The original Nissan Kicks was a surprisingly competent little crossover, boasting far more interior space than you’d expect and ample equipment at a low price. However, it didn’t offer all-wheel drive (AWD), it was doggedly slow, and its design was a bit dumpy. The all-new 2025 Nissan Kicks erases those drawbacks while doubling down on what made its predecessor such a smart value buy.
Photo: James Riswick
The 2025 Kicks is bigger in every dimension, with the most notable increases being cargo capacity and ground clearance (8.4 inches would be suitable for an off-roading crossover). The design is subjectively cooler, and the interior offers richer materials and higher-end features. The new engine produces 141 horsepower and, more crucially, 140 pound-feet of torque, up from 122 hp and a gutless 114 pound-feet. For the first time, AWD is now an option.
Prices for the 2025 Nissan Kicks range from about $22,000 for the base S FWD trim level up to about $31,000 for the sporty SR with AWD, Premium package, and two-tone premium paint. The big jump in equipment occurs with the SV, as it gets a much larger touchscreen plus wireless phone connectivity, wireless charging, nicer upholstery, and snazzier wheels. The SR has sportier looks, nicer interior appointments, and access to cool features like headrest-mounted Bose speakers.
For this review of the 2025 Kicks, Nissan provided a test vehicle equipped with SR trim and the following options:
The Premium package is the big-ticket item. It includes a panoramic moonroof, various heated items (front seats, steering wheel, mirrors), remote start, rain-sensing wipers, and a 10-speaker Bose sound system with front headrest speakers.
The test vehicle’s price was $30,705, including the $1,390 destination charge to ship the crossover to your local dealership from the Nissan assembly plant in Aguascalientes, Mexico.
Photo: James Riswick
Those with sore joints should find a just-right seat height in the Kicks; you don’t need to climb up or drop yourself down. Goldilocks would approve. The seats are surprisingly comfortable, and not just “for the money.” They’re well-contoured, strike a nice balance between cushion and support, and even kept me from flopping around the cabin when driving in the mountains.
However, the manual-only seats fell far short of providing sufficient legroom for my 6-foot-3 frame. That’s a high bar, but others in the segment, like the Chevrolet Trax, manage to clear it. More seat travel or front cushion tilt would be appreciated.
The back seat is also very comfortable. The seat is supportive and well-contoured, and Nissan mounts it high (notably higher than those up front, creating a stadium-seating-like situation). This provides ample under-leg support and means you don’t need that many inches between rows for those in the back to be comfortable. I could fit quite comfortably in the back seat with the front passenger seat set to provide my legs with sufficient space. Not so much on the driver's side, but that’s OK; this is a small vehicle.
The Kicks’ cabin design is clean and modern yet maintains its functionality (there are still buttons, yay). The loaded SR trim level puts the Kicks in the best light, as Nissan lines the doors, dashboard, and center console in padded simulated vinyl with red stitching. It looks cool and feels expensive. This is a big checkmark in the Kicks’ favor versus the Trax, but know that the base Kicks S is all hard plastic. The mid-grade SV has less padded simulated leather but extends its handsome gray cloth to the doors and dashboard.
The cupholders in the Kicks are epic: a 750-milliliter, wine-bottle-sized water bottle easily fits in each door. And while it couldn’t drop all the way down into the front cupholders, they’re so comically deep that they still aced my tough test. Bring on those Big Gulps.
There’s a space-efficient angled smartphone holder forward of the shifter, which features wireless charging in the SV and SR trims. This is nice in theory, but it roasted my phone, summoning an overheating warning after hours of driving. I turned my phone over to avoid overheating while still taking advantage of the handy storage spot.
Photo: James Riswick
The NissanConnect infotainment system in the test vehicle included the following equipment:
While the base Kicks S has a humble 7-inch touchscreen with basic functionality, the SV and SR have a vibrant, well-organized 12.3-inch touchscreen. It's an easy system to figure out and use thereafter, admittedly in part because there’s not much feature content to deal with (no in-car navigation, for instance).
A Home screen features multiple tiles showing various vehicle and media information, while docked menu icons on the left side of the screen let you easily switch between the Nissan and Apple/Android phone connectivity interfaces. Apple CarPlay connected flawlessly to my iPhone 15 every time and worked as usual.
My SR test vehicle included the Premium package and the 10-speaker Bose system with speakers in the front headrests. You can adjust the output from those speakers, but I didn't find them distracting even with them turned to maximum. They contributed to an overall excellent sound quality for this segment, and having speakers so close to my head helped cancel out some of the extra-loud road noise.
