2025 Nissan Kicks

The horizontal grille does its best to widen the vehicle visually; it’s above a body-color bumper that partially draws the eye away from the very large blacked-out plastic fascia below it, with air openings and a large chin spoiler protruding. At the rear, the Kicks has almost a bustle, with the upper part of the cabin tapering over broad rear “shoulders” and right-angle taillights connected by a reflector bar. 

Inside, the Kicks has moved up from its economy-car roots. It’s still built to a price, but that’s not immediately apparent, with soft-touch fabrics (including one with a carbon-fiber graphic print on it) and contrasting stitching in silver and red on our SR test car. Two-tone paint treatment is available on top trims, and our only regret is that interiors come in one color: black.

How fast is the Nissan Kicks?

Nissan didn’t quote acceleration figures, but the answer is “slow to acceptable”. 

A larger engine replaces the 122-hp 1.6-liter inline-4 offered in last year’s Kicks. The new 2.0-liter inline-4 makes 141 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT powering the front wheels. All-wheel drive is now optional, adding a Snow mode to the base model’s Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes. The more powerful engine and 250 to 300 pounds of added weight cut combined fuel economy to 31 mpg from 33 mpg on the previous Kicks; adding all-wheel drive brings it down to 30 mpg. No hybrid option is available. 

We expected the all-wheel-drive Kicks to have better roadholding, as its rear suspension uses a multilink setup rather than the simpler, cheaper twist-beam arrangement on the base model. But the difference wasn’t really apparent in most driving, whereas the AWD version felt a bit slower (it adds a further 200 pounds). 

Still, you don’t get a lot of kick from your Kicks. To keep up with fast-moving California traffic, we found we had to floor the accelerator frequently—and the engine note rose precipitously and unpredictably at steady uphill speeds. It’s certainly not too slow to be safe, but it’s far from fast. That’s fine for an entry-level vehicle under $30,000. 

Ground clearance rises to a whopping 8.4 inches. That doesn’t mean owners should indulge their off-road fantasies, but it makes the Kicks easier to get in and out of—and probably better in deep snow. 

The rear seats are roomier than last year’s Kicks, with almost an inch more legroom and 1.5 inches more shoulder room. Still, fitting three adult humans in the back is ill-advised and unlikely—and even smaller rear-seat riders will have to negotiate with those up front for legroom. The FWD models offer more cargo volume: 30.0 cubic feet of space behind the 60:40-split rear seats, or 60.0 cubic feet with the seats down. The AWD Kicks only offers 23.9 and 50.1 cubic feet. All but the base S have a hidden storage area under the cargo floor.

Our test vehicle was well put together, with controls mostly easy to find. Phone pairing was as fast and easy as any car we’ve tested, and Nissan leaves a useful strip of icons down the left rail of the center screen even when the rest of the screen is occupied by phone pairing.

Which Nissan Kicks should I buy?

The mid-level SV trim is the best value for this entry-level model. Stick to front-wheel drive unless you truly need AWD. It’ll give you more cargo volume and better fuel economy. The lighter weight makes it feels faster in traffic, too—and you’ll save $1,500.

Step up to the SV grade to get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (wireless or wired), and a smartphone charging pad, as well as the 12.3-inch central touchscreen, two USB-C ports, keyless entry, a satellite radio trial, and 17-inch steel wheels. The SV starts at $25,070, with AWD again a $1,500 option. A $1,500 SV Premium package includes a panoramic sunroof (a segment exclusive, Nissan says), plus heated front seats and mirrors.

How much is a fully loaded Nissan Kicks?

A fully loaded 2025 Nissan Kicks SR with all-wheel drive and the Premium package stickers at just over $31,000.

The top SR grade comes with red accent stitching on synthetic leather upholstery, 17-inch alloy wheels, a surround-view camera system, and a limited hands-free driving system. It has its own Premium package for $1,950, adding a Bose audio system with headrest speakers for the driver and front passenger to the panoramic sunroof and heated front seats. AWD adds $1,500 again. All prices quoted include the mandatory $1,390 destination fee.

Specifically, all versions of the front-wheel-drive 2025 Kicks are rated at 28 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, 31 mpg combined. Adding AWD takes each of those ratings down 1 mpg, to a combined 30 mpg. Gentle and slower drivers can likely improve on that, but it’s hardly stellar.