2023 Nissan Kicks

2023 Nissan Kicks Review

　　Alex Nishimoto has worked in the automotive industry since 2007. He was a staff writer for MotorTrend for 10 years and since then has contributed to CNET, PRI, AutoWise and other publications.

　　The 2023 Nissan Kicks is an extra-small SUV that's well suited for urban environments but perhaps not the best companion for a mild off-road excursion. The Kicks is one of only a handful of vehicles in its class to not offer all-wheel drive, and its four-cylinder engine will probably leave you wanting more power. Still, the Kicks is Nissan's smallest and most affordable SUV option, and it comes with a solid list of standard features that are attractive if you're on a budget.

　　If you're interested in the Nissan Kicks, you might also consider a Hyundai Venue or Kia Soul — they too have low starting prices and make do without all-wheel drive. But if you can raise your budget a little, the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Mazda CX-30 and Hyundai Kona are also worth a look. Before you decide, check out our test team's Expert Rating to find out how the Nissan Kicks measures up to its competitors.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

　　How does the Kicks drive? Performance isn't the Kicks' forte. Acceleration is leisurely — we measured a 0-60 mph time of 10.7 seconds, which is among the slowest you'll find in this class. The brakes are easy to control so you can stop smoothly, but the pedal action feels a bit squishy and unnatural. In our tests for emergency braking, the Kicks performed adequately.

　　The Kicks, though, has a couple of things going for it. The suspension is responsive and keeps the vehicle composed, so it's kind of fun to drive on a twisty road. We also like the transmission's smooth and responsive gear ratio adjustments in routine driving. It avoids the annoyances commonly associated with continuously variable transmissions.

Comfort

　　How comfortable is the Kicks? It's not unusual for an inexpensive subcompact vehicle to compromise a bit on comfort, but you will want to kick these poor seats — especially the rear bench — to the curb. Depending on your seating position, you'll likely notice the front seats' lack of upper-back support. The rear seatbacks are too upright, and the bench is flat and hard. These are among the least comfortable seats we've encountered.

　　The Kicks can be a little noisy too. Wind noise isn't too bad and only becomes more noticeable at highway speeds. But the Kicks is susceptible to lots of road noise. About the only good thing in this category is the Kicks' compliant ride quality — it smooths out a lot of bumps in the road without being overly floaty.

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