2020 Nissan Kicks

Single powertrain across all trims; well below the subcompact SUV segment norm.

Modest torque output typical of the naturally aspirated 1.6L; adequate for the Kicks' light curb weight only.

Among the slowest in the subcompact SUV segment; the 122 hp engine and CVT prioritize efficiency over acceleration.

The 1.6L engine is unremarkable but not harsh; power delivery is adequate around town with noticeable strain under hard acceleration or highway passing.

The Xtronic CVT mimics stepped-gear behavior reasonably well and is smoother than many rivals' CVTs, though it still drones under hard acceleration.

Nissan does not publish a towing rating for the Kicks and does not recommend towing with it; only a 140 lb accessory tongue-weight limit is specified.

AWD is not offered on the 2020 Kicks in the US market at all — every trim (S, SV, SR) is FWD only. AWD was not added to the US Kicks lineup until the 2025 model year.

Strictly a pavement-oriented crossover: no AWD, no off-road trim, no skid plates or terrain modes, and unremarkable ground clearance for the class.

Single 1.6L gas engine and single CVT across every trim; no turbo, hybrid, or electrified variant offered for 2020.

Among the most efficient gas SUVs on sale for 2020, near the top of the gas-SUV normalization band thanks to its light weight and small NA 4-cylinder.

City figure exceeds the top of the gas-SUV band, reflecting the Kicks' light curb weight and small displacement.

Highway figure sits at the top of the gas-SUV band, a genuine strength of the Kicks' simple, lightweight powertrain.

Strong MPG is undercut by a small 10.8-gallon fuel tank, leaving total range toward the bottom of the gas-SUV band despite the efficient engine.

Low annual fuel cost near the cheap end of the gas-SUV band, consistent with its class-leading MPG.

Runs on regular unleaded across all trims with no premium recommendation, keeping running costs simple and low.

NHTSA's overall rating for the 2020 Kicks is 4 stars, not 5 — the side-impact result is the strongest component but frontal and rollover both land at 4, pulling the overall down relative to 5-star subcompact-SUV peers.

IIHS rated all six crashworthiness tests Good (moderate overlap front, small overlap driver- and passenger-side, side, roof strength, head restraints/seats), but the 2020 Kicks did not make IIHS's 2020 Top Safety Pick list for Nissan (Sentra, Altima, Maxima did) because headlights are rated Poor on the volume S/SV trims and only Acceptable on the top SR trim.

The headline safety change for MY2020 is that Nissan Safety Shield 360 — forward AEB with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, and automatic high beams — became standard on every trim including the base S, versus being limited to upper trims before. The suite is broad but still lacks adaptive cruise control and any lane-centering assist at any trim.

IIHS front crash prevention testing of this same AEB hardware rated vehicle-to-vehicle performance Superior (avoided the 12 mph test entirely, cut 13 mph off the 25 mph test), but the 2020 model's page does not carry a published pedestrian-detection (day/night) test rating, so real-world pedestrian AEB performance is unconfirmed despite being standard equipment.

Blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every 2020 trim, and rear automatic braking adds active intervention when backing — but blind-spot coverage itself is alert-only with no steering or braking assist, and there's no trailer-aware mode.

The Kicks offers only lane departure warning (an audible/visual alert) at every trim in 2020 — there is no lane-keep assist or lane-centering function of any kind, unlike rivals that pair warning with active steering correction.

The 2020 Kicks has no adaptive cruise control at any trim — only conventional fixed-speed cruise control — and no combined highway-assist feature.

No hands-free driving system of any kind is offered on the Kicks for 2020 — ProPILOT Assist is reserved for other Nissan nameplates (Altima, Rogue) and was not extended to the Kicks this generation.

IIHS rated the halogen reflector headlights on the volume S and SV trims Poor, citing inadequate visibility on both straightaways and curves; only the top SR trim's LED projector low-beams earn an Acceptable rating. Since S/SV represent the bulk of sales volume, most Kicks on the road have Poor-rated headlights.

