AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING9.0/10
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Safety8.0/10
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PRACTICALITY7.0/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS8.0/10
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FEATURES9.0/10
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POWER7.0/10
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COMFORT8.0/10
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DRIVING FEEL8.0/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8.0/10
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VALUE8.0/10
The second-generation Nissan Kicks deserves an award for Most Dramatic Glow-Up.
This subcompact crossover went from a frumpy budget option that felt very much like a budget option to something that's much cooler and more dignified. Add it all up, and the 2025 Nissan Kicks surprised me with just how much it has improved.
Styling: 9/10
The overhauled Kicks has an infusion of style that helps it stand out in a segment that can be quite plain. Where the previous version — that will continue alongside this one as the Kicks Play — had no style at all, this new version is bold and bright, serving up a completely different vibe. I also like that Nissan offers the new Kicks in the same bright yellow offered on the Z sports car. The splashy paint is a reasonable $795 upgrade on the top trims and comes with a stylish contrast roof.
The Kicks has great proportions, cohesive details, an actual personality, and funky wheel designs. Its new upright grille and unique lighting design give it a newfound aggression that makes it one of the more attractive vehicles in its segment.
Inside, the cabin still feels budget-focused, but it’s a significant improvement over the previous model. Nissan tried to make the cabin look more upscale, and I like that there are new textures, contrast stitching, some colourful trim, and ambient lighting to give the cabin more life. However, some of the material quality misses the mark.
Power: 7/10
The new Kicks gets an upgraded engine, a 2.0L four-cylinder with 141 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque, versus the 1.6L from before that makes 122 hp and 114 lb-ft. The big news is that the Kicks is now available with all-wheel drive (AWD), whereas the old one had only front-wheel drive. An automatic continuously-variable transmission (CVT) is standard.
While the new Kicks has more power than before, it’s also heavier, so the benefits aren’t as noticeable, except for the fact that the Kicks feels punchy off the line — great for city driving. The Kicks gets up to highway speeds quickly enough but struggles up hills, and the drivetrain can get very noisy when a burst of acceleration is called for thanks largely to the CVT.
Driving Feel: 8/10
The Kicks has very good steering for a small crossover, offering more responsiveness and weight than most. A new multi-link independent rear suspension replaces the torsion beam setup still found on the base model and helps the Kicks feel more composed than it used to. While it still rides a bit harshly, that’s likely due to the larger 19-inch wheels on the topline trim tested here. The Kicks' small size and tight turning circle make it easy to manoeuvre and park.
Features: 9/10
The topline Kicks SR AWD tested impresses with its features, many of which are unique in the segment. It’s loaded with many features typical of much more expensive cars, including a huge panoramic sunroof, large 12.3-inch dual screens under a single panel of glass with fully digital instrumentation, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, wireless phone charging, and USB ports in the back for charging. The speakers in the front headrests are also a highlight that make the audio system surprisingly good for this segment. I also love that the topline Kicks has keyless entry and exit that will unlock the doors as you approach and lock them as you walk away. Of course, Nissan’s “easy fill” tire pressure system is a highlight and sounds the horn when the correct air pressure is reached, making an annoying task more efficient.
Safety: 8/10
Every trim comes standard with forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, automatic high-beam assist, driver attention alert, and adaptive cruise control.
Higher trims add blind-spot steering intervention, front parking sensors, lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition, intersection assist for oncoming vehicles, surround-view monitoring with moving object detection, and Nissan’s excellent ProPilot Assist suite of driver assistance technology that adds lane-centring and steering assistance to its adaptive cruise control system. The system works smoothly and naturally and doesn’t fire off many false warnings.
Practicality: 7/10
The cabin doesn’t have a lot of options for small item storage; the compartment under the armrest is tiny, and the door pockets are barely big enough to fit a fairly standard reusable water bottle. Cargo capacity for the AWD model is 676 L, which expands to 1,418 L with the 60/40 split-folding rear seats stowed. (The front-drive model has more room in the trunk and an underfloor storage compartment.)
