QUEBEC CITY — We’ve always been fans of the Nissan Kicks. We first drove it back in 2018 and admired it for offering cheap and cheerful transportation that delivered a lot of cheer without feeling cheap. So, it goes without saying we’re excited to see what they’ve done with the 2025 Nissan Kicks, the second coming of its cheerful subcompact crossover.
Nissan inviting us out to Quebec wasn’t a coincidence. Most of the 2025 Kicks’ cold weather testing was done in Quebec; it sells sells exceptionally well in Canada, so they wanted to make sure it could handle the harshest conditions our climate could throw at it. The new Kicks is built on an all-new platform that’s a couple inches larger in every direction, creating more space without straying from its city-friendly sizing.
The added space of this new architecture means not only is there more room in the cabin, but also more room under the skin. This opens up space—literally—for an all-wheel-drive system, finally putting to bed the last model’s biggest weakness. It also has a larger engine: a simple, naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, putting out 141 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. It’s a healthy bump over the 1.6-litre engine in the original Kicks, which will be sold alongside this new Kicks. It’ll be called the Kicks Play, and it’ll be exclusive to Canada.
The original Kicks was a screaming value for its time, and this new Kicks seeks to improve on that. It offers more features, nicer materials, a more satisfying drive, and thoughtful attention to detail—all at an aggressive price point. The base S model starts at $27,199 and includes heated seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 suite, and adaptive cruise control. The mid-level SV adds a wireless charging pad, a smart key, a heated steering wheel, and opens the door to options like two-tone paint and a large panoramic moonroof.
For this event, we drove the fully loaded SR Premium AWD model. This includes two-tone paint in 12 different colour combinations, leatherette seats with textured cloth inserts, dual 12.3-inch screens, a Bose sound system with headrest speakers, 19-inch wheels, and Nissan’s ProPilot Assist—which adds a very well-calibrated lane-centering system to its suite of driver aids. There’s also a 360-degree camera to make parking even easier.
To that end, visibility from the Kicks’ driver’s seat is excellent. The cabin belies its budget-friendly price tag, as it sports a very clean aesthetic, and makes use of excellent materials, with soft touch plastics, textured “carbon fiber” cloth, quality switchgear, soft leatherette, and lots of brushed metallic accents where you’d find unfortunate fingerprint-magnet gloss black trim on a lot of its competitors.
Nissan’s Zero Gravity seat design extends to the rear as well. They offer better support on longer journeys, as well as additional leg room. At six feet tall, I could comfortably sit behind myself. To further reduce fatigue—and help the Kicks feel fancier than it actually is—additional sound deadening has been added to the floors, fenders, and firewall. In practice, it’s very well-hushed on the highway, allowing the signature sound system to shine.
The 2025 Kicks’ structure is way stiffer than it used to be, allowing better-supported suspension and improves handling and ride comfort. The steering rack is a little faster than before, and when combined with the added rigidity of the new platform, the Kicks has very confidence-inspiring handling. All-wheel-drive Kicks models like the one I drove also get new multi-link rear suspension, which greatly enhances road manners and helps contribute to a more upscale feel overall.
The 2025 Kicks rides comfortably and feels fun to chuck around, aided by the updated all-wheel-drive system. Unlike most on-demand AWD systems which divert power only when wheel-spin is detected, this system diverts power based directly on acceleration. In practice, it’ll instantly send more power to the rear as you step further into the skinny pedal, rather than waiting for slip to be detected. The result is a system that feels much more natural and direct.
On that note, Nissan’s continuously variable transmission is back and has been reworked, as seen in the Rogue, to feel more direct and responsive. I’m pleased to report I didn’t really notice it at all—which is exactly what an automatic should be. It makes the most of the larger engine, which is noticeably quieter than before, but is still pretty anemic. It’s been tweaked to feel zippy enough around town, but on the highway it leaves a bit to be desired. You really need to wring it out to move with any authority. Despite being larger and AWD, the Kicks is very frugal—I observed an average fuel use of 7.8 L/100 km over two days in and around Quebec City, in mixed conditions.
I came away from the 2025 Kicks really impressed. The original Kicks, soon to be renamed Kicks Play, was and is a fantastic little car that offered a ton of value. It gets to continue offering a ton of value, as it’ll start at just $22,598. But this new Kicks shows Nissan exerted a ton of effort and addressed the few weaknesses it had. The result is a capable little crossover with nothing to really complain about, and a lot more more personality and flair than you might expect.
The 2025 Nissan Kicks has a very distinct and attractive style inside and out. It’s fun, it’s practical, and it feels exceptionally well-executed. The new Kicks offers a lot and asks very little; it’s exactly the shot in the arm Nissan needs. I hope it resonates with buyers as much as it did with me, because I’d love to see Nissan succeed, and I think the little Kicks is a big step in the right direction. If you’re inclined to agree, you can go see one for yourself—they’re available and on showroom floors ready to roll right now.
