2025 Nissan Kicks Test Drive Review: Nissan Hits a Home Run

It is an all-new Nissan Kicks for the 2025 mannequin yr, and whereas Nissan as a model has its points, the Kicks arrived in positive fashion, and earned our Greatest Finances {Car} Of The Yr award. The Kicks has matured with this new technology, however not at the price of character and affordability. The truth is, the stability of favor, enjoyable, options, and affordability Nissan has pulled off with the brand new Kicks earned it considered one of our most hotly contested award segments.

To maneuver the Kicks ahead, it is grown an inch or two in every route, the outside styling is bolder and fewer fussy than the final technology, the inside is contemporary and options new infotainment. A brand new 2.0-liter engine making 141 horsepower replaces the earlier and simply strained 1.4-liter unit, and, for the primary time, the Kicks has all-wheel-drive as an choice.

Exterior Seems: A Onerous Exterior

The brand new Kicks is 2.8 inches longer and 1.6 inches wider than the earlier mannequin, which does not sound like a lot, but it surely does so much to extend the general inside measurement. It is available in three trims, the S, SR, and SV, and 16-inch metal wheels are commonplace on the S, 17-inch wheels include the SR and the SV will get 19-inch wheels as commonplace. On high of the three trim ranges, two premium packages can be found, and our SR tester got here with roof rails as commonplace, then the FWD Premium Bundle, which features a panoramic moonroof. The 2-tone premium paint is an choice for $680.

It could have elevated in measurement, but it surely nonetheless has a smaller footprint for metropolis driving than its closest rivals, together with the Honda H-RV and Subaru Crosstrek.

Inside & On-Board Expertise: Like The Inside Of A Soccer Helmet

Inside the brand new Kicks, there is a appreciable improve in general refinement that features Nissan’s wonderful Gravity Seats. There are some exhausting plastics, however that is widespread for the section, and so they do not leap out at you. Area is at a premium in a compact crossover, and the additional dimensions on the skin present on the within with an additional 0.9 inches of legroom for rear passengers, sufficient for a few tall adults to not complain on brief journeys. There’s extra shoulder room, 1.9 inches, up entrance, which makes numerous distinction over the outgoing mannequin if you translate that to elbow room.

The Kicks is extra more likely to be for single folks, {couples}, and fogeys with small youngsters than a full-size household, so cargo area is a crucial issue, and it varies somewhat from mannequin to mannequin. The bottom FWD mannequin has 30 cubic toes behind the second row, and 60 cubes with that folded flat. One mannequin up within the vary will get rather less, at 29.2 ft³. The whole cargo area with the rear seats folded additionally shrinks to between 50.1 and 58.5 cubes with all-wheel-drive optioned. Even with all-wheel-drive, cargo area is great for its general measurement, matching the Honda HR-V and bigger than Chevrolet Trailblazer and Kia Seltos.

Infotainment: Base Mannequin Might Be A Lot Higher

Whereas the Kicks was given our 2024 Inexpensive {Car} Of the Yr award, that does not imply it is excellent. The entry S trim comes with a seven-inch touchscreen that lacks Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. That may be unforgivable if the SR did not are available at such a great worth together with a 12.3-inch touchscreen and wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The S trim is an extremely primary one, which is what permits it to be so low in worth.

The 12.3-inch display is sweet and sharp and responds fairly shortly to inputs, but it surely’s constant – we did not expertise any sudden lag when going deeper into the menus. The non-compulsory Bose system contains the now conventional headrest audio system as a part of its 10-speaker setup. We’re not personally followers of Bose, however the system within the Kicks is numerous enjoyable. It will not fulfill real audiophiles, but it surely’s one of many few Bose experiences we have had in a automobile that we have not been truly fatigued by in below 20 minutes.

Efficiency: A Huge Improve In Each Means However One

Whereas the Kick’s new engine is not precisely a powerhouse, the two.0-liter unit makes 141 hp with 140 pound-feet of torque, up by 20 hp and 26 lb-ft, respectively. It is sufficient to take it from being nearly sturdy sufficient to not pressure itself masking metropolis, nation, freeway, and freeway miles, to being sturdy sufficient to get out of its personal manner when wanted. The CVT (constantly variable transmission) is well-tuned, and on our native twisting downhill highway that may catch out far more costly vehicles, it was fully predictable.

Efficiency Impressions

That additional energy within the Kicks interprets to round nine- or ten-seconds for a 0-60 mph time, which is sufficient to comfortably rise up to hurry becoming a member of a busy fast-moving freeway. Extra importantly, when shifting alongside at round 40 mph, it would not slouch its manner as much as 70 mph. Round city, the combination of engine and transmission permits the automobile to hustle by way of visitors and shortcuts.

Trip and Dealing with

The brand new Kicks is extra refined throughout, not simply inside. The suspension is able to not rattling the passengers on California’s most notoriously truck and earthquake battered roads on the 19-inch wheel and tire mixture, but in addition to maintain the chassis flat sufficient for the automobile to be direct when altering route. That does not imply the Kicks is a sports activities automobile on a backroad, but it surely’s surprisingly enjoyable in Sport mode with crisper throttle response and the again keen to rotate behind the entrance with somewhat persuasion coming off throttle or with utilizing the brakes.

The place the Kicks has character is in the way it feels to sit down in and drive. After we first noticed the brand new Kicks, the designer informed us how one of many ideas they labored from is the thought of an American soccer helmet being smooth and padded on the within, however with a tough protecting shell on the skin. We have heard numerous ideas through the years that we nod alongside to and sound good, however they not often truly translate, not to mention in a sub-$30,000 car. Nicely, it does right here, and part of that’s in how the hood sits excessive and flat, then flared to the facet. You are truly seeing that shell whereas sitting in these sensible Zero Gravity seats. On high of that, and in a enjoyable manner, it is the identical kind of view you get from a sports activities automobile like a Mazda MX-5.

Gas Economic system

Anticipate 28/35/31 mpg metropolis/freeway/mixed from the FWD mannequin, which is not stellar, but it surely’s aggressive in its section. AWD fashions fare barely poorer, at 27/34/30 mpg. Purely anecdotally, after every week of a mixture of freeway, freeway, metropolis, and mountain driving, we logged a displayed 31.2 mpg.

Verdict & Pricing: A Residence Run

The Nissan Kicks begins at $21,830, which is one hell of an entry level, even using on metal wheels with material seats and no Apple CarPlay. The candy spot is, as anticipated, the $23,680 SV model on the 17-inch wheels with the brand new infotainment system and the wi-fi Android Auto and Apple Carplay combo. The SR is available in at $26,180, which is nice with all its accouterments. Nevertheless, we would not name the SR a no brainer for those who need all of the bells and whistles, as the price of substitute tires for 19-inch wheels can defeat the purpose of an reasonably priced automobile – and so they do not do the journey high quality any favors.

As a worth proposition, the Kicks is powerful, and was sturdy in its earlier incarnation. However the 2025 mannequin brings every thing updated and would not really feel like a automobile you purchase as a result of it is the one you may afford. It is a worth proposition that additionally has character, is genuinely snug, appears to be like nice, and is enjoyable to drive. And, if you happen to go for the SR or SV, one which’s additionally bang updated with expertise and would not lack connectivity options.