Photo: James Riswick
The more powerful engine for 2025 makes a big difference, primarily because of its ample helping of extra torque, but the overall powertrain tuning arguably makes the more significant difference. The continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) simulates shifts and avoids past CVTs' tiresome droning and yo-yoing engine revs. Nissan also tuned the engine to feel noticeably spunky off the line. Throttle response is sharp, and this little Nissan feels quick from zero to around 45 mph.
Beyond that, however, you start to get a lot of breathy engine noise and not a lot of thrust as you pin the throttle while merging onto the highway. Once up to speed, though, the torquey, responsive powertrain can punch above its weight class while passing. Putting the car into Sport mode perks things up slightly, but I only found myself selecting that on my mountain road handling evaluation route.
Speaking of which, the Kicks SR was a surprisingly competent handler. It feels tall, but its small dimensions, grippy tires, and big 19-inch wheels helped it easily whip through successive tight, technical turns. It didn’t feel lost in the mountains, whereas the old Kicks did. The steering provides consistent effort, some semblance of feel, and is generally responsive. If it changes in Sport, it’s very subtle.
While those 19-inch wheels contributed to surprisingly good handling, they also let you feel (and hear) more of the road than is ideal. I would be curious to sample the ride quality in the other trims with their smaller wheels. My test vehicle also had front-wheel drive (FWD). There were moments in the mountains when I would have appreciated the added grip of AWD, but in general, that’s not a box I would check unless you’re dealing with awfully severe winter weather.
Photo: James Riswick
All versions of the 2025 Kicks come standard with Safety Shield 360, Nissan’s suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The package includes:
The SR trim level adds lane-keeping assistance and upgrades the standard adaptive cruise control system to ProPilot Assist, which is basically the same system with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance added. It’s an adequate system. The smallest gap setting to the vehicle ahead is vast; be prepared for other vehicles to swoop in front of you. The lane-centering feature took curves OK and didn’t exactly ping-pong between the lines, but there was some occasional drifting off-center, usually to the right.
The lane-keeping assistance system is very good. You can select between three levels; I was pleased that the lowest Mild level didn’t beep, buzz, or yank the wheel when the lanes on my mountain road evaluation route got tight. Any lane-keeping assistance system that doesn’t immediately have you reaching for the “Off” button is doing its job well. The other systems were similarly well done.
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This answer depends a little on the trim level (30 cubic feet in the base S and 29.2 with the other trims) and a lot on the drivetrain (the above numbers with FWD and 23.9 with AWD regardless of trim level). The FWD numbers are very good for the subcompact SUV segment, and the AWD figure is just a hair less than average.
Beyond the numbers, the FWD Kicks has a dual-level cargo floor that increases space and versatility. Using it allowed me to stuff two check-in suitcases, three roll-aboard suitcases, and one duffle bag inside.
With FWD, the 2025 Kicks gets an EPA-estimated 31 mpg combined. In 125 miles of test driving around suburbia, on the highway, and on my mountain road evaluation route, I averaged 26.2 mpg. That’s worse than the 28-mpg city estimate. While the powertrain’s punchy tuning is commendable, taking advantage of that punchiness (as I consistently did) has an obvious efficiency trade-off.
Given its 11.9-gallon fuel tank, I could’ve traveled 311 miles with that average mpg.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the 2025 Kicks a Top Safety Pick. At the time of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has yet to test it.
Prices for the 2025 Nissan Kicks range from $21,830 for a Kicks S FWD to $31,270 for an SR AWD with the Premium package and two-tone premium paint.
In the JD Power 2024 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Ford Bronco Sport ranks highest in the Small SUV segment. The Kia Seltos and Kia Soul are the next highest-ranked models.
In the JD Power 2024 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the Mini Countryman ranks highest in the Small SUV segment. The Hyundai Kona and the Buick Envista are the next highest-ranked models.
Other 2025 Kicks competitors include the Buick Encore GX, Chevrolet Trax, Subaru Crosstrek, and Toyota C-HR.
Photo: James Riswick
The new Kicks provides lots of space for the money, a powertrain that punches above its weight class, and a compelling design inside and out. It’s a must-look for those seeking an SUV in its size and price range.
James Riswick has tested and reviewed cars since 2007, serving as an editor at Edmunds.com and Autoblog. He has attended an auto show every year since he was two and wanted to be an automotive journalist since high school. He resides in Southern California with his wife, preschooler son, and two elderly dogs. He owns a 1998 BMW Z3, a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 Wagon, and a 2023 Kia Niro EV.
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