Model research hub
Nissan Kicks
The Nissan Kicks is a subcompact crossover sold in North America since the 2018 model year, now in its second generation from 2024. CarGurus says CarComplaints rates the 2019 the worst overall, but that complaint counts stay low regardless of year, and CarsCounsel says no model year strictly earns an avoid verdict, though buyers should approach 2018 and 2019 carefully. The 2026 Kicks starts at $23,975.
What the Nissan Kicks is and who buys it
Wikipedia (opens in a new tab) describes the Kicks as a subcompact crossover SUV made by Nissan since 2016, first shown as a concept at the 2014 Sao Paulo International Motor Show, with North American model years from 2018, a 2021 facelift, and a second generation (P16) from 2024. The 2026 Kicks has a 2.0L four-cylinder, front-wheel or all-wheel drive, rated 30 to 31 mpg combined by the EPA, about $2,000 to $2,100 a year in fuel. Kelley Blue Book base prices are $23,975 for the S, $25,715 for the SV and $28,205 for the SR.
Best and worst Kicks model years
Federal data shows the 2018 Kicks with 1 recall and 84 complaints, the 2019 with 1 recall and 134 complaints, the most of any year, and the 2020 with no recalls and 93 complaints. The 2021 has 2 recalls, the 2022 has none, the 2023 and the 2024 have 1 each, and the 2025 has 4 recalls and 36 complaints, covering the electrical system, equipment and backup camera, with the 2026 at 3.
Engine Patrol (opens in a new tab) lists the worst model years of the Kicks as 2019, 2018 and 2020. CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says CarComplaints.com rates the 2019 model the worst overall, but that in reality the number of complaints registered by Kicks owners is low regardless of model year. CarsCounsel (opens in a new tab) says no model year strictly earns an avoid verdict, but buyers should approach the 2018 and 2019 models carefully.
Choosing a year
The 2021 to 2024 first-generation cars and the new second-generation 2024 model carry the fewest recalls, and the 2025's jump to 4 recalls is worth checking by VIN on a newer car.
Questions buyers ask
Which Nissan Kicks years should I be careful with?
CarsCounsel (opens in a new tab) says no year strictly earns an avoid verdict, but buyers should approach 2018 and 2019 carefully; CarComplaints rates the 2019 the worst overall.
Is the Nissan Kicks reliable overall?
CarGurus (opens in a new tab) says the number of complaints registered by Kicks owners is low regardless of model year.
Research map
Every major decision path.
The 2026 Nissan Kicks is built around 2.0L four-cylinder, rated at 140 horsepower across its subcompact SUV body style.
Explore this topic →02Trims and equipmentThe 2026 U.S. lineup has 3 trims.
Explore this topic →03Towing and capabilityThe 2026 Kicks seats 5 and is a Subcompact SUV.
Explore this topic →04Safety and ownershipNHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2026 Kicks.
Explore this topic →Current model year
2026 Nissan Kicks
Every Kicks trim shares the same 140-horsepower 2.0-liter engine and CVT; the three trims separate by wheel size, touchscreen size and standard driver-assistance equipment.
Read specifications, trims, answers and sourcesModel-year archive
3 indexed Nissan Kicks model years.
| Model year | Trims | Open record |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 Nissan Kicks | 2027 record → | |
| 2026 Nissan Kicks | 1 | 2026 record → |
| 2025 Nissan Kicks | 2025 record → |
Background and safety record
What public sources say about the Nissan Kicks.
The Nissan Kicks is a subcompact crossover SUV produced by Nissan since 2016. The crossover was initially introduced as a concept car under the same name and was premiered at the 2014 São Paulo International Motor Show. Nissan claimed the concept is inspired by the streets of Brazil.
- Safety
- On 1 August 2018, Mexican automotive magazine Autología took a Fan Edition version of the Kicks on a moose test. Due to a lack of an electronic stability program (ESP) in this particular trim, the Kicks nearly rolled over while performing the test at 65 km/h.
Source: Nissan Kicks (Wikipedia); safety and recall figures from NHTSA.
Nissan Kicks at a glance
- Production
- 2016–present
- Model years
- 2018–present (North America)
- Class
- Subcompact crossover SUV (B)
- Body style
- 5-door SUV
- Predecessor
- Nissan Juke#F15, Nissan Juke (F15) (Americas & Asia), Nissan Livina#first, Nissan Livina C-Gear/X-Gear (China & Taiwan)
Nissan Kicks generations
The Nissan Kicks has been redesigned in 2024, gaps of 8 years, an average of 8.0 years between generations. The current generation (second generation, P16) began in 2024.
| Generation | Code | Began | What changed |
|---|---|---|---|
| First generation | P15/D15 | 2016–2024 | Originally unveiled as a concept in 2014, the Nissan Kicks was showcased across Brazil during summer 2016 to promote the Summer Olympics, of which Nissan was a lead sponsor. |
| Second generation | P16 | 2024–present | The second-generation Kicks debuted in the U.S. on 22 March 2024 for the 2025 model year. |
NHTSA rated the 2025 Nissan Kicks overall 4 of 5 stars, front crash 3 of 5 stars, side crash 5 of 5 stars, rollover 4 of 5 stars.
