments. The seatback on the SV is a bit narrow and the upper portion poked uncomfortably into some occupants. The fancier SR seats have a nice balance of softness and support that even translates to the head restraint. Rear seats: The second-row seats have minor sculpting and are a touch firmer than the front buckets. There is good legroom, with large underseat space for tucking feet, though headroom is a bit limited with the panoramic roof. The backside of the front center armrest has two USB-C ports, and the rear armrest has two cup holders for the all-important hydration.

Access

The seat height means most adults will sit down slightly in a very easy way. Unfortunately, the door sill is more prominent than on most vehicles, requiring an intentional stepover on entry. Because the rear seat base is higher, second-row passengers have to duck to enter, while also stepping over the large sill. The spry target audience may not even notice these obstacles, but they would disappoint an older, less agile buyer who would otherwise benefit from the practical package.

Active Safety and Driver Assistance

The Kicks comes with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, reverse automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams.

Other conveniences include

• The clever easy-fill tire alert uses exterior lights and the horn to communicate when the tires have been inflated properly.
• A rear occupant alert that uses door logic: If a rear door was opened prior to the current trip, the Kicks will remind the driver to check the rear seat when the ignition is turned off to ensure no wee travelers, furry or otherwise, are left behind.
• A driver attention monitor ensures the driver is attentive and warns when it detects the driver is acting fatigued.

The Kicks S and SV include adaptive cruise control. The SR brings ProPilot Assist, which builds on that by adding steering assistance to help the vehicle stay centered in its lane on highways and thereby ease some driving stress. ProPilot Assist can also help in traffic jams, with the ability to bring the vehicle to a stop, hold it in place, and then proceed when traffic advances.

The SR also brings a 360-degree surround-view camera—a feature that is helpful when parking in tight spots.