2021 Nissan Kicks

Single-powertrain lineup across S/SV/SR trims; Nissan's only engine offering for the 2021 Kicks, a naturally aspirated 1.6L inline-4 (HR16DE).

Same 1.6L engine across all trims; no torque variance by trim.

Among the slowest in the subcompact SUV class; testers note strained acceleration merging and on grades.

The CVT pairs smoothly and quietly with the engine at moderate throttle, but the small engine is audibly strained under hard acceleration, highway merges, and grades — competent but unremarkable delivery for the class.

Nissan's Xtronic CVT is well-tuned for this application — reviewers specifically note it avoids the rubber-band drone and whine common to CVTs, delivering smooth, seamless power delivery even though outright power is modest.

Nissan publishes no towing rating for the Kicks in any trim or model year through 2021; owner/towing-guide sources are unanimous that it is not intended to tow.

FWD is the only drivetrain offered across all three 2021 trims (S, SV, SR) — AWD was not introduced on the Kicks until the redesigned 2025 model, so there is no AWD option at any price point this year.

Strictly pavement-oriented: 7.0 in. ground clearance, FWD-only, no skid plates, terrain modes, or off-road-oriented trim at any level.

One engine, one transmission, one drive wheel configuration across the entire trim range for 2021 — no turbo, hybrid, PHEV, or EV variant exists for the Kicks nameplate at this point.

Best-in-class fuel economy for a subcompact SUV, the Kicks' primary selling point against larger/heavier segment rivals.

Light curb weight and small-displacement engine give strong city economy.

Top of the subcompact SUV band on the highway cycle.

Despite class-leading MPG, the small 10.8-gallon tank caps total range well below most segment peers with larger tanks.

Mid-band annual fuel cost for the segment — good economy, but the SUV-wide band is pulled low by efficient hybrids and small EV-adjacent entries.

Runs on regular unleaded across all trims, with no premium recommendation or complicated fueling requirement.

NHTSA overall 4-star rating for the 2021 Kicks, with 4 stars frontal and rollover, 5 stars side impact.

All six IIHS crashworthiness tests (small overlap front driver/passenger, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength, head restraints & seats) rated Good, plus G+ LATCH ease-of-use, but the Kicks was excluded from Top Safety Pick specifically because of Poor-rated standard headlights.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 — AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, high-beam assist, and rear automatic braking — is standard on every 2021 Kicks trim including base S. The one gap is adaptive cruise control, which is standard from SV up but not on the base S.

AEB with pedestrian detection is standard fleet-wide using the same camera/radar system as Safety Shield 360, and forward collision warning is standard, but no corroborated IIHS Superior/Advanced night-pedestrian distinction was found for this specific model year, so this is scored as solid but unconfirmed top-tier.

Radar-based blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert with rear automatic braking are standard on every 2021 Kicks trim, but coverage is alert-based rather than active lane-keeping intervention.

The Kicks offers Lane Departure Warning only (steering-wheel vibration alert) — there is no Lane Keep Assist active steering correction and no lane-centering function on any 2021 trim.

Intelligent Cruise Control (radar adaptive cruise) is standard on the SV volume trim, but it is a basic single-function system with no combined highway/lane-centering assist and no confirmed full-speed-range stop-and-go capability.

No hands-free highway driving system is offered on the 2021 Kicks; Nissan's ProPilot Assist was not added to this nameplate until the 2026 facelift.

IIHS rated the 2021 Kicks' standard headlights Poor, the specific reason it was denied a Top Safety Pick award despite otherwise all-Good crashworthiness results.

Reviewers consistently praise the Kicks' upright stance, large glass area, and a C-pillar disguised in black trim for excellent all-around visibility, with only minor compromise from chunky A-pillars and thicker rear roof pillars.

IIHS rates the Kicks' LATCH ease-of-use as G+ (the top tier, indicating extra usable LATCH positions), reflecting accessible anchors for the rear seat.

Standard 5-passenger seating across all trims (S, SV, SR); no third row or option for one.

Manufacturer-published front headroom for the 2021 Kicks, unchanged by the 2021 facelift's exterior/interior updates.

Front legroom is near the top of the subcompact SUV band, a highlight of the Kicks' packaging.

Rear headroom is mid-pack for the segment, aided by the Kicks' tall, boxy roofline.

Rear legroom sits near the bottom of the subcompact SUV band — a known compromise of the Kicks' short 103 in wheelbase.

The Kicks is a strict two-row subcompact SUV with no third-row option on any trim.

Cargo volume behind the rear seats sits at the low end of the SUV band, typical for the subcompact class.

Maximum cargo volume with the 60/40 rear seats folded is low even for a subcompact SUV.

Reasonable door pockets, a center console bin and cupholders, but no standout underfloor or divider storage system versus segment leaders.

Front seats are adequately cushioned for daily use but reviewers note flat bolstering and limited adjustment range on lower trims; rear bench is thinly padded.

Ride is composed and absorbs bumps well around town, but reviewers are split — some call it comfortably compliant, others note firmness over rougher pavement.

The Kicks is noticeably noisier and less settled at highway speed, with reviewers flagging wind and road noise as a weak point.

Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are gated behind the SR Premium Package only; base and mid trims get manual A/C with no comfort extras.

The 2021 refresh held the S trim's starting price essentially flat versus 2020, keeping the Kicks the cheapest subcompact SUV on sale.

SV is the volume grade, adding the 7-inch touchscreen, alloy wheels and the Safety Shield 360 suite standard for 2021.

CarEdge's class data puts the Kicks about $1,400 below the average subcompact SUV over the first 5 years, consistent with its small 1.6L naturally-aspirated four and CVT having little to go wrong. Edmunds' bundled TCO 'maintenance + repairs' line runs considerably higher ($9,485) because it prices every dealer-scheduled service at retail, but CarEdge's figure is the one that matches this item's own definition.

CarEdge's depreciation table tracks a 2021 Kicks (new price $22,627) to an estimated $14,868 resale value in 2026 — a 65.7% loss, well below the subcompact-SUV norm and among the steeper depreciation curves in the class.

Mainstream-brand floor, matching Toyota, Honda and Ford and trailing Hyundai/Kia's longer coverage on rival subcompact SUVs.

Segment-floor 5/60 powertrain coverage, half of the 10-year/100,000-mile terms Hyundai (Kona) and Kia (Seltos) offer.

No complimentary scheduled-maintenance plan came with the 2021 Kicks — Nissan's Maintenance Care program didn't launch until the 2025 model year — so coverage is limited to the standard 3-year/36,000-mile roadside assistance bundled into the basic warranty.

$22,450 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (34.3% retained, or about $7,700) leaves about $14,750 in depreciation. Add the projected $2,425 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $17,175 in total.

Consumer Reports rates the 2021 Kicks average reliability against the full fleet, but the nameplate has a strong multi-year track record — JD Power's 2025 Vehicle Dependability Study (evaluating 3-year-old vehicles of this same generation) named the Kicks the Most Dependable Small SUV, and no systemic complaint pattern exists for this model year specifically.

Nissan sits mid-pack in recent multi-year dependability studies — 12th of 22 brands in Consumer Reports' brand rankings — with reliability that varies significantly by model rather than a consistent top- or bottom-tier standing.

Two NHTSA recalls hit this generation Kicks (22V-693, Sept 2022, ~20,040 vehicles; 23V-496, July 2023, ~11,824 vehicles), both for an intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering torque sensor that can disable power steering assist — a genuine safety-relevant defect, though the remedy (column inspection/replacement) is straightforward and no fire/structural campaigns exist for the model.

The Kicks pairs a naturally-aspirated 1.6L HR16DE four-cylinder with a Jatco-sourced Xtronic CVT — the same CVT family criticized across Nissan's lineup for hesitation, shudder and premature wear, though the Kicks-specific unit is a lighter-duty application than the Altima/Sentra/Rogue units named in Nissan's CVT class-action litigation and has not generated a comparable complaint volume.

The 2021 facelift brought a redesigned center console with armrest and reviewers noted materials that punch above the Kicks' economy price point — metal interior door pulls, patterned upholstery even on base trims, and a leatherette-trimmed dash on the SR — with hard plastics relegated to low-touch zones as expected at this price.

The February 2021 facelift specifically targeted build-quality refinements (new seat/door designs, electronic parking brake, larger touchscreen) and reviews of the updated car report solid, consistent assembly with no pattern of rattles or panel-gap complaints distinct from the segment norm.

Nissan runs one of the largest dealer footprints in the US (~1,000+ franchised locations), giving the Kicks broad service accessibility, but Nissan's service/ownership-satisfaction scores in J.D. Power and Consumer Reports studies sit mid-pack rather than top-tier.

As a high-volume mass-market economy crossover sharing parts with the Versa/Sentra platform, the Kicks has wide parts availability and low ownership repair costs relative to the segment — sources estimate roughly $330/year average maintenance and repair spend, well under the segment norm.

SV, the volume trim, carries the 8.0-inch touchscreen; the base S trim gets a smaller 7.0-inch unit.

Nissan's interface on the Kicks is simple and reasonably responsive but visually dated with modest graphics versus newer rivals.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on every 2021 Kicks trim, but only via wired USB connection — no wireless projection is offered on any trim.

Built-in voice recognition is basic and native navigation is not standard; most owners rely on phone-projected maps and voice assistants instead.

Base 6-speaker audio is adequate but unremarkable; the optional 8-speaker Bose Personal Plus system with headrest speakers (SR Premium Package only) is a genuine upgrade but not widely available.

SV and SR get a 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display with a configurable digital panel flanking an analog speedometer — a partial digital cluster, not full-digital; base S has a simpler analog cluster with basic trip computer.

No meaningful over-the-air update capability for vehicle software is offered on the 2021 Kicks; NissanConnect Services (SR-only trial) covers remote functions, not OTA feature updates.

NissanConnect Services enables remote lock/unlock, remote start and vehicle locate via app, but the 3-year trial is bundled only with the SR Premium Package, and there is no digital-key function.

Three USB ports on base S (two charge-only, one data) with a USB-C port added on SV/SR; no wireless charging pad is offered on any trim.