Recent recalls (7 campaigns across the latest model years)
- May 2026, Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Kicks vehicles. A software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor… Consequence: A partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
- March 2026, Seats. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2026 Kicks and Sentra vehicles. The hook bracket of the front seat frames may be insufficiently welded, which can cause the front seat frames to become loose. As such, these vehicles fail to comply… Consequence: A loose seat may not restrain the occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
- January 2026, Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:Latch. Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with… Consequence: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
Owners filed 37 complaints with NHTSA for the 2025 Nissan Kicks, most often about unknown or other (7), visibility/wiper (6), electrical system (5).
Year by year
The Nissan Kicks across 10 model years.
| Model year | Combined MPG/MPGe | EPA annual fuel cost | EPA records | NHTSA recalls | NHTSA complaints | NHTSA overall rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Nissan Kicks | 30–31 | $2,100–$2,150 | 2 | |||
| 2026 Nissan Kicks | 30–31 | $2,000–$2,100 | 2 | 3 | 4 stars | |
| 2025 Nissan Kicks | 30–33 | $1,900–$2,100 | 3 | 4 | 36 | 4 stars |
| 2024 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 4 stars |
| 2023 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 4 stars |
| 2022 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 22 | 4 stars | |
| 2021 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 2 | 75 | 4 stars |
| 2020 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 93 | 4 stars | |
| 2019 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 1 | 134 | 4 stars |
| 2018 Nissan Kicks | 33 | $1,900 | 1 | 1 | 84 |
Year-to-year changes
What changed in the Nissan Kicks, one model year at a time.
| Step | EPA records | Combined MPG/MPGe, midpoint | Added | No longer listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to 2027 | Labels: Kicks FWD | Labels: Kicks | ||
| 2025 to 2026 | 3 to 2 | 31.5 to 30.5 | Labels: Kicks Play; Engines: 1.6L 4-cyl; Size classes: Midsize Cars | |
| 2024 to 2025 | 1 to 3 | 33.0 to 31.5 | Labels: Kicks AWD, Kicks Play; Engines: 2L 4-cyl SIDI; Drives: All-Wheel Drive; Size classes: Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD |
Buying used
What the Nissan Kicks recalls and complaints are about.
| Model year | Campaigns | Systems recalled | Warnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | latches/locks/linkages (doors); seats; electrical system (instrument cluster/panel) | None |
| 2025 | 4 | electrical system (body control module/bcm); equipment (other); back over prevention (software); 1 more | None |
| 2024 | 1 | air bags (frontal) | None |
| 2023 | 1 | air bags (frontal) | None |
| 2021 | 2 | steering (electric power assist system) | None |
| 2019 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| 2018 | 1 | back over prevention (sensing system) | None |
| System | Complaints | Share of all complaints | Worst model year |
|---|---|---|---|
| forward collision avoidance | 131 | 25% | 2019 (43) |
| electrical system | 116 | 22% | 2019 (39) |
| unknown or other | 111 | 21% | 2019 (31) |
| engine | 96 | 18% | 2019 (35) |
| power train | 68 | 13% | 2020 (20) |
| service brakes | 59 | 11% | 2019 (22) |
Trim by trim
Every 2026 Nissan Kicks trim side by side.
| Trim | Drive | Engine | Horsepower | Torque (lb-ft) | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Combined mpg | Base price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 141 | 140 | 3,196 | – | 30 | $23,975 |
| SV | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 141 | 140 | 3,233 | – | 30 | $25,715 |
| SR | AWD | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 141 | 140 | 3,253 | – | 30 | $28,205 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for the 2026 model year; base price is KBB's national base price where its list carries the trim by the same name. A dash means KBB lists no figure.
Specifications by year
Power, weight and towing for every Nissan Kicks model year.
| Model year | Trims | Engines | Horsepower | Curb weight (lb) | Max towing (lb) | Fuel tank (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 141 | 3,196–3,253 | – | 12.4 |
| 2025 | 3 | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 141 | 3,174–3,252 | – | 12.4 |
| 2024 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,629–2,724 | – | 10.8 |
| 2023 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,685–2,751 | – | 10.8 |
| 2022 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,686–2,752 | – | 10.8 |
| 2021 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,682–2,744 | – | 10.8 |
| 2020 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,691–2,720 | – | 10.8 |
| 2019 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 122 | 2,639–2,672 | – | 10.8 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1.6-liter 4-cylinder | 125 | 2,639–2,672 | – | 10.8 |
Source: Kelley Blue Book specifications for each model year. A range covers every trim KBB lists that year; a dash means KBB lists no figure.
