Textual content by Tom Appel
2025 Nissan Kicks SR AWD
Specs
Class: Small Crossover
Shade: Scarlet Pink with Tremendous Black
Seating Capability: 5
Miles pushed: 171
Actual-world gas financial system: 27.9 mpg
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Consolation | B |
| Energy and Efficiency | B- |
| Match and End | B+ |
| Gasoline Economic system | B+ |
| Worth | A- |
| Report-card grades are derived from a consensus of test-driver evaluations. All grades are versus different automobiles in the identical class. Worth grade is for particular trim stage evaluated, and will not replicate Client Information’s impressions of the whole mannequin lineup. | |
| Huge & Tall Consolation | |
| Huge Man | B+ |
| Tall Man | B* |
| Huge & Tall consolation scores are for entrance seats solely. “Huge” ranking based mostly on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” ranking based mostly on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 141-horsepower 2.0-liter |
| Engine Sort | 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | CVT automated |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Driving combine: 60% metropolis, 40% freeway
EPA-estimated gas financial system: 27/34/30 (metropolis, freeway, mixed)
Gasoline kind: Common gasoline
Base worth: $27,680 (not together with $1390 vacation spot cost)
Choices on check car: Particular paint ($680), illuminated kick plates ($300), carpeted ground mats ($190), Premium Bundle ($1950)
Worth as examined: $32,190
Professionals and Cons
The nice: Roomy, sensible, worth priced
The nice: Gasoline financial system, sporty dealing with
The not so good: Noisy cabin, no surplus of energy
Evaluate
People don’t purchase low cost vehicles. At the very least, not most People. Final 12 months we noticed the ultimate Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio bought within the States, the final vehicles that may very well be simply had for lower than $20,000. American consumers do appear to understand worth, nonetheless, as outlined as plenty of stuff for not very a lot cash.
The Nissan Kicks is such a car. Although smallish and a bit of buzzy, the crossover packs plenty of content material and elegance right into a package deal that, final 12 months, ranged in base worth from simply $22,730 to $25,290, together with vacation spot cost. Nissan bought virtually 70,000 of it’s most-affordable crossover in 2023, which looks as if loads, however it’s not an terrible lot. And there are some things in regards to the Kicks that may very well be improved.
New for 2025
What issues might be improved? How about Restricted rear-seat passenger house, cabin noise ranges (that buzzy factor), a dearth of energy, and the shortage of accessible AWD.
Excellent news for value-class consumers, Nissan has completely overhauled the Kicks for 2025, and has addressed most of your/our considerations. Plus, should you have been OK with the previous-generation Kicks, we’ve some excellent news for you, too.
Oh, and as a bonus, there’s additionally extra energy below the hood.
Client Information lately spent every week behind the wheel of the redesigned Kicks in SR trim. Painted Scarlet Pink and geared up with the expansive Premium Bundle and newly out there AWD, our check automobile got here to $32,190.
What’s the Similar
The brand new Kicks returns in the identical three trim ranges because the outgoing mannequin: base S ($23,220), midlevel SV ($25,070), and top-tier SR ($27,570). For the report, these costs are up $490, $480, and $2280, respectively.
As for what’s the identical, the reply is, “not a lot.” Even the styling is a departure, giving the nonetheless smallish Kicks a beefier, extra substantial look.
Energy and Efficiency
The Kicks enjoys a bit of further kick—if you’ll–from a brand new customary 2.0-liter engine. At 141 horsepower, the brand new mill serves up 19 extra ponies than did the outdated 1.5-liter engine, and considerably extra torque. As did the outdated powerplant, the two.0-liter mates completely to a CVT-style automated transmission.
Round city, the 2025 Kicks feels a bit of extra relaxed than did the outdated model, with some extra energy for freeway passing and merging. Although the Kicks is just not a scorching rod, it doesn’t need for energy in routine driving. That stated, there isn’t a surplus of oomph for fast traffic-gap-filling maneuvers, or simply enjoyable full-throttle blasts from a cease. Mainly, there’s extra energy than earlier than, which is good.
