2024 Nissan Kicks Hatchback

　　

2024 Nissan Kicks Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　, rating written byMark TakahashiAssociate Manager, Vehicle Testing and Operations

　　Rex Tokeshi-Torres has worked in the automotive industry for over 17 years. Rex is a vehicle testing technician and photographer at zzdcar and is responsible for coordinating vehicle testing and logistics, organizing data, and capturing photos for the site and social media. He has written over 100 vehicle-related articles and has rated, tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. He has also contributed content to Autobytel, Autotrader, Automobile, the Associated Press and DSport along with various motorsport teams. His affinity with cars started because of Hot Wheels and his love of modifying cars. He occasionally drives Subarus.

　　Subcompact SUVs are gaining in popularity with shoppers seeking a vehicle that's easy-to-park, inexpensive and still practical. Within this economical group, the 2024 Nissan Kicks is one of the most affordable. It's the smallest SUV in Nissan's lineup, slotting under a handful of SUVs including the Rogue and the midsize three-row Pathfinder. Like those larger siblings, the Kicks gets the basics right but doesn't quite stand out from the rest of the class in the way our top-rated picks do.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: A low price and high fuel efficiency

The Nissan Kicks is one of the most affordable SUVs in its class. When new, it undercuts most others by a few thousand dollars. In this budget-conscious segment, that can be a significant advantage. Miserly fuel economy is another draw. The Kicks' EPA-estimated 33 mpg in combined city/highway driving is a few mpg better than what you get from many other subcompact SUVs, and that can help you save even more on gas.

　　

Competitors to consider

As affordable as the Kicks is, it's understandable that there are some sacrifices to be made. The Kicks has also been around since 2018 without a redesign and is beginning to seem dated. Compared to the top subcompact SUVs that include the Volkswagen Taos, Mazda CX-30 and Chevrolet Trailblazer, the Kicks misses the mark for comfort, performance and refinement. We also suggest checking out other SUVs that are competitively priced, such as the Hyundai Venue or Kia Soul. We point out where the Nissan Kicks leads and follows in our Expert Rating below.

　　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

7.0/10

　　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

6.5/10

　　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.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below