The Kicks has standard driver and passenger side airbags combined with three-point seat belts, a combination which is 29% more effective in preventing injury and death than seatbelts alone.

To maximize occupant safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Kicks have pretensioners to eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Kicks are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up.

The Kicks has shoulder harnesses for all passengers. Shoulder harnesses are 10% more effective than lap belts in preventing injuries from collisions. Recent studies indicate that lap belts alone may cause as many or more injuries than they prevent.

The Kicks has standard child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kicks are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out.

The Nissan Kicks has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision.

The Kicks has standard front and rear seat side-impact airbags and head airbags for both seat rows, which act as a forgiving barrier between the passengers and the door. Combined with high-strength steel door beams this system increases protection from broadside collisions.

The Kicks SR offers an optional front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Kicks deploy with different levels of force or don't deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. Airbags without smart features will always deploy full force.

The Kicks has standard four-wheel antilock disc brakes for quicker stops and controlled steering ability, especially under poor traction conditions.

The Kicks has standard Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, which use forward mounted sensors to warn the driver of a possible collision ahead. If the driver doesn't react and the system determines a collision is imminent, it automatically applies the brakes at full-force in order to reduce the force of the crash or avoid it altogether.

With its standard Autonomous Emergency Braking, the Nissan Kicks is excellent at preventing collisions with pedestrians, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision.

For much better traction, the Kicks has front-wheel drive. While accelerating the rear wheels of a rear-wheel drive vehicle can break loose, causing it to fishtail or even spin and lose control completely. ‘Oversteering' or spinning in a rear wheel drive car requires counter-steering, and backing off the gas may not help.

To prevent wheel-spin and loss of control under poor traction conditions, full range traction control is standard on the Nissan Kicks.

The Kicks has standard Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC), which uses the antilock brake hardware along with powerful software and additional sensors to detect the beginning of a skid. VDC then intervenes by automatically applying the brake at one appropriate wheel, preventing a skid. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study showed that skid control systems reduced single-vehicle SUV crashes by 67%.

The Nissan Kicks has Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous.

The Kicks' lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane.

The Kicks has standard Parking Sonar System to help warn drivers about vehicles, pedestrians or other obstacles behind or in front of their vehicle. The Kicks also has a standard backup monitor to help drivers see any and all obstacles behind their vehicle, and a standard (SR) Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle.

The Kicks' blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle's blind spots where the side view mirrors don't reveal them.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks' standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions.

The Kicks' driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Kicks uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. A body-on-frame design has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

The Kicks' gas tank is mounted inside the frame rails in front of the rear axle to optimally protect the fuel tank in a collision. A gas tank mounted behind the rear axle is more susceptible to rear collisions.

The Kicks SV/SR has standard NissanConnect Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. Without a GPS response system, if you're involved in an accident and you're incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this original test, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks is safe:

(This test is not comparable to the NHTSA NCAP 35 MPH front crash test.)

A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks is safe:

(This test is not comparable to the NHTSA NCAP 35 MPH front crash test.)

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks is safe:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Nissan Kicks is extremely safe:

The Kicks comes with a full 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck.

The Kicks comes with free roadside assistance for 3 years 36,000 miles. Nissan will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump-start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road.

Nissan's powertrain warranty fully covers the Kicks for 5 years or 60,000 miles long for any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts.

The Kicks' corrosion warranty is 5 years and unlimited miles long.

There are 1069 Nissan dealers in the United States, which makes it easy should you ever need service under the Kicks' warranty.

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Kicks' engine. If a rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Kicks has an overhead cam design, rather than an old pushrod design.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Kicks has a standard 510-amp battery.

J.D. Power and Associates' 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are excellent in initial quality. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality.

The Kicks' 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 141 horsepower and 140 lbs.-ft. of torque.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Kicks is fast:

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks gets excellent fuel mileage:

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Kicks' engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks uses regular unleaded gasoline. Mid-grade can cost on average 49.8 cents more than regular, and premium can cost on average 84.9 cents more.

The Kicks' standard fuel tank has 11.8 gallons of fuel capacity, for longer range between fill-ups. The Kicks AWD's standard fuel tank has 12.4 gallons of fuel capacity.

The Kicks has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it's removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Kicks a 7 out of 10. This means the Kicks produces up to 47 pounds less smog-producing pollutants every 15,000 miles.

The Kicks has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration.

The Kicks has Intelligent Trace Control, a true all-wheel-drive system, which uses a four wheel traction control system to redirect engine power to the axle and wheel that still has traction to keep the Kicks moving if even only one wheel still has traction.

For better stopping power the Kicks' brake rotors are large:

The Kicks' standard front disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading.

The Nissan Kicks has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Drums can heat up and make stops longer.

The Kicks with its standard antilock brakes stops short:

For better traction, the Kicks has large 215/65R16 standard tires. The Kicks SR's optional tires are larger 225/45R19.

The Kicks S' standard tires provide better handling because they have a low 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall. The Kicks SR's optional tires have a lower 45 series profile.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kicks S has standard 16-inch wheels. The Kicks SR offers optional 19-inch wheels.

The Nissan Kicks' wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength.

The Kicks has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle's integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure.

The Nissan Kicks' independent front suspension is much lighter than a solid front axle, which allows the Kicks' wheels to react more quickly and accurately to the road's surface, improving both ride and handling.

