2020 Nissan Kicks Review: It Does The Job

We're living in the era of the nondescript small SUV, which is a great thing if you're a young parent or retiree looking for a practical and cost-effective way to get around; but for those who actually like cars, this is like living in purgatory. Considering that there are so many available options on the market, it takes something special to turn heads away from cemented favorites such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3. Nissan's Kicks, the replacement for the quirky Juke, has some big shoes to fill, but falls somewhat short; a low asking price and excellent safety features won't be enough to convince the car-buying market, in our humble opinion. An asthmatic engine and dull personality overshadows its strong value proposition. Better luck next time, Nissan.

What's the Price of the 2020 Nissan Kicks?

Getting your rear-end in the driver's seat of a decent crossover SUV is easier than you think. The market is flooded with impressive offerings from across the world including on home soil, but with so many cars to choose from, how much does the Nissan Kicks try to stand out from the crowd in the USA? Well, basically, Nissan has just gone with a low price/good features combo. The base model starts off at an MSRP of only $18,870, which excludes tax, registration, and a destination fee of $1,095. For that money, you get many advanced safety features, but, you also get the personality and athletic performance of a retired accountant with asthma. The mid-range SV starts at $20,500 and sees the inclusion of automatic climate control, remote engine start, and more. The top-spec SR will set you back $21,120 and adds an impressive array of standard features such as a surround-view camera and LED headlights. The more refined and capable Honda HR-V starts at $20,820, and the bigger and spicier Nissan Rogue will set you back $25,300 to start off with.

Handling and Driving Impressions

There are no real surprises here: the 2020 Nissan Kicks has been set up to deliver a comfortable but not overly plush ride that strikes a good balance between comfort and dynamics. Its light weight most definitely helps it in the corners; its more fun to chuck around than some of its larger rivals, but don't get us wrong, it's no corner carver. Low speed driving is a pleasure, as the Kicks simply gobbles up road imperfections. Steering is typically light to make navigating the concrete jungle easier, and the Kicks responds eagerly to steering inputs, but there's very little feedback from the front tires. Top-spec SR models include an integrated dynamics control module, which includes active ride control and engine braking, and makes the overall experience more refined; however, it's not up there with the Honda HR-V, but still deserves a test drive, in our opinion.

Verdict: Is the 2020 Nissan Kicks A Good car?

There's nothing wrong with the Nissan Kicks - but that's exactly what's wrong with it. It can drive, carry people, and stay in one piece when crashed, but that's pretty much it; in a market flooded with great subcompact SUVs, the Kicks fails to make a bold enough statement, and Nissan's tactic of low price and good features can only take this car so far. We appreciate the good levels of standard safety features and the responsive infotainment system, but we're not convinced by its looks, performance, and general lack of personality. The 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine under the hood lets down an otherwise great platform, and besides lacking refinement, it reduces driver confidence, especially when trying to overtake on the highway. The interior isn't the best we've seen, and the overall driving experience feels muted and uninspiring, not that we expected it to be a hot hatchback. If all you care about is getting around town in relative safety for as little money as possible, then the Kicks will suit you just fine.

Which 2020 Nissan Kicks should I buy?

There's only $2,250 separating the base model from the range-topping SR, but if you're heading in that direction, the base model Honda HR-V starts to look very appealing, so for that reason, we'd suggest going with the base S model and calling it a day. For only $18,870, the base model offers great features such as automatic forward braking with pedestrian detection, lane-keep assist and blind-spot warning. Getting behind the wheel of the new Nissan Kicks S won't see you missing out on any performance benefits usually reserved for higher trim cars; it shares its underwhelming 1.6-liter engine with the rest of the range and the same goes for its CVT auto transmission. The Nissan Kicks is more of a low-cost utensil than an enthusiast car, and as long as you go in with that mindset, then the Kicks S should never disappoint.

2020 Nissan Kicks Comparisons

2020 Nissan Kicks vs Nissan Rogue

The Rogue picks up where the Kicks leaves off. It's a larger car and is classified as a compact crossover SUV. Total length, for instance, comes in at 184.5 inches, compared to the 169.1 inches offered by the Kicks. The 2020 Nissan Rogue isn't the best performing car in its class, not by a long shot, but it is more flexible and offers more power and overall performance from its 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 170 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque. Gas mileage is relatively good, considering the fact that the Kicks is significantly lighter and uses a smaller engine. The Rogue will return 26/33/29 mpg city/highway/combined in FWD guise and drops to 25/32/27 mpg in AWD spec. On the road, the Rogue is a comfortable thing to guide through traffic and freeways, but suffers from the same lack of road feedback. Inside, the Rogue feels more refined, and its interior design is more in line with its contemporaries. Naturally, the Rogue offers more passenger and trunk space, and it gets the same active safety assistance features as the Kicks. The Rogue only starts at $25,300, significantly more than the Kicks, so decide if the extra space and power is worth the outlay.

2020 Nissan Kicks vs Honda HR-V

The ever-popular Honda HR-V has been at the forefront of the subcompact SUV race for quite some time. Honda has managed to strike the right balance of price and capability, and a strong brand name has helped this small SUV to sell well in the American market. Under the hood of the 2020 HR-V lies a 1.8-liter four-pot gas engine that offers more power than the Kicks at 141 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque, but delivers similarly disappointing performance. Power is sent to the front or all four wheels via a CVT automatic transmission. The EPA rates the HR-V at between 26/31/28 mpg city/highway/combined for the AWD model and 28/34/30 mpg for lower-spec FWD models. From there on out, it doesn't look too good for the Nissan Kicks; the Honda is arguably the better-looking car and offers a lot more interior and cargo space, despite its similar classification as a subcompact SUV. The interior design is more mature and is of a better quality. On the road, the Honda feels tight and responsive thanks to a well set up chassis that it shares with the Fit. Starting at $20,820 for the base model, we'd skip over the Kicks in a heartbeat.