2022 Nissan Kicks

We would recommend the well-balanced, mid-level SV trim. It is $1,860 more expensive than the base S trim. For the additional amount, you get access to 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, 7-inch advanced drive-assist display, intelligent cruise control, larger 8-inch infotainment screen, intelligent driver alertness, automatic temperature control and many more. So, it makes more sense to opt for the mid-level trim, offering a good balance of features and price.

The Kicks has nearly everything a modern smartphone-using driver needs- Edmunds

The 2022 Nissan Kicks starts at an MSRP of $19,990 for the base S trim and goes up to $22,550 for the top SR trim. All the trims are powered by the tiny 1.6-liter inline-four engine, producing an output of 122 horsepower. The non-availability of AWD drivetrain might disappoint some buyers as being a sport utility vehicle some mild adventures are expected. However, a long list of standard features and superior fuel economy somewhat makes up for the lack of performance and capable drivetrain. 
 

Even the base Kicks S trim offers multiple standard features. Some of the key features are a 7-inch touchscreen display with multiple connectivity options, hill-start assist, automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking,remote keyless entry with push button ignition and automatic on/off headlights. The SV trim adds 17-inch aluminum alloy wheels, 7-inch advanced drive-assist display, intelligent cruise control, larger 8-inch infotainment screen, intelligent driver alertness, automatic temperature control and many more. 

The SR trim offers multiple features like LED headlamps, rear roof spoiler, black roof rails, dark chrome grille, Prima-Tex-appointed dash with contrast stitching, sport cloth trim with orange stitching, and leather wrapped steering wheel. The SR trim can also be equipped with the Premium Package, adding Bose premium audio system, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and WiFi Hotspot. The SR Premium Package costs $1,200. 

Also Read:

• Nissan to offer NISMO versions of their pickups, SUVs, and crossovers

The Kicks' fuel economy varies wildly based on driving style- Edmunds

The 2022 Nissan Kicks might be underwhelming for some with respect to outright performance. However, it compensates with superior gas mileage. The Nissan Kicks 2022 is EPA-estimated to deliver 31/36/33 mpg in city/highway/combined conditions. One of the reasons behind good fuel efficiency is well-tuned CVT and different driving modes, with Eco Mode calibrated for extracting maximum fuel efficiency. With a fuel tank capacity of just 10.8 gallons, the driving range in city, highway and combined conditions is 335 miles, 389 miles and 356 miles respectively.

As mentioned earlier, nothing beats the Kicks in terms of fuel economy. The Toyota C-HR has the lowest fuel estimates here for a subcompact SUV. The Honda HR-V and the Hyundai Venue's gas mileage is similar and average but the former's large fuel tank allows it to offer the highest range among the lot. The Honda HR-V is followed by Toyota C-HR, Hyundai Venue and Nissan Kicks. Nissan's subcompact SUV loses out the range battle, owing to a smaller fuel tank capacity. 

The Kicks offers a roomy and versatile interior- Kelly Blue Book

When you step into the cabin of the Nissan Kicks, you will notice that it is more premium than its price would suggest. The entire dash is covered with soft-touch material and attention to details like chrome accents on the AC vents, illuminated physical controls, and flat-bottom steering wheel help it to differentiate from its rivals. The outside visibility is good and the front seats provide good comfort and support. Even the rear seats can fit adults comfortably and it does not feel cramped as some of its rivals.

Nissan offers three different types of upholstery, namely the Charcoal Cloth upholstery, Charcoal Sport Cloth upholstery and Charcoal Prima-Tex upholstery. The first one is reserved for the S and SV trims, while the third one is reserved for the top SR trim. The third type is optional for the SR trim and is a part of the Premium Package. Nissan offers multiple interior features like push button ignition, remote keyless entry, power windows, driver’s armrest and 60/40-split folding seat as standard. 

The subcompact SUV does not disappoint with its interior dimensions and offers decent cargo capacity as well. With all seats in place, the 2022 Kicks offers a cargo capacity of 25.3 cubic feet. The cargo volume can be extended even further by folding the rear 60/40-split seatbacks. The maximum cargo space is 32.3 cubic feet. For additional storage, Nissan offers driver and passenger seatback pockets, four cup holders, four bottle holders and four cargo tie-down hooks.  

The Kicks offers 25.3 cubic feet of cargo space, which is the best among all. You get a maximum cargo space of 32.3 cubic feet, if the rear seats are folded too. However, these seats don't fold completely flat and the wheel wells take up most of the space. The Honda HR-V comes with the best rear seat legroom and offers the second best cargo space, followed by the Hyundai Venue and Toyota C-HR. Nevertheless, the Kicks is a practical vehicle, considering its interior dimensions. 

On the technology front, the Kicks gets a 7-inch touchscreen on the S trim and an 8-inch display on other models. Both screens come standard with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Navigating through the menus is pretty straightforward. The interface is smooth but the graphics seem dated. Some features like SiriusXM satellite radio and three USB-A and one USB-C ports are offered from SV trim. A 6-speaker stereo is standard but audiophiles can upgrade to an 8-speaker Bose sound system and WiFi hotspot available on the SR trim.

