2018 Nissan Kicks

Launch-year Kicks uses a single 1.6L engine across S/SV/SR; output is well below the subcompact-SUV norm.

Same 1.6L engine across all three 2018 trims; torque is thin for the segment, felt most at highway passing speed.

Among the slowest vehicles in the subcompact SUV class; consistent across all three trims since they share the powertrain.

The 1.6L is smooth and adequately quiet around town but is audibly strained under hard acceleration, highway merges, or with a full load — reviewers of the debut model year consistently flagged it as underpowered rather than refined.

The CVT is tuned for smooth low-speed response and uses simulated steps to mask the classic rubber-band drone; it is an unremarkable but competent CVT — the complaint from reviewers is engine output, not gearbox behavior.

Nissan publishes no towing rating for the 2018 Kicks and does not recommend it for towing in any configuration.

FWD is the only drivetrain offered across S, SV, and SR for the 2018 launch year — AWD is not available at any price point, an outlier even among subcompact crossovers.

Modest 7.0 in ground clearance, no skid plates, no low-range or terrain modes, and no off-road-oriented trim — the Kicks is styled like a crossover but is a pavement-only FWD hatchback underneath.

One engine, one CVT, one drivetrain for the entire 2018 launch lineup — the narrowest possible powertrain offering, with no turbo, hybrid, or AWD variant to choose from.

One of the most fuel-efficient gas-powered SUVs sold in the US for 2018, thanks to a small naturally-aspirated engine and low curb weight.

City figure is exceptional for the class, benefiting from low weight and a small displacement engine.

Highway figure sits at the top of the gas-SUV range, the payoff for the Kicks' weak acceleration and thin torque.

Excellent MPG is offset by a small fuel tank, so total range is modest and near the bottom of the segment despite the strong efficiency.

Below-average annual fuel spend for a gas SUV, directly reflecting the class-leading MPG.

Runs on regular unleaded with no special fuel requirement across all three 2018 trims.

NHTSA did not perform a New Car Assessment Program crash test on the 2018 Kicks, so no overall star rating exists for this model year.

All six crashworthiness tests scored Good except passenger-side small overlap front (Acceptable); IIHS awarded Top Safety Pick (not TSP+, since only the SR trim's LED projector headlights clear the Acceptable/Good bar needed for the top tier).

Only automatic emergency braking is standard across the range; blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are optional and locked to SV/SR, and lane-keeping/adaptive cruise are unavailable on any 2018 Kicks trim.

IIHS rated standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention Superior (avoided the 12 mph test, cut 13 mph off the 25 mph test), but the 2018 Kicks was not evaluated in IIHS's pedestrian or nighttime front crash prevention tests, so full-spectrum performance is unconfirmed.

Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are available on SV and SR but absent on the base S trim, and both are alert-only with no active braking intervention.

No lane departure warning or lane keep assist was offered on any 2018 Kicks trim.

Adaptive cruise control was not offered on any 2018 Kicks trim; only a conventional fixed-speed cruise control was available.

No hands-free highway driving system of any kind was offered on the 2018 Kicks.

IIHS rated the halogen reflector headlights on S and SV Poor, and the LED projector low beams on SR only Acceptable — no trim reaches Good.

Reviewers consistently praised the Kicks' tall windshield, large glass area and low beltline for excellent forward and side sightlines, a repeated theme across first-drive coverage.

IIHS rated the LATCH anchors Good for ease of use overall, but reviewers note the inboard anchors are partly obscured by seat angle and the middle-position belt buckle, and installing a rear-facing seat requires moving the front seat forward.

The 2018 Kicks is a two-row, five-passenger subcompact crossover on every trim (S/SV/SR) — no third row or six-seat option exists for this generation.

Front headroom of 40.7 in sits well above the middle of the SUV band, a byproduct of the Kicks' tall, upright greenhouse.

43.7 in of front legroom is near the top of the SUV band — Nissan marketed best-in-class front legroom for the segment at launch.

Second-row headroom of 38.5 in is above the midpoint of the SUV band, consistent with the boxy roofline carrying through to the rear seat.

Rear legroom of 33.2 in is well below the SUV band midpoint — the short 103.1-in wheelbase favors front-seat and cargo space over the second row.

The Kicks has never offered a third row in any generation or trim — it is a strict two-row, five-seat subcompact crossover, so this item scores at the floor.