Reviewers consistently praise the Kicks's thin front pillars, large glass area, and low hoodline for excellent forward and side sightlines; rear-quarter visibility is somewhat compromised by thicker rear pillars, partially offset by the SR trim's standard 360-degree camera.

LATCH anchors are standard across all trims with a conventional 60/40 split-folding rear bench, but as a subcompact SUV the Kicks has tighter rear-door openings and less rear legroom than larger SUVs, making two child seats or a 3-across fit more of a squeeze.

Standard 5-passenger configuration across all 2020 Kicks trims (S/SV/SR), single row behind the front seats.

Tall hatchback-based greenhouse gives generous front headroom for the subcompact class.

Front legroom is strong for the segment despite the Kicks' small footprint.

Second-row headroom is competitive thanks to the boxy roofline.

Rear legroom is tight relative to the SUV segment, a consequence of the short 103.1 in wheelbase.

No third row is offered or possible on the two-row Kicks platform; token seating does not exist here at all.

Cargo volume is at the bottom of the SUV band, reflecting the Kicks' small overall footprint (169.1 in long).

Maximum cargo volume with the 60/40 rear seats folded is well below the SUV band, consistent with the Kicks' subcompact size.

A removable cargo-area divider board and reasonably sized door pockets/console are competitive for the class, but nothing stands out as innovative.

Front seats earned no particular praise or criticism in period reviews; cushioning is adequate but adjustability is limited (6-way driver, 4-way passenger, manual only).

Reviewers were repeatedly surprised by how smooth and well-cushioned the ride is for a sub-2,700-lb subcompact, absorbing bumps with composure despite some body roll in corners.

No acoustic glass or active noise cancellation is fitted; a small, light economy body typically lets in more road and wind noise than segment leaders, though no specific complaints were found in period reviews.

Automatic climate control and heated front seats are available starting on SV, and remote engine start is offered, but there is no heated steering wheel, no rear vents, and no ventilated seats at any trim.

Manufacturer press release pricing for the base S trim plus destination; well below the subcompact SUV band floor.

SV is the volume trim (adds CarPlay/Android Auto, alloys, blind-spot monitoring); priced well under the segment band.

Edmunds True Cost to Own projects modest 5-year maintenance and repair spend, consistent with a simple naturally-aspirated economy crossover.

Residual-value tables and class comparisons place the Kicks in the mid-60s percent range after 5 years, ahead of most subcompact-crossover rivals.

Standard Nissan basic warranty, at the short end of the segment band; several rivals (Hyundai, Kia, Mitsubishi) offer longer coverage.

Standard Nissan powertrain coverage, at the band floor; well short of Hyundai/Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranties in the same segment.

No complimentary scheduled maintenance is included; buyers get 3-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance standard with any new Nissan purchase, plus a short NissanConnect Services trial on SV/SR trims with the display-audio system. That's basic roadside-only coverage, no maintenance perk.

$21,595 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (66% retained, or about $14,253) leaves about $7,342 in depreciation. Add the projected $7,767 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,109 in total.

Consumer Reports' owner-data-based reliability history for the 2020 Kicks shows insufficient sample for most trouble-spot categories (low sales volume model), and the brand's overall CR/JDP standing is mid-pack — landing this in the 'mixed signals between sources' band rather than a confirmed top-tier or bottom-tier reading.

Nissan ranked 5th among mass-market brands in J.D. Power's 2020 Initial Quality Study (161 PP100, above industry average) but sits a clear tier below Toyota/Lexus and other top performers — a solidly mid-pack brand position, not top-5 in dependability specifically.

No NHTSA safety recall campaign specifically issued against the 2020 model year; NHTSA owner complaints (roughly 90) are dominated by forward-collision/electronics false-activation reports typical across Nissan's lineup rather than a systemic or safety-critical pattern, and a CVT control-module firmware TSB exists for transmission hesitation complaints — typical activity, nothing systemic.