Some of the key interior features of the 2022 Nissan Kicks are:  

• Automatic climate control
• Remote engine start
• Proximity keyless entry
• Leather steering wheel
• 7 & 8-inch touchscreen w/ smartphone integration
• 6-speaker stereo
• Satellite radio
• Wi-Fi hotspot
• 7-inch digital gauge cluster

It’s handsome, and it manages to have some visual flair without going overboard- Kelly Blue Book

After last year's refresh, the exterior of the Nissan Kicks is one of the best in terms of the . Nissan's signature V motion grille remains the same but the logo on it is redesigned. It gets new slimmer LED headlamps with signature accents and new fog lamp housing as well. It gets a contrasting dual-tone color options which makes the Kicks look more sporty. The single tone color options are White Tricoat, Fresh Powder, Gray Pearl, Gun Metallic, Scarlett Ember Tintcoat, Blue Metallic and Super Black.  The two tone color combinations consist of a contrasting black roof, paired with White, Gray, Orange, Ember and Blue.. 

Speaking of exterior dimensions, the Kicks is slightly shorter than the competition. However, it sports a wide wheelbase for stable handling. The standard variant gets 16-inch steel wheels, whereas the SV and SR come with 17-inch black alloy wheels which look ravishing. You can also get the Kicks customized from Nissan according to your taste. At the rear, you get new bigger LED tail lamps with a unique design. Between the tail lamps, you get a piano black strip that joins with both the tail lamps and has Nissan badging in between. 

The Toyota C-HR is longer in length and heavier than the Kicks. Hence, its on-road performance is very sluggish. The Hyundai Venue has the smallest wheelbase in this competition, allowing better maneuverability in urban conditions. The Honda HR-V sits 0.3 inches higher than the Kicks for better prevention against bad road undulations. A longer wheelbase of the Toyota C-HR helps with good stability  The Nissan Kicks offers more balanced exterior dimensions and lowere curb weight helps with better fuel economy. 

Some of the key exterior features of the 2022 Nissan Kicks are: 

• LED auto high-beam headlights
• LED fog lamps
• LED taillights
• LED DRLs
• Heated exterior mirrors
• Rear roofline spoiler
• Black grille
• Aluminum bodyside moldings
• 16 & 17-inch wheels

Nissan provides a host of standard driver-assistance technology- CarAndDriver

Just like the previous year model, the 2022 Nissan Kicks has received a "Good" rating in most of the crash test evaluations of IIHS. Despite performing well in different crash tests yet it loses the 'Top Safety Pick' title as its headlights were not tested. The NHTSA had given the 2020 Kicks a four out of five stars for its crashworthiness. So, we can assume that the 2021 and 2022 Nissan Kicks will score atleast the same rating. 

The Nissan Kicks come with all basic and advanced safety features. Most of the features like hill start assist, automatic emergency braking, rear automatic braking, leane departure warning, high beam assist, and blind spot warning are standard but some driver aids are added on upper trims. All these things point out one thing that the Nissan Kicks is a safe vehicle and will keep the passengers safe. It also packs a suite of 10 airbags, which is really impressive.

Some key safety features of the 2022 Nissan Kicks are:

• Lane departure warning
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Forward collision warning with pedestrian detection
• Rearview camera
• Surround-view monitor
• Adaptive cruise control
• Driver condition monitor
• Rear parking sensor

2022 Nissan Kicks vs 2021 Honda HR-V

The Honda HR-V houses an underwhelming engine like the Kicks but its sporty handling makes it interesting to drive. The HR-V's rear row is more spacious and its cargo capacity is slightly better. The Kicks has an upper hand in the rest of the areas.

The Kicks has a class-leading fuel economy, lesser curb weight, a longer list of standard features, and more standard driver aids. The Honda HR-V comes with higher ground clearance and and rear seat legroom. However, the Kicks seems to be a more value for money proposition. 

2022 Nissan Kicks vs 2022 Hyundai Venue

The Hyundai Venue is very similar to the Kicks in terms of engine and performance. But the Venue is a small car and therefore, its rear-seat space and cargo capacity are less but it is highly maneuverable. Like the Kicks, the Venue also offers multiple standard features.

The infotainment system features wireless connectivity in the Venue, which is good news for all the tech freaks. The higher ground clearance of the Nissan Kicks is much appreciated in the segment. The Kicks is also more fuel efficient than the Venue, making it easy on the pocket. 

2022 Nissan Kicks vs 2022 Toyota C-HR

The Toyota C-HR stands out in the segment for its exterior styling. It offers a sluggish acceleration and its fuel ratings are also lower than the Kicks. Inside, the rear row is cramped for adults while the cargo space is one of the smallest in the segment.

However, it comes with an array of driver-assist features and a lengthy standard features list. The Kicks also offers better ground clearance and fuel economy than the C-HR. Overall, the Kicks is a better car. 

The Nissan Kicks is arguably one of the top-ranking subcompact SUVs in its class. It offers a long list of standard features, very good gas mileage and an affordable price tag. Obviously, the biggest downside is its underpowered engine but at the same time, it also offers multiple exterior color options and sport interior appointments with the SR trim loaded with the Premium Package. Therefore, if you are on the hunt for a subcompact SUV, do checkout the Kicks before making a buying decision.