2024 Nissan Kicks

The 2024 model is a carry-over from the 2021 facelift of the first-generation (P15) Kicks. All three trims (S, SV, SR) use the same 1.6L four-cylinder, and there is no optional engine.

One engine across the lineup, so torque does not vary by configuration.

The 122 hp engine and CVT did not change for 2024, so this uses Car and Driver's instrumented time for the same 2021–2024 powertrain in a curb weight of about 2,682 lb.

The small naturally aspirated 1.6L is fine around town but gets loud and strained when merging onto the highway or climbing, and there is little reserve power.

The Xtronic CVT has no manual mode. It is smooth at low speed but drones and flares engine rpm under hard throttle, with the usual rubber-band feel.

Nissan publishes no tow rating for the first-generation Kicks on any trim.

The 2024 Kicks is front-wheel drive only on every trim. AWD first arrived with the 2025 second-generation redesign.

Built for pavement: about 7.0 in of ground clearance, FWD only, and no terrain modes, skid plates or off-road trim.

One powertrain only: a 1.6L gas engine with CVT and FWD, with no turbo, hybrid or electric option in the US. The e-Power hybrid was never sold here.

EPA combined figure for the single 1.6L/CVT/FWD powertrain shared by all 2024 trims.

EPA city figure for the 1.6L/CVT/FWD powertrain.

EPA highway figure for the 1.6L/CVT/FWD powertrain.

The small 10.8-gallon tank holds total range to about 356 miles despite strong mileage.

Low annual fuel cost, the result of 33 MPG combined on regular fuel at EPA's standard assumptions.

Runs on regular unleaded on every trim, with no premium recommendation.

NHTSA rates the 2024 Kicks 4 stars overall. Side results are a clean 5 stars, but the 4-star frontal rating (3 stars on the passenger side) and a 4-star rollover rating hold it below a 5-star overall.

Every crash test IIHS still publishes for the 2020–2024 Kicks is rated Good: small overlap on both sides and the original moderate overlap. Roof strength and head restraints were also Good through 2022. However, the car was never run through the updated side or updated moderate overlap tests, and the Poor-rated halogen headlights on the volume trims kept it from any award. The small-overlap structure sub-rating is only Acceptable.

Nissan Safety Shield 360 is standard on every 2024 trim. It includes AEB with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning, rear automatic braking and high beam assist. The volume SV adds Intelligent Cruise Control and Intelligent Driver Alertness. No trim offers lane keeping or lane centering, and the base S lacks adaptive cruise.

This is the same AEB hardware that IIHS rated in the original protocol, with a middling vehicle-to-vehicle result but good daytime pedestrian avoidance. The system was never evaluated under the tougher 2.0 or nighttime pedestrian tests, and its camera-plus-radar setup predates the updated system on the 2025 redesign.

Blind spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert are standard on every trim, which is better coverage than several subcompact rivals offer at the base price. Both are alert-only, with no steering intervention and no safe-exit alert. Rear automatic braking is the only active backstop.

The 2024 Kicks offers lane departure warning only, as an alert. No trim has lane keep assist or lane centering; ProPILOT Assist did not reach the Kicks until the 2025 redesign.

Intelligent Cruise Control is standard on the volume SV and on the SR. Nissan describes it as using 'limited braking', and it lacks full stop-and-go and any paired steering assist. The base S has conventional cruise only.

No 2024 Kicks trim offers hands-free driving, or even hands-on ProPILOT Assist.

The volume S and SV trims use halogen low and high beams, which IIHS rated Poor on the facelifted Kicks. Only the SR gets LED low beams, which rated better. Standard high beam assist helps only a little.

Reviewers consistently praise the tall, airy greenhouse, big side glass and low cowl for easy sightlines, with only moderately thick rear pillars. The 360-degree Intelligent Around View Monitor is SR-only, and the volume SV relies on the standard rear camera.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good+, meaning the anchors are easy to reach and use. The limit is the small rear cabin: rear-facing seats crowd the front seats, and fitting three across is impractical.

Two-row, five-passenger layout on every grade.

Tall roofline gives generous front headroom for a subcompact.

Front legroom is class-competitive.

Rear headroom is good thanks to the upright body.

Rear legroom is tight; adults behind tall front occupants are cramped.

No third row is offered on any grade.

25.3 cu ft is large for a subcompact but sits at the bottom of the fleet-wide SUV band.

Max cargo space falls below the SUV band floor of 55 cu ft.

Storage is basic. The center armrest bin is standard only on SV/SR (S buyers pay for a $320 accessory), the rear seat folds 60/40 but not flat, and there are no clever features.

Nissan markets Zero Gravity seats, but reviewers fault the front seats for weak upper-back support and call the rear bench upright, flat and hard. The driver's seat is 6-way manual only.

Reviews are split: US News/Edmunds call the ride compliant around town, others find it choppy on broken highway surfaces. The short wheelbase and twist-beam rear limit it.

