2022 Nissan Kicks

Introduced in 2018, the Nissan Kicks targets buyers looking for a small car but still want the higher stance and more flexible cargo space that comes in a crossover. Refreshed last year with revised styling and new standard tech, the Kicks carries over into 2022 unchanged, and is aimed at similarly diminutive competitors like the Chevrolet Trax, Ford EcoSport, Toyota C-HR and Kia Soul.

The Kicks is a purely on-road machine, with no all-wheel drive (AWD) option and no pretense of ruggedness, though its sharp styling does give it a certain SUV-like flair. All three Kicks’ trims—the base model S, mid-grade SV and top-spec SR—are powered by a 122 horsepower, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). 

While the Kicks has reasonably agile handling and isn’t too bad around town, this powertrain makes for sedate (and noisy) progress, and it strains up steep grades and at top highway speeds. Buyers looking for more enthusiastic motoring might be better off in a Mazda CX-30, the base version of which doesn’t cost much more to start.

What this combination does offer, however, is excellent fuel economy. The Kicks is one of the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid crossovers on the market and offers 2 to 3 more mpg in most measures than its closest competitors, and as much as 8 or 9 compared to the Ford Bronco Sport or Fiat 500x.

Last year’s style and tech upgrade brought a much more user-friendly infotainment system and a larger screen on upper trims, with more safety equipment too. The Kicks, like its sedan sibling the Versa, offers a wide array of standard driver-assist gear at a low price. Forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, blind-spot warning, and lane departure warnings are all standard, and adaptive cruise control is included on the SV and SR.

Like its competitors, the Kicks straddles the line between small SUV and tall hatchback. It’s roomy up front, but not so much in back, and doesn’t use the space it has all that well. The 169.1-inch long Nissan offers only 32.3 cubic-feet of cargo space with its rear seats folded. The smaller Hyundai Kona offers 45.8, and even the low-slung C-HR has 37. That said, the Kicks offers plenty of style and a solid value proposition in terms of safety and efficiency.

Performance: 8/15

All three versions of the Kicks are powered by a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque mated to a CVT driving the front wheels. There’s no AWD option, and the Kicks makes no pretense of being an off-roader. The CVT whines when strained and highway acceleration is leisurely. It can get noisy on the interstate, and the noise increases the faster you go.

The crossover feels nimble in an urban setting and has no trouble maneuvering around town, though it does tend to exhibit a little more body roll than some other small crossovers. The suspension is relatively soft, and the ride belies the Kicks’ tiny size. The top-grade SR models include Nissan’s Integrated Dynamics-Control Module for improved braking, handling, and ride. In tight city confines, the Kick’s upright styling and large windows mean fewer and smaller blind spots than rivals like the Toyota C-HR.

Fuel Economy: 15/15

Fuel efficiency is one of the top reasons consumers purchase small vehicles, and the 2022 Kicks delivers. It’s one of the most fuel-efficient vehicles in its segment and among non-hybrid SUVs as a whole. It provides an EPA-rated 31 mpg in city driving, 36 mpg on the highway, and 33 mpg in combined driving. That’s about 2 to 3 mpg better in every measure than most rivals. 

The Kia Soul achieves 28 mpg in city driving and 33 mpg on the highway. The Toyota C-HR gets only 27 mpg tooling around the city and only 31 mpg at highway speeds. American competitors such as the Trax, 500x, and EcoSport get even worse fuel economy.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 11/15

While many vehicles aimed at budget-minded buyers skimp on standard features, Nissan bucks the trend. All Kicks models are equipped with Nissan’s Safety Shield 360. This comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance systems includes forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot and lane-departure warnings through its haptic steering wheel. SR and SV trims add adaptive cruise control. Few alternatives in this class offer so many advanced driver assistance systems. 

Although advanced safety features help prevent collisions, buyers need to remember this is a small vehicle. When they collide with much heavier and larger pickup trucks and SUVs, small cars tend to lose. The 2022 Nissan Kicks earned a four-star safety rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests, and the 2022 model a slate of “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The similarly-sized Honda HR-V earned similar ratings, while the 2021 Kia Soul earned a “Top Safety Pick” rating from IIHS. 