Push-button start is standard even on base S; proximity Intelligent Key and remote engine start are added starting at SV, one step up from the base trim.

A standard rearview camera is fitted to all trims, but the 360-degree Intelligent Around View Monitor is reserved for the top SR trim only.

No head-up display is offered on any 2021 Kicks trim.

Rear door openings and seat height make car-seat installs manageable for a subcompact SUV, but tight rear legroom (33.5 in) crowds a rear-facing seat against front-seat travel.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 — forward AEB with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear automatic braking, and rear cross-traffic alert — is standard on every trim including the $19,600 base S, an unusually strong ADAS floor at this price point.

Tight rear legroom, no rear climate vents or rear USB ports on base trims, and a cargo hold that shrinks fast with a stroller or gear limit multi-hour family trips.

Light controls, a tight 34.1 ft turning circle, and a high seating position make the Kicks relaxed in city and suburban traffic, though the CVT and small engine feel strained under harder acceleration.

EPA-rated 31/36/33 mpg city/highway/combined plus a low base price and simple naturally-aspirated 4-cylinder keep running and maintenance costs low for commuting.

A compact 169.1 in overall length, tight 34.1 ft turning circle, and standard rearview camera make the Kicks easy to park and thread through tight city streets; the 360-camera aid is SR-only.

Nissan does not rate or recommend the Kicks for towing, and its 122 hp engine and small cargo hold offer no meaningful work capacity.

The Kicks is a commuter-focused crossover with no fleet or work-duty reputation, a low-torque engine, and a CVT that is not built for repeated heavy-load use.

No onboard power outlets, tie-down provisions, or upfit ecosystem are offered — the Kicks is a passenger-focused crossover with no jobsite features.

Decent combined fuel economy stretches range between stops, but reviewers flag more wind/road noise and less composure at highway speed, undercutting long-haul comfort.

The 2021 Kicks is FWD-only with no AWD option and modest 7-inch ground clearance, leaving it firmly pavement-bound.

60/40 split-folding rear seats help, but 25.3 cu ft (32.3 cu ft max) cargo volume is small for hauling bulky gear, and roof rails are not standard equipment.

The Kicks turns in with more composure than its predecessor and stays secure on a twisty road, but reviewers note noticeable body lean through sharper corners.

Reviewer accounts diverge — some describe the steering as firm and responsive, while Consumer Reports calls it overly light and imprecise — suggesting inconsistent tuning rather than a strength.

No major complaints surfaced about brake feel or fade; standard hydraulic disc/drum setup performs adequately for the class without standing out.

The 1.6L/CVT pairing is smooth at low speed but exhibits typical CVT drone and hesitation under harder throttle inputs, with modest 122 hp on tap.

The small 4-cylinder becomes coarse and vocal under acceleration, compounded by CVT drone, and is audible in the cabin especially at highway speed.

34.1 ft is at the tight end of the SUV turning-circle band, consistent across all 2021 Kicks trims.

A slightly elevated seating position gives good outward visibility and easy ingress/egress for a small crossover, with straightforward control layout, though seat/wheel adjustment range is basic on lower trims.

The Kicks is pleasant and occasionally engaging on a twisty road for its class but is fundamentally an economy-focused commuter rather than an enthusiast pick.

The 2021 refresh made Nissan's Safety Shield 360 suite (AEB w/ pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high-beam assist, rear automatic braking) standard across all three trims, plus Apple CarPlay/Android Auto — content rivals like the Toyota C-HR and Honda HR-V charged more to match at the time.

Edmunds' review frames the 2021 Kicks explicitly as the value pick of the subcompact-SUV class — cheaper than the HR-V and C-HR by roughly $2,000 while offering more standard tech and safety kit, plus class-competitive cargo space and top-3 fuel economy.

Just three trims (S, SV, SR) and, unlike most subcompact-SUV rivals, no AWD option at all in the US market for 2021 — the Kicks is FWD-only regardless of trim or price paid, a real gap next to the Kona, HR-V, Seltos and Trailblazer, all of which offer AWD.

2021 was the Kicks' best calendar year in the US to date — 82,960 units, up 40.9% year over year — putting it solidly among the stronger sellers in the subcompact-SUV class even without an AWD option.

Nissan is a mainstream, value-oriented brand without the aspirational halo of a Toyota/Honda-level reliability reputation or a luxury nameplate — neutral perception that neither boosts nor drags the Kicks specifically.

Nissan ran modest, typical mainstream incentives on the 2021 Kicks — 1.9% APR for up to 60 months plus $500 loyalty, military and college-grad rebates — enough to move the price without signaling desperation, and dealers routinely came off MSRP.

2021 brought a mid-cycle facelift (Kicks e-Power-style front fascia, larger touchscreen, electronic parking brake, standard CarPlay/Android Auto) to a platform that had been on sale in the US since 2018 (globally since 2016) — current and updated, but not a new generation and not cutting-edge underneath.

Reviewers rated the refreshed 2021 Kicks solidly average — Edmunds gave it 7.4/10, praising value and efficiency but flagging weak performance and comfort versus the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30 — and it did not win a major 2021 comparison test or industry award.