The Nissan Kicks is a subcompact sport utility vehicle that’s been on sale in North America since the 2018 model year. This extra-small class of SUVs is a relatively new segment here and was defined by early entrants such as the Nissan Juke (which was replaced by the Kicks) and the Mini Countryman, both of which debuted as 2011 models. More recently, popular models such as the Buick Encore, the Chevrolet Trax, the Honda HR-V, the Jeep Renegade, and the Subaru Crosstrek have proven strong competitors.
Nissan Kicks Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
Search for Nissan Kicks
See all
The 2025 Nissan Kicks heralded the model’s second generation, and it improves upon the already competent first-generation with a unique design and slightly larger proportions to accompany its strong value proposition. The new Nissan Kicks is available with all-wheel drive for extra traction on slippery surfaces, and a more powerful 2.0-litre engine replaces the first generation’s barely adequate 1.6-litre engine.
In a move that may seem confusing to casual shoppers, the first-generation Nissan Kicks is still available for sale as the 2025 Nissan Kicks Play. Its MSRP starts at $25,385 including fees, it’s offered in two trims, and it represents a competent option for buyers looking to spend as little money as possible on a new subcompact SUV. The second-generation 2025 Kicks—which is more aptly considered a replacement for the Nissan Qashqai that was discontinued after the 2023 model year—is offered in multiple trim levels, starts at $29,982 including fees and, as we explain below, is improved in every meaningful way over the previous Kicks.
Nissan Kicks Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Nissan Kicks Pros and Cons
- Nissan Kicks Generations
- Second Generation (2025–Present)
- First Generation (2018–2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Nissan Kicks years are the best?
The first-generation Nissan Kicks, offered from 2018 to 2024, earned a solid reputation for reliability. Repairpal.com doesn’t list any common complaints from vehicle owners, which indicates that the Nissan Kicks has been a reliable vehicle overall since its debut in 2018.
Buyers who consider all-wheel drive a necessity have no choice but to default to the 2025 Nissan Kicks, as the first-generation version from 2018 to 2024 was only offered in front-wheel drive form.
What are the worst Nissan Kicks years?
There aren’t any particularly bad years to avoid for the Nissan Kicks. Carcomplaints.com rates the 2019 model as the worst overall, but in reality, the number of complaints registered by Kicks owners is low regardless of model year.
Some owners have complained about the Nissan Kicks’s continuously variable transmission (CVT), but the actual number of transmission failures has been minimal. Its design means it has no specifically defined gear ratios but instead constantly adjusts engine RPM based on the driver’s commands and road conditions. Many Kicks competitors also use CVTs, including most versions of the Honda HR-V, some Kia Soul, Hyundai Kona, and Hyundai Venue models, and the Subaru Crosstrek.
Is a used Nissan Kicks a good deal?
Yes, a used Nissan Kicks is generally a good deal. Popular competitors that also have strong reliability scores include subcompact SUVs such as the Honda HR-V and the Subaru Crosstrek, both of which command higher prices on the used market than a comparable Nissan Kicks. However, the HR-V has available AWD, and the Crosstrek comes with AWD by default. A used first-generation 2021 to 2024 Nissan Kicks in top SR trim with 80,000 kilometres or less on its odometer should be a reliable small car. It will include most of the options and specs today’s buyers demand, including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 360-degree camera, and adaptive cruise control, all for roughly $20,000.
Nissan Kicks Pros and Cons
Pros
- Stylish design
- Fuel-efficient
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- Pre-2025 models did not offer all-wheel drive
- Pre-2021 models had uncomfortable seats
- Sluggish performance
Nissan Kicks Generations
Second Generation (2025-Present)
Nissan redesigned the Kicks for the 2025 model year and made major improvements in the process. The new Nissan Kicks is more stylish, has more power, and benefits from a greater degree of driving sophistication across the board. All-wheel drive is now offered as an option, putting the Kicks into a new competitive set with models such as the Honda HR-V, the Toyota Corolla Cross, the Hyundai Kona, and the Subaru Crosstrek.
With a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine that produces a modest 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, the second-generation Kicks isn’t a powerhouse, but at least it no longer feels underpowered. Although the transmission is an improvement over the first generation, it’s still a CVT with no pre-calculated gear ratios, and that means the engine can sometimes emit an unrefined droning sound.
The 2025 Nissan Kicks in FWD form earns Natural Resources Canada estimates of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 6.6 on the highway, and 7.4 combined. 2025 Kicks models with the optional all-wheel drive system go up slightly to 8.4 L/100 km city, 6.9 highway, and 7.7 combined.
The second-generation Nissan Kicks is also roomier than its predecessor. The second row is noticeably larger, and both the front and rear seats are more comfortable. Cargo space is also improved, with Nissan quoting class-leading figures of 849 litres behind the second row (opting for all-wheel drive reduced that figure to 676 litres) and up to 1,699 litres with the back seat folded flat. A newly available panoramic moonroof lends an airy feeling to the cockpit of the second-generation Nissan Kicks.