Road noise is high and the 1.6L drones under the CVT at highway speeds. Wind noise is acceptable.

Automatic climate control is SR-only. Heated front seats and a heated wheel come only in the SR Premium Package. There are no rear vents and no ventilated seats.

The entry S trim is among the cheapest SUVs sold in the US for 2024, well below the bottom of the SUV band.

SV is the volume Kicks trim. Even as typically equipped it still costs less than the SUV band's low anchor.

Edmunds' model-year projection is the specific sourced figure. CarEdge's lower ~$2,425 is a nameplate-wide estimate, so the Edmunds number is used.

The low purchase price and strong used demand for cheap, efficient crossovers keep the Kicks' depreciation below the segment average. Edmunds' $7,796 5-year depreciation on a ~$24.6k SV (~68% retained) supports this.

Nissan's bumper-to-bumper coverage sits at the floor of the band. Hyundai and Kia rivals offer 5 years/60,000 miles.

Powertrain coverage is at the floor of the band, half of the Hyundai/Kia 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

No scheduled maintenance is included. Roadside assistance runs only alongside the 3-year basic warranty. New for 2024, the SV and SR grades get a three-year NissanConnect Services trial with a Wi-Fi hotspot, which is a modest step up from 2022.

$24,590 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (65% retained, or about $15,984) leaves about $8,607 in depreciation. Add the projected $7,142 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $15,749 in total.

2024 is the last US model year of the first-generation (2018–2024) Kicks, a carry-over of the 2021 facelift, so the predictions rest on a mature, well-documented design. Consumer Reports rates the 2024 Kicks above average for its model year, and the sister 2022 car of the same generation was named J.D. Power's Most Dependable Small SUV. The score stays just below the top band because of this generation's known CVT overheating complaints.

Nissan is a mid-pack brand on dependability. Its Consumer Reports brand ranking has risen in recent years, and it is strong on initial quality, but three-year dependability in the J.D. Power VDS has stayed worse than the industry average. That is middling, not a consistent top-5 brand.

The 2024 model year has a single NHTSA recall, and it is narrow. A driver airbag inflator made in one batch may absorb moisture and deploy improperly. It covered 351 units spread across several Nissan and Infiniti models, and the fix is a free airbag replacement. Across the generation, the other recalls were an EPS torque-sensor connection (2021 only) and a rear-camera recall (2018–2019), with nothing systemic affecting the late years.

The 2024 Kicks keeps the 122-hp HR16DE 1.6L four with the Xtronic CVT. The engine itself is simple and durable. The CVT is a small, lightly loaded unit, but across this generation owners report overheating and limp mode under sustained highway or hill load, and Nissan's wider CVT reputation adds replacement-cost risk once the warranty runs out. That sits between a mixed record and a known problem.

The cabin is built to a price. Hard plastics cover much of the dash and door panels, and the softer trim and contrast stitching appear only on SR trims. Reviewers call the materials below average even for an economy subcompact, though the 2021 facelift added a center armrest and a larger screen.

In its final year of a long production run, assembly is consistent. Reviewers describe the car as solidly screwed together for the money, and there is no pattern of panel-gap or rattle complaints for this model year. It is generally solid but not a standout.

Nissan has one of the larger mass-market dealer and service networks in the US, and its service satisfaction has scored well in recent J.D. Power Customer Service Index studies.

It is cheap to maintain. Parts for this high-volume nameplate are widely stocked and priced like commodity parts, because the V-platform mechanicals are shared with the Versa. Nissan's average repair spend is below the industry average. The one large exposure is a CVT replacement out of warranty.

The SV volume trim's 8-inch screen is small against the segment's newer 9–12 in displays.

The simple NissanConnect interface keeps physical knobs and is easy to learn. Graphics are dated and the small screen feels a generation behind rivals.

CarPlay and Android Auto are standard but wired-only on every 2024 grade. Wireless projection arrived with the 2025 redesign.

There is no factory navigation on any grade, and voice is limited to Bluetooth phone functions plus Siri Eyes Free, so owners rely on phone projection.

The base system has 6 speakers. The optional 8-speaker Bose Personal system with driver-headrest speakers is a modest step up and is SR Premium only.

SV/SR pair an analog speedometer with a 7-inch Advanced Drive-Assist Display (digital tach). The S has only a basic drive computer. No grade gets a full-digital cluster.

SV/SR can update head-unit firmware over the air, but only over a Wi-Fi connection. There are no whole-vehicle OTA updates.

New for 2024, NissanConnect Services is standard on SV/SR with a 3-year trial: remote lock/unlock, remote start/stop, vehicle health report and emergency calling through the MyNISSAN app. There is no digital key.

The S has three USB ports (one front, two rear charge-only) and SV/SR add one front USB-C. There is a single 12V outlet, no wireless charger and no AC outlet.