25.3 cu ft behind the rear seats sits just above the SUV band floor of 25, effectively scoring zero — one of the smaller cargo holds among subcompact SUVs.

Nissan's own combined figure of 53.1 cu ft with the rear seats folded falls below the SUV band floor of 55 cu ft, scoring zero — the Kicks trades outright cargo volume for cabin space.

Storage is competent but unremarkable for the price point: a modest center console bin, door pockets, and a covered cargo area, but no underfloor bin, fold-flat front passenger seat, or onboard household power.

Reviewers found the front seats reasonably comfortable and supportive for the class, though cushioning and adjustability are basic on lower trims and the flat rear bench offers little thigh support on longer trips.

Ride is smoother than many segment rivals on smooth roads but firm on the front-strut/rear-torsion-beam setup, with road bumps clearly felt and the ride turning choppy and busy over rough pavement.

Road and wind noise are lower than most rivals at cruising speed and reviewers repeatedly called the cabin 'relatively quiet,' but the 1.6L engine gets noticeably loud and drones under hard acceleration.

Base S trim gets only manual A/C; automatic temperature control arrives on SV/SR, and heated front seats are gated behind the SR Premium Package only — no rear vents, ventilated seats, or remote pre-conditioning at any trim.

Launched for the 2018 model year as the Juke's subcompact-crossover replacement, the Kicks S opened well under $19,000 — one of the lowest entry prices in the subcompact SUV class and far under the class-wide SUV band.

SV is the mid-level trim that adds Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and a 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto over the base S, and is the configuration most reviews treat as the sweet spot for a launch-year Kicks buyer.

This is a first-model-year vehicle for the US market, and reliability trackers flag 2018 as the weakest Kicks model year on record, driven by electrical-system complaints (17 of 78 filed) and reports of transmission issues with the CVT — consistent with Edmunds' projected 5-year repair-plus-maintenance figure landing near the top of the subcompact-SUV band rather than near the bottom other Kicks years reach.

Nissan residuals trail the Japanese-brand leaders (Toyota, Honda), and third-party estimates for the Kicks nameplate spread widely depending on assumptions; a blended midpoint lands the 2018 Kicks in the middle of the subcompact-SUV band rather than at either extreme.

Nissan's standard New Vehicle Limited Warranty for the 2018 model year — the mainstream segment floor, matching Toyota, Honda and Mazda but well behind Hyundai/Kia's 5-year/60,000-mile basic coverage on rival 2018 subcompact SUVs (Kona, Soul).

Nissan's 5/60 powertrain coverage is the mainstream minimum — half the 10-year/100,000-mile term Hyundai and Kia offered on comparable 2018 subcompact SUVs.

Nissan offered no complimentary scheduled-maintenance program on the 2018 Kicks — owners pay from the first service, unlike ToyotaCare on a class rival (RAV4/C-HR). What is included is 24-hour roadside assistance running 3 years/36,000 miles alongside the basic warranty, with no charging credits or connected-service trial called out for this launch-year model, putting it at the low end of the class rather than at the floor.

$19,990 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (58% retained, or about $11,594) leaves about $8,396 in depreciation. Add the projected $8,264 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $16,660 in total.

As an all-new 2018 launch, the Kicks had no multi-year track record yet; J.D. Power's predicted reliability for the model was an average 3/5, and early owner data (NHTSA complaints for stalling and ABS faults, forum reports of CVT overheating into limp mode) point to a mixed rather than strong first-year record.

Nissan sits mid-pack to below-average in multi-year dependability studies; J.D. Power's 2018 Initial Quality Study showed improvement (85 PP100, several segment wins for Frontier/Maxima/Altima) but Consumer Reports' brand dependability rankings have kept Nissan out of the top tier for years, driven largely by CVT-related complaints across the lineup.

The 2018 Kicks carries a single NHTSA recall — a back-up camera display software fix (19V654000, remedy began Nov. 2019) — which is minor and non-mechanical. TSB volume and owner complaint counts are moderate for a first model-year vehicle, with no systemic powertrain or fire-risk campaigns.

The naturally aspirated 1.6L HR16DE inline-4 is a simple, low-stress engine shared with the Versa Note lineage and has a reasonably proven record, but it is paired exclusively with a Jatco/Nissan Xtronic CVT — a transmission family with a well-documented industry reputation for overheating into limp mode, slipping, and expensive replacement need around the 100k-mile mark. The CVT drags an otherwise unremarkable engine's reputation down.