Nissan Kicks trim levels start with a base S model, which in Canada comes with a standard 12.3-inch infotainment screen that offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The SV trim gains a push-button ignition and Intelligent Key with approach unlock and walk away lock, as well as a wireless phone charging pad and Remote Engine Start with Intelligent Climate Control. The panoramic moonroof starts with the SV Premium trim.
Top-shelf Nissan Kicks SR models get a second 12.3-inch screen that sits directly in front of the driver and acts as a digital gauge cluster and replace the standard six-speaker sound system with an upgraded 10-speaker audio setup from Bose, including speakers mounted in the front-seat headrests.
A solid safety package is standard including brake assist and intelligent cruise control. The automaker’s Safety Shield 360 package is included with all trims and comprises key features such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic emergency braking, and automatic high beams.
The Nissan Kicks SR benefits from ProPilot Assist, which boasted predictive forward collision warning, blind-spot intervention, lane-departure prevention, emergency lane-keep assist, intersection assist, traffic-sign recognition, and front parking sensors. The Nissan Kicks SR also gets an intelligent around view monitor, an intelligent lane intervention that replaces the basic lane departure warning, and intelligent cruise control with traffic stop and go.
At the time of writing, the 2025 Nissan Kicks starts at $29,982 including fees in its base S trim with cloth seats, $31,532 in mid-level SV trim with upgraded cloth seats, $34,332 in SV Premium trim, $36,032 in top-shelf SR trim with leatherette and sport cloth seats along with aluminum-alloy wheels, and $37,682 for the SR Premium trim. All-wheel drive is optional on the S and SV trims and adds $2,000 to the tally.
The second-generation 2025 Nissan Kicks is a new model. As of this writing, the handful of units that have hit the used market in Canada present roughly a $5,000 discount versus buying new.
First Generation (2018-2024)
The first-generation Nissan Kicks hit the North American market for the 2018 model year. This vehicle is still on sale as of this writing as the Nissan Kicks Play. It gives Nissan a vehicle to compete against a lower-priced set of subcompact SUVs, including the Hyundai Venue and Chevrolet Trax.
The 2018 Kicks replaced the Nissan Juke, which was a fun and funky pioneer of the subcompact SUV segment with unique stacked headlights and daytime running lights. The Juke boasted a potent turbocharged powertrain and optional all-wheel drive. The original Kicks, by comparison, was a more mundane crossover in both appearance and in the way it drove. It was designed to appeal to drivers looking for safe, reliable, and no-frills transportation.
Reinforcing the value proposition was the fact that, with an MSRP of $17,998, the Kicks was one of the least expensive subcompact SUVs when it was introduced. From 2018 to 2024, the Nissan Kicks was front-wheel drive only with no AWD option.
Power for all first-generation Nissan Kicks trim levels was provided by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine. With just 125 hp and 115 lb-ft of torque sent to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission, the first-generation Kicks wasn’t fast. However, it did offer excellent fuel economy, with Natural Resources Canada estimates of 7.7 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 6.6 on the highway, and 7.2 combined. Those estimates remain the same for the Nissan Kicks Play, which makes sense since it’s pretty much the same car today as what first hit the scene in 2018.
The first-generation Nissan Kicks base S model wore steel wheels and offered very few standard features, but it did have Bluetooth connectivity, push-button start, and a seven-inch infotainment screen. The mid-level SV gained aluminum wheels, heated front seats and exterior mirrors, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and automatic climate control. The range-topping Nissan Kicks SR brought LED headlights, additional exterior trim, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a 360-degree camera, and an upgraded Bose Personal Plus Audio System with headrest speakers.
The Kicks got a refresh for the 2021 model year, with updated exterior styling that featured a new grille and upgraded interior materials. Key features included standard safety and driver assistance equipment such as automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking.
A used first-generation Nissan Kicks starts at around the $14,000 mark for a 2018 or 2019 model with less than 120,000 kilometres. A first-generation Nissan Kicks in top SR trim with less than 100,000 kilometres should land in the $17,000 to $25,000 range, depending on the year. While the first-generation Kicks is quite small, it still represents a solid deal for drivers who don’t need all-wheel drive and want a reliable car with reasonable front-row room for daily driving.
Related Topics
by Stephanie Wallcraft
Stephanie Wallcraft is a multiple award-winning professional automotive journalist based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In addition to CarGurus Canada, her byline has appeared in major Canadian publications including Toronto Star Wheels, Driving.ca, and AutoTrader.ca, among others. She is a Past President of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada and was named 2024 Canadian Automotive Journalist of the Year.
The content above is for informational purposes only and should be independently verified. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.