Intelligent Key with push-button start is standard on all grades, and remote engine start is standard on SV/SR. There is no hands-free liftgate or phone-as-key.

A rearview camera and rear sonar are standard. The Intelligent Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection (class-exclusive, per Nissan) is SR-only. There is no parking automation.

No head-up display is offered on any grade.

Rear doors are wide and step-in is low, LATCH ease of use is rated G+, and 25.3 cu ft swallows a stroller. The 33.4 in rear legroom squeezes rear-facing seats.

IIHS crash tests are Good and Safety Shield 360 AEB/BSW/RCTA is standard on every grade. Offsetting that: NHTSA 4 stars overall, poor-rated halogen headlights on S/SV, and Rear Door Alert only on SV/SR.

Rear-seat adults are short on legroom, the bench is flat and upright, and there are no rear vents and no heated rear seats. Rear USB ports are charge-only, and the 10.8-gallon tank means frequent stops.

Light steering, a smooth CVT in routine driving and good visibility make it easy around town. Merging is labored with 122 hp.

At 33 mpg combined on regular fuel it was the best non-hybrid subcompact SUV for 2024, with inexpensive tires and consumables.

At 169.1 in long with a 34.1 ft turning circle, it is easy to place in the city. A rear camera and sonar are standard and the Around View Monitor is available on SR.

It has no tow rating, no AWD and 122 hp, so it is not meaningfully work-capable beyond light cargo.

The simple HR16DE engine is proven, but the Xtronic CVT and lightweight interior are not suited to hard use, and there is no fleet or work reputation.

It has one 12V outlet, no AC power and no hitch or work accessories. Roof rails on SV/SR are the only carrying provision.

It returns 36 mpg highway, but the 10.8-gal tank limits range to about 390 miles. Road noise, engine drone, unsupportive seats and no lane-centering make it a tiring long-haul car. Adaptive cruise is standard on SV/SR.

It is front-wheel-drive only with 7.0 in of clearance and a 16.6° approach angle. Roof rails on SV/SR help with bikes and skis, but there is no tow rating and no AWD.

The 60/40 rear seat, roof rails on SV/SR and optional crossbars help, and the 25.3 cu ft behind the rear seat is generous for the class. Only 53.1 cu ft maximum, no flat floor and no hitch keep it average.

Light and nimble at low speed with a composed suspension, but noticeable lean in sharp turns and modest grip from 205-section all-season tires.

Quick (2.64 turns lock-to-lock) but overly light and imprecise, with little feedback.

Easy to modulate in traffic with adequate emergency-stop performance, but the pedal feels squishy. The S still has rear drums while SV/SR get rear discs.

The CVT is smooth and responsive in routine driving, but 122 hp and 114 lb-ft make passing and merging slow (about 9.7 s to 60 mph).

The 1.6L gets loud and droning when the CVT holds high rpm under hard acceleration.

One of the tightest turning circles among SUVs.

An upright seating position, simple controls and good visibility help, but the manual 6-way seat has no lumbar adjustment and the wheel tilts only. S buyers get no center armrest.

Light and chuckable at city speeds, but the slow, droning powertrain and numb steering make it an appliance.

Even the base S gets full Safety Shield 360 (AEB with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, lane-departure warning, blind-spot and rear cross-traffic alerts). The volume SV adds 17-inch alloys, Intelligent Cruise Control, remote start, an 8-inch touchscreen with CarPlay/Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot trial, which is generous for about $24.6k.

It has one of the lowest SUV prices, class-leading fuel economy and strong standard safety equipment. Capability per dollar is limited by the 122 hp 1.6L/CVT and the lack of any AWD option, and reviewers flag weak power and interior quality.

There are three trims (S, SV, SR), a single engine and transmission, and front-wheel drive only. Rivals such as the Seltos, HR-V and Trailblazer all offer AWD, so this is a narrow, take-it-or-leave-it lineup.

Kicks sales rose to 77,356 in calendar 2024 (+15.8%). That total mixes runout MY2024 first-generation cars with the new second generation from late 2024, so the old car was a steady mid-pack seller being cleared rather than a leader.

Nissan is a mainstream, non-aspirational brand. In 2024 its image was softened by heavy incentive dependence and CVT-reliability perceptions, putting it just below neutral.

As the final model year of an outgoing generation, and from a brand leaning heavily on incentives in 2024, the MY2024 Kicks commonly carried cash rebates and subvented APR as dealers cleared stock ahead of the redesign. That is a real buyer benefit.

MY2024 is the last year of a generation that dates to 2018 (facelifted for 2021). The all-new second-generation Kicks replaced it for 2025, so a buyer was getting an aging car with the replacement imminent.

Reviewers like its value, efficiency and safety equipment but mark it down for weak power, no AWD and a dated cabin. It is rarely a comparison-test pick by 2024 and has won no major awards.