Owning it
Oil, fluid and wheel-nut figures for the Nissan Kicks.
| Model year | Engine oil | Brake fluid | Wheel-nut torque | A/C refrigerant | Key-fob battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 0W-20 (4.4 qt) | – | – | – | – |
| 2026 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | R-1234yf | – |
| 2025 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | – | – |
| 2024 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | – | – |
| 2023 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | – | – |
| 2022 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | – | – |
| 2021 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | R-1234yf | – |
| 2020 | – | – | 83 lb-ft | R-1234yf | – |
| 2019 | – | – | – | R-1234yf | – |
Source: the manufacturer's owner's manual for each model year. A dash means that year's manual gave no single value for it, for instance one that lists two oil grades or two key types.
Model-year recall record
Nissan Kicks: which model years carry more or fewer federal safety recalls.
More recalls than this model’s own average
- 2025 Nissan Kicks : 4 recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system and equipment.
| Model year | Federal recalls on file | Complaints on file | Recalls most commonly affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | not available | door latches, seats, electrical system |
| 2025 | 4 | 36 | electrical system, equipment, backup camera |
| 2024 | 1 | 36 | airbags |
| 2023 | 1 | 31 | airbags |
| 2022 | 22 | ||
| 2021 | 2 | 75 | steering |
| 2020 | 93 | ||
| 2019 | 1 | 134 | backup camera |
| 2018 | 1 | 84 | backup camera |
| 2017 | not available | ||
| 2016 | not available | ||
| 2015 | not available |
Method: recall counts and their affected components come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls API, queried by exact make, model and model year. Complaint counts come from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation: Complaints API, same query pattern. Data pulled 2026-09-04.
Known gap: the NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Nissan Kicks model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream, not returning a genuine zero. Those years are marked "not available" above instead of shown as clean; recall counts for those years are unaffected and come from the separate recalls API, which returned data for every year listed.
Check open recalls by VIN for one particular vehicle.
Q01Is there a best year to buy a Nissan Kicks?
Recall count alone can't answer that: it says nothing about a specific vehicle's price, mileage, accident history or maintenance record. What federal data can say: 2025 carried more. See the model-year table on this page for the exact counts and what they cover.
Q02Which Nissan Kicks model years should I watch for recalls?
The 2025 Nissan Kicks has 4 federal recalls on file, most commonly affecting electrical system, equipment, backup camera. Always confirm the open/completed status of every campaign for the specific VIN: a recall on this list may already be repaired on the vehicle in front of you.
Q03What are common recall-related problems on the Nissan Kicks by model year?
2026: door latches, seats, electrical system. 2025: electrical system, equipment, backup camera. 2024: airbags. 2023: airbags. 2021: steering. 2019: backup camera.
Q04Why do some Nissan Kicks model years show "not available" for complaints?
The NHTSA complaints API did not return data for Nissan Kicks model year 2026 when queried for this page: the request itself failed upstream instead of the count genuinely being zero. Recall counts for those years are unaffected; they come from a separate NHTSA endpoint that returned data for every year listed.
Diagnosing one of these symptoms? The recalled systems above map to this site’s own ownership desks: general, evidence-first guidance that applies regardless of whether the specific vehicle in front of you was ever part of a recall campaign: Climate and electrical, Brakes, tires and steering, Buying, records and recalls.
2025 Nissan Kicks owners specifically: see Climate and electrical and Buying, records and recalls.
Trim ladder
1 Nissan Kicks trim, each with its own page.
Compared with
Models this Nissan Kicks is most often compared with.
Nearest Nissan models
Other Nissan models.
Frequent questions
Answers with their conditions intact.
Q01How many trims does the 2026 Kicks come in?
The 2026 Nissan Kicks (subcompact SUV) comes in 3 trims: S, SV, SR.
Q02What are the 2026 Kicks trims?
The 2026 Nissan Kicks trims are S, SV, SR, listed from the entry S up to the top SR.
Q03What engine or powertrain does the 2026 Kicks use?
The 2026 Nissan Kicks is built around 2.0L four-cylinder, rated at 140 horsepower across its subcompact SUV body style.
Q04How much horsepower does the 2026 Kicks have?
The 2026 Nissan Kicks is rated at 140 horsepower (2.0L four-cylinder).
Q05Is AWD or 4WD available on the 2026 Kicks?
The 2026 Nissan Kicks is offered with FWD / AWD.