The Kicks pairs its 1.6L engine with Nissan's Xtronic CVT, the same family that drew class-action settlements and extended warranties on other 2013-2018 Nissan models for premature failure; owner reports on the Kicks itself describe shudder, hesitation and slipping with some failures reported in the 80,000-120,000 mile range — a powertrain family with a real, documented reliability cloud rather than a clean track record.

Reviewers consistently note extensive hard plastic on door panels and lower surfaces, with some effort in textured plastics and cloth-trimmed armrests — competitive for a budget subcompact price point but criticized for cheap-feeling touchpoints, squarely in the expected-hard-plastics-in-low-touch-zones band.

No major panel-gap, rattle, or assembly-defect pattern surfaced in reviews or owner complaints specific to the 2020 Kicks; absent dedicated initial-quality data for this nameplate, this is inferred from Nissan's mid-pack 2020 J.D. Power IQS brand standing rather than model-specific measurement.

Nissan maintains a large, dense nationwide dealer network (over 1,000 dealers) typical of an established mass-market brand, with adequate coverage in both urban and rural markets; service satisfaction data specific to 2020 is limited, so this sits in the adequate-coverage, mixed-reputation band rather than top-tier.

As a mainstream nameplate sharing components with the Nissan Versa/Sentra parts bin, routine parts are normally priced and widely available at dealers and aftermarket suppliers, but an out-of-warranty CVT replacement (commonly cited at $3,000-4,000) is a real cost risk that keeps this from the top band.

The 7-inch NissanConnect display is the largest offered on any 2020 Kicks trim — no larger screen was available.

The NissanConnect system of this generation is functional with a simple menu layout but was regarded as dated and occasionally laggy compared to segment leaders.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on SV/SR (available on S), but only via wired USB connection — wireless projection was not offered on the Kicks until the later 2021 refresh generation.

No embedded turn-by-turn navigation is offered on the Kicks; voice control is limited to basic phone/audio commands via the NissanConnect system, so most owners rely on phone-projected maps.

A 6-speaker system is standard; the SR Premium package adds a Bose Personal Plus system with headrest-integrated speakers, a genuine upgrade for the class though still a modest setup overall.

A 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display sits between analog gauges on SV/SR — a partial-digital setup, not a full configurable cluster, and not offered at all on base S.

No over-the-air software update capability existed on the Kicks in this generation; any map or system updates required a dealer visit or physical media.

NissanConnect Services (available on SV/SR) supports remote start/lock/locate through a phone app, but requires a paid subscription after a limited trial and lacks a digital-key feature.

Three USB-A ports are standard but there is no USB-C, no wireless charging pad on any trim, and no household-style outlets.

Intelligent Key proximity entry with push-button start and remote engine start are available on SV/SR, though the base S trim uses a traditional key.

A RearView Monitor is standard across all trims, and the SR Premium package adds Nissan's Intelligent Around View Monitor 360-degree camera plus rear sonar — solid provision for an economy subcompact.

No head-up display is offered on any 2020 Kicks trim.

Rear door openings are reasonable for the size of car and LATCH anchors are standard, but tight 33.2-in rear legroom and a narrow rear bench make fitting larger car seats and loading gear alongside kids a squeeze.

Automatic Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and high-beam assist are all standard on every trim including the base S — unusually generous ADAS provision at this price point, backed by an IIHS Top Safety Pick and 'Good' ratings across crash tests.

Front-seat comfort and ride quality are fine for shorter trips, but the tight rear seat, absence of rear climate vents, and small 25.3 cu ft cargo hold (before luggage competes with rear passenger space) limit its appeal for multi-hour family road trips.

Light, quick steering, a compact footprint, good outward visibility from the tall seating position, and a CVT calibrated to mask the modest 122-hp output make the Kicks an easy, low-fatigue daily driver in traffic.

33 MPG combined, an economy price class, and low-displacement 1.6L engine keep per-mile running costs among the cheapest in the SUV segment for commuting duty.

