Textual content by Tom Appel
2025 Nissan Kicks SR AWD
Specs
Class: Small Crossover
Coloration: Scarlet Pink with Tremendous Black
Seating Capability: 5
Miles pushed: 171
Actual-world gas economic system: 27.9 mpg
| CG Report Card | |
|---|---|
| Room and Consolation | B |
| Energy and Efficiency | B- |
| Match and End | B+ |
| Gas 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 degree evaluated, and should not mirror Shopper Information’s impressions of the complete mannequin lineup. | |
| Huge & Tall Consolation | |
| Huge Man | B+ |
| Tall Man | B* |
| Huge & Tall consolation scores are for entrance seats solely. “Huge” score based mostly on male tester weighing roughly 350 kilos, “Tall” score based mostly on 6’6″-tall male tester. | |
| Drivetrain | |
| Engine Specs | 141-horsepower 2.0-liter |
| Engine Kind | 4-cylinder |
| Transmission | CVT computerized |
| Drive Wheels | AWD |
Driving combine: 60% metropolis, 40% freeway
EPA-estimated gas economic system: 27/34/30 (metropolis, freeway, mixed)
Gas sort: Common gasoline
Base value: $27,680 (not together with $1390 vacation spot cost)
Choices on check automobile: Particular paint ($680), illuminated kick plates ($300), carpeted ground mats ($190), Premium Bundle ($1950)
Value as examined: $32,190
Execs and Cons
The good: Roomy, sensible, worth priced
The nice: Gas economic system, sporty dealing with
The not so good: Noisy cabin, no surplus of energy
Evaluation
Individuals don’t purchase low-cost automobiles. At the least, not most Individuals. Final 12 months we noticed the ultimate Hyundai Accent and Kia Rio offered within the States, the final automobiles that might be simply had for lower than $20,000. American consumers do appear to understand worth, nonetheless, as outlined as numerous stuff for not very a lot cash.
The Nissan Kicks is such a automobile. Although smallish and slightly buzzy, the crossover packs numerous content material and magnificence right into a package deal that, final 12 months, ranged in base value from simply $22,730 to $25,290, together with vacation spot cost. Nissan offered virtually 70,000 of it’s most-affordable crossover in 2023, which looks like rather a lot, but it surely’s not an terrible lot. And there are some things in regards to the Kicks that might be improved.
New for 2025
What issues could be improved? How about Restricted rear-seat passenger area, 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 issues. Plus, in case you have been OK with the previous-generation Kicks, we now have some excellent news for you, too.
Oh, and as a bonus, there’s additionally extra energy below the hood.
Shopper 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 obtainable AWD, our check automobile got here to $32,190.
What’s the Identical
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 file, 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 slightly additional kick—if you’ll–from a brand new normal 2.0-liter engine. At 141 horsepower, the brand new mill serves up 19 extra ponies than did the previous 1.5-liter engine, and considerably extra torque. As did the previous powerplant, the two.0-liter mates completely to a CVT-style computerized transmission.
Round city, the 2025 Kicks feels slightly extra relaxed than did the previous model, with some extra energy for freeway passing and merging. Although the Kicks will not be a sizzling rod, it doesn’t need for energy in routine driving. That mentioned, 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, but it surely was loads 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 normal 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 capabilities are dealt with by a row of “haptic” buttons situated under the display. We favor 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 important 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 visitors, and is quieter at freeway velocity. And, whereas we’re solely reluctant followers of CVT-style computerized transmissions, the Kicks’ unit works effectively with the engine, and usually retains the it working at the very best RPM.
Gas Economic system
The large information right here is the newly obtainable all-wheel drive system, which provides simply $1500 to the underside line. We weren’t in a position to consider the system in winter circumstances, however observe decreased gas economic 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 alternate for the extra area, elevated energy, and addition of AWD to the Kicks.
Journey and Dealing with
We’ve all the time discovered the spunky Kicks enjoyable to drive, and the up to date mannequin is not any exception. Journey high quality is considerably improved for 2025, and fortunately, cabin noise ranges have been decreased. The Kicks remains to be considerably noisier that different automobiles within the class, nonetheless. The brand new engine, although quieter than earlier than, remains to be fairly loud. Freeway-speed cabin noise ranges are additionally comparatively excessive, although, once more, decreased in comparison with the earlier technology of the Kicks.
And about that AWD: For 2025, the Kick’s sits larger–an inch and a half larger–than it did in 2024. That extra floor clearance helps make Kicks extra of a legit foul-weather crossover, one thing that folk within the Snowbelt will recognize.
Worth
If you happen to return and take a look at the 2025 Kicks costs, you’ll notice that the SR elevated in value greater than the S or SV trim ranges. There’s numerous content material that comes with that value 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 have to resolve whether or not or to not go together with the top-trim SR, or the high-value SV Kicks, the latter of which could be had for $2500 much less. Additionally, in case you don’t need or want AWD, you owe it to your self to take a look at Chevrolet’s sizzling new high-value Trax small crossover, which serves up extra space, 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 obtainable 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 remains to be a terrific 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 brief checklist.
Hearken to the Automotive Stuff Podcast
2025 Nissan Kicks SR Footage
Click on under for enlarged photographs