For superior ride and handling, the Nissan Kicks has fully independent front and semi-independent rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort.

The Kicks has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Kicks flat and controlled during cornering.

The front and rear suspension of the Kicks uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than leaf springs. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

For much better steering response and tighter handling the Kicks has rack and pinion steering, like Formula racecars, instead of a recirculating-ball type.

The Kicks has standard power steering to make quick and controllable low speed maneuvers easy.

The Kicks has engine speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Kicks' wheelbase is 104.6 inches.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Kicks is 61.3 to 61.5 inches wide.

The Kicks SR AWD handles at .84 G's of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kicks SR AWD executes Motor Trend's “Figure Eight” maneuver in only 28 seconds at .59 average G's.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks' turning circle is 34.8 feet.

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs only 3002 to 3253 pounds.

The Kicks is only 171.9 inches long, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks is only 70.9 inches wide, making it easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Kicks is only 64 to 64.2 inches in height, making the Kicks much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Kicks' center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Kicks has standard flush composite headlights.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Kicks SR AWD is quiet:

The Kicks has standard seating for 5 passengers.

The Kicks has 95.7 cubic feet of passenger volume.

The Kicks has 39.7 inches of front headroom, 42.7 inches of front legroom, 52.4 inches of front hip room, 54.7 inches of front shoulder room, 38.5 inches of rear headroom, 34.5 inches of rear legroom, 50.1 inches of rear hip room and 54.7 inches of rear shoulder room.

The Kicks has a large 30 cubic feet of cargo volume with its rear seat up. The Kicks has a larger 60 cubic feet of cargo volume with its rear seat folded.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kicks easier. The Kicks' cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.9 inches.

The Kicks' cargo area is large in every dimension:

To allow full utilization of available cargo room, the Kicks' cargo door uses gas strut supported hinges that don't intrude into the cargo area.

The Kicks' standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo.

The Kicks' standard folding rear seats are split to accommodate bulky cargo. A single piece folding rear seat is not as flexible; long cargo and a passenger can't share the rear seat.

The Kicks' liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Kicks to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes and tire rotation based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer.

The Kicks' entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency.

The Kicks SV/SR has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior.

The engine computer on the Kicks automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. Without this feature the starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

The Kicks' standard tilting steering column adjusts to different sized drivers and makes entering and exiting easier.

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Kicks has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals.

The Kicks' power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically.

The Kicks' standard power windows allow the driver or passenger to lower and raise the windows without leaning over or being distracted.

The Kicks' standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children in the rear seat from operating them, but the driver can still raise and lower all of them with the lock engaged.

The Kicks' front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car.

The Kicks' standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access.

On a hot day the Kicks' driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote.

The Kicks' standard power locks allow the driver or passenger to lock or unlock all the doors at a touch without leaning over, or reaching to the back seat.

The Kicks' power locks have a lockout prevention feature. When the key is in the ignition or smart key is in the passenger compartment and the driver's door is open, the locks unlock every time you lock them.

The Kicks' standard doors lock when a certain speed is reached. This is an important feature for occupant safety. Locked doors are proven to open less often in collisions, and they are also effective in preventing crime at traffic lights.

The Push Button Start standard on the Kicks allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. The Kicks SV/SR's available Intelligent Key also allows you to unlock the doors from either front outside door handle and unlock the cargo door.

The Kicks' power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night.

The Kicks' speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn't have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kicks has a standard rear wiper.

The Kicks' LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don't exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Kicks' headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, the highest rating

The Kicks has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn.

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors standard on the Kicks detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams.

The Kicks' standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. Without side window demisters the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger's vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Kicks has standard extendable sun visors.

The Kicks' sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows.

The Kicks has standard power remote mirrors. Without a remote driver side or passenger side mirror the driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Kicks SV/SR's optional outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility.

The Kicks' power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access.

The Kicks' optional rear view mirror has an automatic dimming feature. This mirror can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on it, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver.

Unlike fixed side view mirrors, the Nissan Kicks features foldable mirrors that offer convenience for drivers and pedestrians alike. When parked, these mirrors can be manually folded to create a smaller footprint, making it easier to walk past or park more vehicles in an area. Additionally, the Nissan Kicks' foldable exterior mirrors are designed to absorb impact force if struck, reducing the likelihood of costly repairs.

The Kicks SV/SR offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter.

On extremely cold winter days, the Kicks SR's optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up.

The Kicks has a standard center folding armrest for the driver and front passenger. A center armrest helps combat driver fatigue.

The Kicks SR has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children.

The Kicks SV/SR's standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Kicks SV/SR offers optional rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable.

A built-in pollen filter removes pollen, exhaust fumes and other pollutants from the Kicks' passenger compartment. This helps prevent lung and/or sinus irritation that can trigger allergies or asthma.

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Kicks has a standard Intelligent Cruise Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic.

To help keep the driver's hands on the wheel, the Kicks has standard steering wheel controls for the radio.

Standard smartphone integration for the Kicks allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel.

The Nissan Kicks eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

The Kicks is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Kicks offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM.

Compared to traditional radio, the Nissan Kicks equipped with standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Kicks, connecting the driver and passenger's cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle's stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Nissan Kicks SV/SR has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the front center console.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks has an impressively strong resale value, retaining 60.97% of its original value after 5 years, according to iSeeCars.com. This is well above the average (50.6%), representing significant ownership savings.