In the ever-expanding world of subcompact SUVs, the 2025 Nissan Kicks makes a bold statement by blending urban-friendly agility with a more grown-up presence, improved tech, and the long-overdue availability of all-wheel drive. While the Kicks has always been a solid choice for budget-conscious drivers, the 2025 redesign elevates it into new territory—still affordable, but now much more well-rounded and appealing to a broader audience.
Design: Edgier and More Assertive
The most noticeable change in the 2025 Kicks is its exterior design. Nissan has shifted from the bubbly, youthful look of the previous generation to a bolder and more SUV-like stance. The front end now features a wide, more aggressive grille flanked by sharp LED headlights and vertical DRLs that add a sense of width and confidence. It’s less “cute crossover” and more “mini Rogue”—which is a good thing.
In profile, the Kicks maintains its compact footprint but appears more refined, with sculpted lines, new wheel designs (up to 19 inches in the SR trim), and more upscale detailing. The floating roof remains, providing a nice contrast element, and overall, the Kicks looks much more mature and polished than before.
Interior: A Step Up in Comfort and Quality
Inside the cabin, the 2025 Kicks continues its transformation with a more modern, user-friendly layout. While hard plastics still make an appearance in some areas (as expected at this price point), the new model features improved materials, sleeker surfaces, and a cleaner dash design. A new available 12.3-inch touchscreen dominates the center console in higher trims, giving the interior a contemporary feel.
Seating comfort is impressive for the class, especially up front where Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” seats do a great job of reducing fatigue during longer drives. The rear seats are surprisingly roomy for a subcompact SUV—adults will find sufficient headroom and legroom, even on longer trips. The cargo area is also generous for the segment, with about 30 cubic feet of space behind the second row and a flat-folding design that expands versatility.
Ambient lighting and new interior color options give the cabin a bit of flair, especially in the SR trim, which also gets premium touches like contrast stitching and a leatherette option.
Technology: Now Competitive and Smart
Tech-wise, the 2025 Kicks is no longer playing catch-up. The base model comes with a 7-inch screen, but most buyers will likely gravitate toward the SV and SR trims, which feature the new 12.3-inch infotainment system. It supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and higher trims add wireless charging and a high-quality Bose audio system with speakers built into the driver’s headrest—something that feels surprisingly premium.
There’s also a fully digital instrument cluster in upper trims, which is customizable and easy to read. USB-C ports, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and an updated version of NissanConnect services are all available, enhancing the overall user experience.
Performance: Modest but Efficient, Now with AWD
One of the biggest updates for 2025 is the inclusion of all-wheel drive—something the Kicks has lacked since its introduction. While still not an off-roader by any stretch, the AWD system provides peace of mind in rain, snow, and other less-than-ideal road conditions. This makes the Kicks a more viable option for drivers in colder or more variable climates.
Under the hood, the Kicks retains a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces around 141 horsepower. It’s paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), which is tuned for smoothness and efficiency rather than performance. Acceleration is adequate for everyday driving, though not particularly exciting. Merging and highway passing require a bit of planning, but for city commuters, the powertrain is more than sufficient.
Fuel economy remains one of the Kicks’ strengths, with FWD models achieving around 31 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway. AWD models lose a few MPG but still perform well for the class.
Driving Impressions: Light, Nimble, and Easy
The Kicks shines in the urban environment. Its small size and tight turning radius make it a breeze to park and navigate through congested streets. Steering is light but precise, and the suspension absorbs most bumps and rough pavement with ease, providing a comfortable ride.
It’s not a sporty vehicle by any means—there’s noticeable body roll in corners and the CVT prefers a relaxed pace—but the Kicks is predictable, safe, and easy to drive. Nissan has done a good job insulating the cabin from road and wind noise, which helps the vehicle feel more refined than the price might suggest.
Safety: A Strong Suit
Nissan continues to prioritize safety with the 2025 Kicks. The standard suite of features includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, and automatic high beams. These come standard even on the base trim, which is a rarity in this price bracket.
SV and SR trims add adaptive cruise control and Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist—a semi-autonomous driving system that can handle acceleration, braking, and steering during highway driving. While not fully self-driving, it reduces fatigue in stop-and-go traffic and long-distance cruising.
Trim Levels and Pricing
The 2025 Nissan Kicks is available in three trims:
- S: The base model still includes solid essentials, including the Safety Shield 360 suite, LED headlights, and a 7-inch touchscreen.
- SV: The best value trim, adding the larger infotainment screen, wireless connectivity, adaptive cruise control, and more.
- SR: The most premium version, with upgraded wheels, Bose audio, two-tone exterior options, a digital gauge cluster, and ProPILOT Assist.
Pricing starts around $22,000 for the S and can climb to just under $28,000 for a fully loaded SR with AWD. Even at the top end, the Kicks remains competitively priced, undercutting many rivals with similar feature sets.
Conclusion: Big Improvements in a Small Package
The 2025 Nissan Kicks is no longer the bare-bones budget option it once was. With meaningful upgrades across the board—from design and tech to safety and all-wheel drive—it’s now a serious contender in the subcompact SUV segment. It may not be the fastest or most powerful, but it nails the fundamentals: efficiency, comfort, value, and urban practicality.
For young professionals, city dwellers, small families, or anyone looking to downsize without sacrificing modern conveniences, the new Kicks is an easy recommendation.