At 169.1 in long with a tight ~34.1 ft turning circle and a standard rearview camera, the Kicks is easy to park and thread through dense urban traffic.

The Kicks carries no tow rating and is not engineered for load-bearing or work duty — it is a commuter-focused subcompact crossover, not a work tool.

General Nissan small-car reliability is adequate, but the Kicks has no fleet or work-duty reputation to draw on and is not built or marketed for hard use.

There is no onboard power outlet, no tie-down/upfit ecosystem, and no washable or work-oriented interior option — cargo provisions are limited to a basic cover and divider board.

A 10.8-gallon tank at 33 MPG combined gives roughly 350 miles of range, and standard AEB/lane-departure warning help on the highway, but engine/road noise and rear-seat tightness limit its long-haul comfort ceiling.

The Kicks is front-wheel drive only with no AWD option in this generation and modest 6.9-7.0 in ground clearance, leaving it pavement-bound with little genuine off-pavement or gravel-road ability.

60/40-split folding rear seats and a removable cargo divider board are useful, but the small 25.3/32.3 cu ft cargo volumes and lack of standard roof rails restrict how much bulky gear it can swallow.

The Kicks turns into corners confidently with some body lean but no sloppiness — secure and composed for a tall, narrow subcompact crossover, without being especially engaging.

Steering is light, direct and accurate at low speed, but a notably slow 16.8:1 ratio (3.08 turns lock-to-lock) and minimal road feedback keep it from feeling engaging.

No specific braking complaints or standout praise appear in period reviews; pedal feel and stopping performance are described as adequate for the class rather than exceptional.

Nissan's CVT and throttle calibration effectively mask the modest 122-hp output around town, making the car feel smoother and less strained than its power figures suggest.

The naturally-aspirated 1.6L four-cylinder paired with a CVT tends toward audible drone under harder acceleration, typical of small-displacement CVT-equipped crossovers, though it is unobtrusive at low speeds.

A tight turning circle near the best end of the SUV band, aided by the Kicks' short 103.1-in wheelbase and compact footprint.

A slightly elevated seating position gives good outward visibility for city driving, and controls are simply laid out, though seat adjustment is manual-only (6-way driver, 4-way passenger) with no power option at any trim.

With 122 hp, slow steering and a CVT, the Kicks is pleasant and inoffensive to drive but appliance-like — not a car enthusiasts seek out, though it is not unpleasant either.

Even the base S trim carries automatic emergency braking, and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto became standard across all 2020 trims — generous for the price point — but the S trim still rides on 16-inch steel wheels with no alloy/heated-mirror/blind-spot kit until SV.

Low starting price, strong fuel economy, and IIHS 'Good' ratings across the board make the Kicks a well-regarded value pick even though it trails rivals on power and handling.

Only three trims (S, SV, SR), all FWD only — no AWD option at all, unlike CX-3 and HR-V rivals that offer all-wheel drive. Take-it-or-leave-it on drivetrain.

2020 was the Kicks' best calendar year yet in the US with 58,858 units sold, including a 45.9% Q4 jump — a fast riser in the subcompact-crossover segment during its launch generation.

Nissan is a mainstream, neutrally-perceived brand in 2020 — no aspirational halo, but no significant image drag either.

Nissan ran aggressive incentive and financing programs across its lineup through 2020 (including COVID-era 0%-APR and deferred-payment offers), making the Kicks readily discountable without desperation-level pricing signals.

2020 is the third US model year of the first generation (launched MY2018); it predates the December 2020 exterior/interior refresh that arrived for MY2021, so 2020 is a pre-facelift, mid-cycle year rather than new or aging-out.

Solidly reviewed (Edmunds 7.1/10, US News 7.4/10, IIHS Good across all six tests, finalist for US News' 2020 Best Subcompact SUV for the Money) but consistently noted as trailing HR-V and CX-3 on acceleration and handling — well-regarded, rarely the class pick.