Room and Consolation
The 2025 Kicks doesn’t really feel an excessive amount of roomier within the entrance row than its predecessor, however it was a lot roomy to start with. What issues most is that there’s extra knee- and legroom within the second row, making the brand new Kicks extra of a household pleasant proposition than it was.
Connectivity
In SR trim, Kicks comes customary with wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a bigger touchscreen. And by bigger, we imply extra floor space than 2024 Kicks fashions, and lesser 2025 trim ranges.
For some cause, some SR local weather features are dealt with by a row of “haptic” buttons positioned under the display. We want old-school mechanical switchgear, however these controls work fairly effectively.
Our check automobile got here geared up with the $1950 Premium Bundle, which can appear indulgent, however features a vital variety of fascinating options for the cash, together with:
- Panoramic Moonroof
- Heated entrance seats
- Heated steering wheel
- Distant Engine Begin System with Nissan’s Clever Local weather Management
- Rain-sensing windshield wipers
- Bose Private Plus-brand audio system with 10 audio system, together with entrance passenger headrest audio system
- Driver seat-mounted front-center supplemental air bag
Energy and Efficiency
Greater than energy, the brand new engine brings with it a way of civility. The bigger motor strains much less to maintain up with site visitors, and is quieter at freeway velocity. And, whereas we’re solely reluctant followers of CVT-style automated transmissions, the Kicks’ unit works effectively with the engine, and customarily retains the it working at the most effective RPM.
Gasoline Economic system
The large information right here is the newly out there all-wheel drive system, which provides simply $1500 to the underside line. We weren’t in a position to consider the system in winter situations, however observe decreased gas financial system versus previous-generation check Kicks examples. Our check automobile returned 27.9 mpg, considerably under the 30.7 mpg we noticed with a 2022 Kicks. We gladly settle for a modest drop in effectivity in trade for the extra house, elevated energy, and addition of AWD to the Kicks.
Trip and Dealing with
We’ve at all times discovered the spunky Kicks enjoyable to drive, and the up to date mannequin is not any exception. Trip high quality is considerably improved for 2025, and fortunately, cabin noise ranges have been decreased. The Kicks continues to be considerably noisier that different automobiles within the class, nonetheless. The brand new engine, although quieter than earlier than, continues to be fairly loud. Freeway-speed cabin noise ranges are additionally comparatively excessive, although, once more, decreased in comparison with the earlier era of the Kicks.
And about that AWD: For 2025, the Kick’s sits greater–an inch and a half greater–than it did in 2024. That extra floor clearance helps make Kicks extra of a official foul-weather crossover, one thing that folk within the Snowbelt will recognize.
Worth
When you return and take a look at the 2025 Kicks costs, you’ll word that the SR elevated in worth greater than the S or SV trim ranges. There’s plenty of content material that comes with that worth improve, although not all of it falls simply into the “worth” bucket. Options together with LED headlights and Nissan’s semi-autonomous ProPILOT Help system.
You’ll must resolve whether or not or to not go together with the top-trim SR, or the high-value SV Kicks, the latter of which might be had for $2500 much less. Additionally, should you don’t need or want AWD, you owe it to your self to take a look at Chevrolet’s scorching new high-value Trax small crossover, which serves up more room, extra energy, and really comparable costs. Additionally, in our testing, the Trax is barely extra gas environment friendly.
Lastly, and that is attention-grabbing, Nissan is making out there the previous-generation Kicks because the Kicks Play. The Play begins at simply $22,910, and is obtainable solely in base S trim. The brand new 2025 Kicks and Kicks Play go on sale within the subsequent couple of weeks.
The brand new Kicks is rather less small, and rather less buzzy, and continues to be an excellent deal. We advocate evaluating each the mid-level SV and top-trim SR, and deciding which appeals most to the worth seeker in you. We count on the little Nissan’s redesign will broaden the mannequin’s attraction in an enormous means, and it deserves a spot in your test-drive quick checklist.
Take heed to the Automotive Stuff Podcast
2025 Nissan Kicks SR Footage
Click on under for enlarged photographs