2025 Nissan Kicks Review
Vehicle Type: A four-door, five-seat subcompact crossover SUV with front or all-wheel drive.
Price Range: From $21,830 to $26,180 before destination charge.
Powertrain: A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 141 horsepower and a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), front-wheel drive or optional all-wheel drive.
What’s New for 2025?
The Nissan Kicks was completely redesigned for the 2025 model year. It's longer and wider than last year's model, with a 1.5-inch longer wheelbase and more cargo space, and ground clearance is now 8.4 inches—up from seven inches.
The new Kicks has also benefitted from a thorough styling makeover. It's boxier than before, and the interior was updated with a more modern look and feel than that of the first-generation model, which was initially designed for developing markets.
All-wheel drive (AWD) is now available on each trim level, and Nissan included a snow mode in the available drive modes on AWD Kicks models. The powertrain is more potent than before, and upgrades to the infotainment system complement a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, including the addition of Nissan's Pro Pilot Assist advanced driver assist system as standard on the top SR trim.
What’s Good?
- Much more refined than the old model
- Excellent fuel economy for a non-hybrid SUV
- Long list of standard equipment at a relatively low starting price
What’s Bad?
- Still feels underpowered
- Base models lack Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Polarizing exterior styling
Would we buy one? Maybe. We'd consider it if fuel economy and price were the most important factors, but there are better subcompact SUV options for which we wouldn't mind paying more.
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Overview:
The 2025 Nissan Kicks is a more refined and powerful affordable subcompact SUV than its predecessor. As Nissan's smallest SUV and one of its least-expensive models, it's aimed at first-time new car buyers and those who want to downsize from SUVs such as the Nissan Rogue. With a more comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, a more refined interior, and the addition of all-wheel drive, the Kicks is a far more complete rival to other small SUVs.
It competes in a crowded class against the Buick Encore GX, the Buick Envista, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Chevrolet Trax, the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Kona, the Hyundai Venue, the Kia Seltos, the Mazda CX-30, the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport, the Subaru Crosstrek, and the Volkswagen Taos.
Overall Score: 3.75/5 stars
Driving Experience: 2.5/5 stars
In a segment where driving experience typically comes second to comfort, the Kicks delivers pretty much exactly what you expect, but it's still a competent handler. However, while the engine was upgraded to produce more power, it still needs to work on getting up to speed quickly.
The transmission was also improved but, as is typical of CVTs, this one drones when pushed. The addition of all-wheel drive makes it much more competitive in the class, and allows those dealing with suboptimal weather conditions to drive more confidently. AWD models even get an additional snow drive mode, too.
The Subaru Crosstrek is a much more capable vehicle in snow and dirt than the Kicks, while the Mazda CX-30, the Volkswagen Taos, and the Hyundai Kona feel more responsive and have more powerful engines. The Honda HR-V is more comfortable overall, as it's one of the larger subcompact SUVs.
Safety Features: 4/5 stars
At the time of writing, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had given the 2025 Kicks a safety rating.
Standard driver assistance features on every Kicks include automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, driver attention monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights.
Depending on the trim level, options include traffic sign recognition, blind-spot assist, a surround-view camera, and Nissan's ProPilot Assist system, which includes adaptive cruise control with lane-centering functionality.
The Mazda CX-30 sets the current mark for the subcompact SUV class with a Top Safety Pick+ designation from the IIHS and a robust suite of driver assistance features. The Hyundai Kona also has excellent safety scores, but the Kicks offers more standard safety features than many of its competitors.
Value: 5/5 stars
With all the improvements that Nissan made to the 2025 Kicks, it makes a strong case as one of the best value propositions in the class. The base S trim had a starting MSRP of $21,830 at the time of writing, undercutting competitors such as the Mazda CX-30, the Honda HR-V, the Subaru Crosstrek, and the Toyota Corolla Cross by thousands of dollars.
The 2025 Chevy Trax is the Kicks' closest competitor when it comes to value. Much like the Kicks, the Trax has a spacious interior, excellent fuel economy estimates, good cargo space for the segment, and a long list of standard features. Unlike the Kicks, it doesn't offer all-wheel drive, lacks standard adaptive cruise control, and its interior is sub-par.
The Kicks offers several features that some larger, more expensive crossovers might provide in a tidier package. It doesn't have much int he way of punch from the engine, but that's not unexpected for the segment and it's far better than it was in the previous model.
Tech Features: 4/5 stars
Standard tech features on the base S trim include a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen, a seven-inch driver information screen, Bluetooth, a four-speaker sound system, push-button start, and LED headlights. That sounds basic for a new car in 2025 but it's relatively par for the course at this price.