Reviewers found the cabin's soft-touch coverage inconsistent — padded dash face and armrests on higher trims, hard plastic elsewhere — but generally competitive for an economy-class subcompact SUV, with SR/Premium-package trims adding stitched faux leather that reads as above-segment for the price.

General assembly quality drew praise in first-drive reviews, but NHTSA complaint data shows a cluster of engine-stalling and brake/ABS issues at very low mileage (average ~1,000–4,000 miles), which is more consistent with early-production quality-control gaps than long-term wear.

Nissan runs one of the densest dealer networks in the US mass market, giving Kicks owners broad service access nationwide; service satisfaction scores for the brand are average rather than standout.

As a high-volume Nissan economy model sharing mechanicals with the Versa Note/Micra global platform, parts are widely stocked and reasonably priced, though CVT replacement — when needed — is a significant repair cost relative to the vehicle's price.

The 7.0-in touchscreen sits at the very floor of the SUV normalization band; it is Nissan's standard mid-size unit for the segment and never larger on any 2018 Kicks trim.

Reviewers found the system easy to navigate with quick phone pairing, a strong result for an entry-level unit, though the screen washes out in bright sunlight.

CarPlay and Android Auto are wired-only in 2018 and are withheld from the base S trim entirely, standard only on SV and SR — below the segment norm of standard availability across the line.

No built-in navigation system is offered on any 2018 Kicks trim — owners rely entirely on phone-projected maps — and the native voice-recognition system is basic Bluetooth voice dialing rather than a natural-language assistant.

The standard six-speaker system is adequate, but the optional Bose Personal Plus system on the SR Premium Package — with speakers built into the driver's headrest — earned genuine praise as a segment-punching-above-its-price feature.

Base S trim has analog gauges only; SV/SR add a small 7-in Advanced Drive-Assist Display within an otherwise analog cluster, well short of a full configurable digital gauge display.

The 2018 Kicks predates any over-the-air update capability at Nissan for this segment — no whole-vehicle or infotainment/map OTA updates are offered.

No smartphone companion app or digital key is offered; remote functions are limited to key-fob remote engine start on SV/SR trims where legal, with no app-based remote lock/locate/climate.

Three USB ports (all legacy USB-A) are standard, but there is no wireless charging pad and no household AC outlet on any trim.

Nissan Intelligent Key with push-button start and remote start are standard on SV/SR but absent on the base S trim, which uses a traditional key — mid-pack for the class rather than full keyless convenience across the line.

A RearView Monitor is standard across every trim — notable for the price point — while the 360-degree Intelligent Around View Monitor is reserved for the top SR trim only.

No head-up display is offered on any 2018 Kicks trim, base or SR.

Rear door openings and seat height make loading a car seat manageable, and LATCH anchors are standard, but 33.2 in of rear legroom is tight once a rear-facing seat is installed behind a taller front occupant.

Standard automatic emergency braking and seven airbags on every trim including the base S earned the 2018 Kicks an IIHS Top Safety Pick — strong for an economy-priced crossover — though blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts, and better LED headlights, are gated to SV/SR and SR respectively.

Front-row space and a quiet-for-the-class cabin help, but rear-seat legroom is tight, there are no rear climate vents or rear USB ports on lower trims, and cargo space behind the second row is limited once luggage for four is loaded.

Light steering, a tight turning circle, and a comfortable low-speed ride make the Kicks relaxed in traffic, though the 125-hp engine feels strained when merging onto fast-moving roads.

33 mpg combined (31 city/36 highway) is among the best in the gas-powered subcompact SUV class, paired with Nissan's typically low economy-segment maintenance costs.

A compact 169.1-in overall length, tight 34.1-ft turning diameter, and a standard RearView Monitor make the Kicks easy to place and park in dense urban settings.

Nissan does not publish a tow rating for the Kicks and does not recommend it for towing; cargo capacity is among the smallest in its class and no AWD is offered, leaving essentially no work capability.

The HR16DE engine and Xtronic CVT are carried from other Nissan/Renault-alliance economy models with a mixed long-term reputation, and the Kicks is not marketed or equipped for hard-use, fleet-style duty.

There is no onboard power beyond a 12V outlet and USB ports, no tie-down provisions marketed, and no upfit or accessory ecosystem aimed at work use.