Comfort & Room: 9/15

All models use cloth as the standard seating material, but heated front seats and leather-appointed fabric are options in the top-of-the-line SR trim. The Kicks offers a comfortable front cockpit for a subcompact crossover, and even tall people will be comfortable up front even if the cabin feels a bit narrow. As with most subcompact crossovers, taller passengers will find the rear seat confining. 

At 33.5 inches for rear-seat legroom and 38.5 inches for headroom, the Kicks fares a little better than Toyota’s tight C-HR for comfort, but it is well below that of the Honda HR-V or Kia Soul. Even smaller machines like the Hyundai Kona offer a couple more inches of rear legroom.

Infotainment: 10/15

The 2022 Nissan Kicks uses a nice 7-inch touchscreen for an entry-level vehicle. The controls make sense and are easy to reach. Like many vehicles in this class, navigation isn’t an option on any model. Still, standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration enable occupants to bring their apps into the vehicle, Google Maps included. 

The SV and SR grades include a 7-inch driver information display and an 8-inch color touchscreen. Everyone in the vehicle can charge devices via the three standard USB ports. The Wi-Fi hotspot option is only available in the SR trim level. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 9/15

Subcompact crossovers are supposed to pack in more space and style than small cars. While you get more storage than you might find in a comparable Nissan Versa sedan’s trunk, the Kicks cargo capacity trails its competitors. There are 25.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, which isn’t bad for its size, but the overall cargo volume with the rear seats folded is just 32.3 cubic feet.

Even with the rear seats folded down, the cargo space is among the smallest of this segment’s major players. The Soul offers just over 62 cubic feet, the HR-V about 59 cubic feet, and even the C-HR has 37 cubic feet. Only the tiny Hyundai Venue, the smallest SUV on the market, has less.

Style & Design: 8/10

Pitted against the quirky Kia Soul, the sporty Toyota C-HR and the anodyne Chevrolet Trax, the Kicks’ style is the most aggressive among these small crossovers. Nissan’s designers have attempted to give the Kicks a lifted feel with last year’s refresh to make it seem more rugged and SUV-like. Its front-end styling conveys a sense of fun and adventure through its aggressive face, flowing headlights and “Double V-motion” grille. A palate of bold colors and available two-tone paint accentuate these design elements.

The Kicks’ interior falls in line with what consumers expect from this class of vehicles. The base model is spartan, but not without style. The flat-bottom steering wheel and parking hand-brake in the center console of the base S give the interior a sportier feel. Amenities and materials improve in the higher trims, and the SR is more than adequate for buyers of an entry-level vehicle and introduces a versatile center console and upgraded seating upholstery. 

Is the 2022 Nissan Kicks worth it? Which Kicks is the Best Value?

The Kicks is meant to be a cheap and accessible entry-level vehicle and even the base $21,025 (including a $1,225 destination fee) model S offers buyers more than they might expect for such a bargain-bin entry. 

However, the $22,875 SV is only $1,850 more and comes with upgrades that will make life in the Kicks materially better in the long term, including the much nicer infotainment screen and adaptive cruise control. This is the sweet spot in the lineup and the best value.

The top-spec SR ($23,565) offers modest improvements to driving dynamics and ride comfort, but the biggest draw is that opens the door to the optional Premium Package, with leather-trimmed heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a Wi-Fi hotspot and an 8-speaker Bose audio system. These extras, and the colorful paint options, are nice, but a loaded SR can hit $27,000.

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the 2022 Nissan Kicks?

The Nissan Kicks isn’t an expensive car to insure, and its insurance costs are roughly similar to its peers. According to our data, a typical 30-year-old female driver with a clean record can expect an average annual premium of $1,781, though this averages all 50 states. That compares to $1,707 for the CX-30, $1,727 for the Soul, $1,710 for the HR-V and $1,748 for the Trax. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, visit our car insurance calculator.