Available infotainment features include a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless device charging, and a 10-speaker Bose audio system. We wish Nissan included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on the most basic model, but the Kicks' standard and available features lists are comprehensive for its price.
However, all of these features require stepping up to more expensive versions and start to erode the Nissan's value proposition when prices hit $30,000.
Practicality: 3.5/5 stars
The 2025 Kicks offers a good amount of practicality compared with its rivals. FWD S models have 30 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats. SV and SR trims have nearly as much, with 29.3 cubic feet, while AWD models take a substantial hit at 23.9 cubic feet. Total cargo space is between 50 and 60 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, depending on the model and the drivetrain.
Front-seat passengers get 42.7 inches of legroom and 39.7 inches of headroom, but rear-seat passengers must manage with just 34.5 inches of legroom and 38.5 inches of headroom.
That's just enough to accommodate regular-sized adults in comfort for a short time, but longer trips may start to become uncomfortable for rear-seat adults. IN this respect, the Nissan is less impressive than rivals such as the Crosstrek, the CX-30, the HR-V, and the Trax, all of which have at least two more inches of rear legroom.
Styling & Design: 3/5 stars
The Kicks stands out from the crowd with its more upright stance than in previous years, while maintaining its gently sloping roofline. The lines are boxier than the previous generation's, but its front fascia and taillights are more polarizing than those that preceded it. It looks modern, but its small dimensions don't always mesh with the beefier appearance.
The interior is much better. There are cheap-feeling materials here and there, as is typical for vehicles of this price, but the Kicks' build quality is miles ahead of its predecessor. The cabin is simple and stately, and models with the larger touchscreen and gauge cluster displays have a premium feel that fits larger, pricier crossovers.
Again, the Mazda CX-30 sits at the top of the class in the style and design department. Its interior is among the best in the segment, and the exterior matches its sporty personality. Others in the segment, such as the Honda HR-V, the Toyota Corolla Cross, and the Volkswagen Taos, are less adventurous and more functional in their styling.
Fuel Efficiency: 4.5/5 stars
One area in which the Nissan Kicks shines is fuel efficiency. It comes with one of the most efficient gasoline powerplants in the segment, but it just misses out on first place, because the Toyota Corolla Cross can also be equipped with a hybrid powertrain.
FWD Kicks models come with EPA fuel economy estimates of 28 MPG in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. AWD models come with slightly lower estimates of 27 mpg city and 34 mpg highway.
The Kia Soul is another inexpensive model that rivals the Kicks in terms of fuel economy. It has a slightly lower starting MSRP but, like the Chevy Trax, is only available with front-wheel drive. It also has a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, but its 31 mpg combined fuel economy estimate only comes with the priciest EX trim level. All other trim levels have a combined EPA fuel economy estimate of 30 mpg.
What’s it Going to Cost Me?
Entry-level 2025 Nissan Kicks S FWD models have a starting MSRP of $21,830. All-wheel drive adds $1,500 to every version.
Standard features include a 141-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a CVT, cloth upholstery, 16-inch steel wheels, 60/40 split-folding rear seats, rear parking sensors, a seven-inch infotainment touchscreen, a seven-inch driver information screen, Bluetooth, a four-speaker sound system, push-button start, and LED headlights.
Every new 2025 Nissan Kicks comes standard with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of driver assistance features, which includes automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, lane-departure warning, and automatic high-beam headlights. Forward collision warning, driver attention monitoring, and adaptive cruise control are also included.
The Kicks SV starts at $23,680. It adds a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, wireless device charging, and 17-inch steel wheels. It comes with most of the available features from the S trim, but adds an optional $1,500 SV FWD Premium Package that includes heated side mirrors, a panoramic moonroof, roof rails, remote start, and heated front seats.
The 2025 Nissan Kicks SR is the most expensive trim level available. SR FWD models have a starting MSRP of $26,180. SR models come with the same features as the SV trim but add upgrades such as 17-inch aluminum wheels, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a six-speaker sound system, upgraded upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED foglights, lane-keep assist, and Nissan's ProPilot Assist advanced driver assistance system.
A $1,950 Premium Package adds the same features as the SV Premium Package, plus a heated steering wheel, rain-sensing windshield wipers, and a 10-speaker Bose audio system with integrated headrest speakers.
We'd go for mid-level SV trim which includes the most desirable features but keeps the price below that of many rivals. No trim level will add more power, but the additional tech features and access to luxuries such as a panoramic roof make it a worthwhile step up over the base model.