The quiet-for-class cabin and roughly 350-mile highway range on a 10.8-gallon tank help, but there is no adaptive cruise control on any trim and the modest engine leaves little reserve for passing on the highway.

FWD-only with no AWD ever offered on this generation and a modest 7.0-in ground clearance limit the Kicks to pavement and light gravel; standard roof rails are the only real adventure-oriented touch.

A 60/40 split-folding rear seat and standard roof rails offer some flexibility, but the underlying cargo hold — 25.3 cu ft behind the second row, 53.1 cu ft combined with seats folded — is small for the segment.

Reviewers describe fairly good body-motion control but a mushy character with considerable lean through corners and a generally boring, unremarkable dynamic feel.

Steering feel is repeatedly singled out as the Kicks' biggest dynamic weakness — light and largely wooden — though on-center accuracy and the steering ratio are decent.

No notable praise or criticism of brake feel or stopping distances surfaced in contemporary road tests — pedal feel and performance appear adequate and unremarkable for the segment.

Nissan tuned the CVT to simulate stepped gear changes on acceleration, giving a more natural feel off the line than a typical CVT, but overall response remains leisurely.

The 1.6L engine is unobtrusive at cruise but becomes noticeably loud and drones at high rpm under hard acceleration, a common CVT-paired-with-small-engine trait.

A 34.1-ft turning diameter sits at the tight end of the SUV band, giving the Kicks exceptional maneuverability for its class.

Reviewers consistently praised excellent outward visibility and simple, logically laid-out controls, with a comfortable, slightly elevated seating position typical of a well-executed small crossover.

The Kicks prioritizes comfort, efficiency and value over driving enjoyment; reviewers characterize its dynamics as boring and appliance-like rather than engaging.

The launch-year Kicks S undercut $18,300 while standardizing Automatic Emergency Braking across every trim — the only vehicle in the subcompact-SUV class to offer AEB standard under $18,000, at a time when several rivals still charged extra or restricted it to upper trims. A rearview camera, 7-inch display and Bluetooth were also standard from the base S. What holds it short of the top band is the base S's lack of Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (added at SV) and no available AWD at any price.

For the money the Kicks delivers class-leading standard safety tech, strong EPA fuel economy (31/36/33 mpg) and a comfortable, well-trimmed cabin, all starting under $18,300 — genuinely strong value on paper. It gives that back on outright content: the 125-hp engine and CVT are unremarkable next to the Kona's 147 hp or HR-V's 141 hp, and no AWD is offered at any price or cost, which several direct rivals do provide.

A narrow, take-it-or-leave-it lineup for the 2018 launch year: three trims (S, SV, SR) spanning just $18,290–$20,590, one 1.6L engine, one CVT, and FWD as the only drivetrain — no AWD, no turbo or performance variant, and a tight span between the top and bottom of the range compared to segment rivals offering AWD and wider price spreads.

As a mid-2018 launch replacing the slow-selling Juke, the Kicks moved 23,312 units in its partial first year on sale (June–December), building from 563 units at launch to 5,704 in December — a fast ramp for a brand-new nameplate, but on an annualized basis still mid-pack rather than a segment leader against established subcompact-SUV volumes like the Honda HR-V or Chevrolet Trax.

Nissan in 2018 carried a mainstream, value-oriented brand image without the aspirational pull of Toyota/Honda-adjacent reliability reputations or a dedicated enthusiast following — neutral rather than a drag or a halo, consistent with a nameplate that sold on price and safety-tech content rather than badge appeal.

As a brand-new nameplate in its launch year, replacing the Juke, the 2018 Kicks had little reason for Nissan to discount it heavily — demand was still building toward its launch, not clearing out an aging model, and no significant incentive programs are documented for the 2018 model year specifically.

2018 is the Kicks' first model year in the US market — an all-new nameplate on the first-generation P15 platform, replacing the Juke, with current-for-2018 platform tech and standard AEB the lineup built its identity around. Nothing fresher than a brand's newly launched nameplate.

Well-reviewed rather than a comparison-test winner: IIHS named the 2018 Kicks a Top Safety Pick, and outlets like MotorWeek and Consumer Reports praised the ride comfort, standard safety tech and value, but reviewers consistently placed it in the middle of the subcompact-SUV field rather than at the top, citing the 125-hp engine, CVT and absent AWD as the reasons it didn't win outright against the Kona, HR-V or Soul.