Comfort: 8/10
The Kicks has perhaps the most comfortable seats in its segment. The so-called “Zero Gravity” seats use NASA technology and curb fatigue and discomfort, even during long trips. They are fantastically comfortable.
Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard in all but the base trim, and upper trims add heated rear seats — a rarity in this segment. The Kicks is larger than it used to be, so it’s roomier, but rear-seat passengers still don’t get a lot of headroom, even with a large recess in the roof.
User-Friendliness: 8/10
The new Kicks is user-friendly for the most part because it’s quite simple and there aren’t a lot of high-tech features to get used to. Some physical buttons and knobs are present, but Nissan now uses a touch-capacitive panel for the climate controls, which aren’t as user-friendly.
There is one ergonomic oddity that perplexed me: the brightness adjustment for the main gauge cluster is a physical button sitting on top of the screen that’s perfectly blocked from view by the steering wheel. Most vehicles these days adjust the screen brightness automatically, but drivers can also usually do so using the main touchscreen menus. The Kicks has brightness adjustments for the main screen in its menu but not for the instrument display. The brightness adjustment for both screens should really be in the same place, or the automatic setting should be flawless enough that you’d never need to adjust it yourself. The setup in the Kicks is so frustrating, but it was so obvious when I finally saw the correct button.
Value: 8/10
In an interesting twist, Nissan will continue to sell the first-generation Kicks alongside the second-generation version. The Kicks Play, as the first-generation model is now known, will be sold as a budget alternative starting at $22,598 before the $2,030 destination charge, and topping out at $27,448.
The redesigned 2025 Nissan Kicks starts at $27,199 and tops out at $34,899 before destination, fees, and taxes. The Kicks SR AWD tested here came to $37,724 before tax but including destination.
Fuel Economy: 8/10
With the Kicks’ larger engine and all-wheel drive, it isn’t quite as efficient as it once was. The front-wheel-drive Kicks is officially rated to burn 8.1 L/100 km in the city, 6.6 on the highway, and 7.4 combined, while the all-wheel-drive version is rated at 8.4, 6.9, and 7.7, respectively. The Kicks Play is rated at 7.7, 6.6, and 7.2. There’s no hybrid model available, and drivers seeking more efficiency should consider the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, which is rated at a combined 5.6 L/100 km.
After about 685 km of mixed driving, this tester’s indicated average was 8.2 L/100 km. It should be noted that the Kicks was tested on winter tires during an exceptionally cold week, both of which impacted efficiency. Its indicated average is also similar to others in the segment, like the Kia Seltos AWD with the 2.0L engine.
Making matters worse, however, is the fact that the Kicks’ fuel tank can only hold 45 L, so drivers get less than 500 km of range between fill-ups. It’s a bit annoying to have to stop at gas stations that often, so keep that in mind if you have a long commute.
The Verdict
The 2025 Nissan Kicks’ dramatic overhaul has made it a much better vehicle in many tangible ways. Its new look injects some life into a segment that can be quite dull, and the topline Kicks impresses with many useful features that help it stand out amongst its competitors. With all its improvements, the Kicks went from an afterthought to a real contender, and anyone shopping in this segment would be smart to consider this subcompact crossover, which is now one of the best around.
| Engine Displacement | 2.0L |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | I4 |
| Peak Horsepower | 141 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Peak Torque | 140 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
| Fuel Economy | 8.4 / 6.9 / 7.7 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb |
| Cargo Space | 676 / 1,418 L seats up/down |
| Model Tested | 2025 Nissan Kicks SR AWD |
| Base Price | $33,249 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | $2,030 |
| Price as Tested | $37,874 |
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Optional Equipment
$2,445 — SR Premium package, $1,650; Yuzu Yellow Metallic paint w/black roof, $795
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