- Nissan revealed the redesigned 2025 Kicks subcompact crossover.
- The new model is larger than before and offers a more powerful engine and newly optional all-wheel drive.
- The Kicks will go on sale in the U.S. in late summer of this year.
The new 2025 Nissan Kicks is a small crossover transformed. Not only does it look far more modern than before, it also grows in size significantly and offers a larger engine and a newly available all-wheel-drive option. While the first-generation Kicks was more of an entry-level FWD hatchback with crossover-esque styling, this redesign brings it more into the subcompact-SUV mainstream, where it will compete with models including the Hyundai Kona and Mazda CX-30.
Bigger and Better-Equipped
Taller, longer, and wider than the old Kicks, the new model has a cheeky design sensibility with pronounced wheel arches, a distinctive grille, and optional two-tone color schemes. S, SV, and SR trims will be offered, with the SR pictured here getting 19-inch wheels and special accent lights below the headlights, along with sporty-ish design touches inside including red stitching and other unique trim. The new Kicks also has significantly more ground clearance than before, 8.4 inches compared with the previous model's 7.0 inches.
Nissan claims the new model offers more rear-seat room and cargo space, and the larger interior is more packed with standard and optional technology features, too. A 7.0-inch touchscreen is standard, but the optional setup on the SR includes two huge 12.3-inch display screens for the digital gauge cluster and central infotainment screen. More driver-assistance features are standard, too, and Nissan's ProPilot Assist function is newly optional. A panoramic sunroof is also on the options sheet, as is a 10-speaker Bose audio system.
More Power, Optional AWD
The sole powertrain is a 141-hp 2.0-liter inline-four that's also found in the Sentra compact sedan, and it uses a continuously variable automatic transmission. This should provide better acceleration than the old Kicks' wimpy 1.6-liter mill, although the new model will likely be heavier, so it's not going to be a drag-racer by any means. Front-wheel drive is standard, as was the case before, but all-wheel drive is now optional on all trim levels. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces cargo space somewhat due to the mechanical components under the rear floor.
The old Kicks' low starting price was a major part of its appeal, and we expect the new model to be a bit more expensive due to its larger size. Nissan still describes it as an "entry-level" vehicle, though, so we figure a starting price of around $23,000 for a base S FWD model and around $30,000 for a loaded SR AWD. The 2025 Kicks will start reaching U.S. dealerships in late summer.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
