Redesigned 2025 Nissan Kicks is a lot of SUV for little money

Published 11:15 am Monday, March 24, 2025

Nissan is on a roll. Following the acclaimed redesign of its iconic Z sports car, the well-received overhaul of its midsize Frontier pickup, and the successful update of its stylish midsize Murano crossover SUV, the company has completely redesigned its subcompact Kicks crossover SUV for 2025, making it one of the best on the market.

That’s important because entry-level cars used to be, well, cars. They were the smallest and lowest-price coupes and sedans offered by manufacturers, the subcompacts of their day. But with consumers shifting to SUVs, hardly any low-priced cars are even being made anymore. Significantly, Nissan currently offers the perhaps best with its 2025 Versa sedan.

So consumers on a budget are turning to inexpensive subcompact SUVs. Since the Kicks replaced the company’s quirky Juke in 2018, it has always been a value leader with a low price, good mileage, and entertaining drivability, despite so-so looks and an unpowered engine. But the new version is a quantum leap forward, while still being a great bargain.

The 2025 Kicks is larger, with bolder exterior styling, more interior room, enhanced technologies, higher quality interior materials, a more powerful standard engine, and, for the first time, available with the company’s Intelligent All-Wheel-Drive system, finally qualifying it as a genuine SUV.

The base Kicks S with front-wheel-drive starts at $21,830. Because SUVs are inherently more expensive than cars, that’s more than the Versa S, which begins at $17,190. But for those who want better visibility and more practicality, it is an ideal choice for buyers looking to save money — especially because the FWD version is EPA rated at an impressive 28 miles per gallon in the city and 35 on the highway.

The mid-range SV includes a number of desirable upgrades, such as a larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and hands-free lock and unlock via a proximity key. They boost the starting price to $23,680, which is still very reasonable,

My tester was a top-of-the-line SR, which comes with even more upgrades, including Nissan’s Pro Pilot lane-keeping assist, with a starting price of $27,680. Mine came with additional options — including AWD, a panoramic sunroof, a 10-speaker stereo, two-tone paint, heated front seats, and more — pushing its price to $31,710, which is still below most comparatively-equipped affordable subcompact SUVs these days.

In a week of driving, the improvements of the 2025 Nissan Kicks were immediately and consistently apparent. The exterior styling is more mature, with the larger front end giving it a more serious stance. The interior is not only roomier but better designed, with a more sophisticated dash that resembles the one in the more expensive redesigned Murano. The horizontal display screen was relatively restrained compared to many contemporary vehicles, but was still easy to use and offered a lot of easily accessible information. The durable-looking cloth covered front seats were comfortable but supportive enough for occasional trail driving.

More importantly, the two major mechanical upgrades greatly enhance the driving experience. The previous 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder engine only produced 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, which was barely adequate. The new 2.0-liter engine increases that to a much mor respectable 141 and 140, providing much better acceleration, especially in the Sport mode.

The other mechanical upgrade worth noting is the availability of AWD across all trim levels. Delivering power to all four wheels when needed greatly increases traction in slippery conditions, like those in the rainy Pacific Northwest. Although the 2025 Kicks is not designed for serious off-road driving, the ground clearance has been increased from 7.0 to 8.4 inches, which makes moderate trail driving more realistic.

On the road, the Kicks SR AWD felt light and nimble. The suspension was a little firm, but that aided in cornering. The sport leatherette front bucket seats were attractive, comfortable, and allowed a lot of headroom for such a small vehicle. There was also a reasonable amount of legroom in the back seats. And, during a weekend run to a plant store, there was an impressive amount of cargo space with the back seats folded down.

Although not designed to be overly sporty, my tester was still fun to drive, making even short errands enjoyable. The only real drawback was a little road noise from the tires on the optional 19-inch wheels, but it was easily overcome by the excellent stereo.

The 2025 Kicks is an entry-level SUV that does not require the owners to make any sacrifices. It continues Nissan streak of improving its product line, which should encourage buyers looking for any kind of vehicle to check out their versions.

2025 Nissan Kicks

Base price: $21,830 (S FWD)

Price as tested: $31,710 (SR AWD)

Type: Subcompact crossover SUV

Engine: 2.0 inline 4 (141 hp, 140 lbs-ft)

Transmission: Continuously Variable Transmission

Drive modes: Eco, Normal, Sport, Snow

EPA estimated mileage: 27/34

Overall length: 171.9 inches

Curb weight: 3322 pounds

Final assembly: Aguas, Mexico