2026 Nissan Kicks: Sweet Middle Ground

Small SUVs and crossovers are a large and diversified bunch offering something for everyone. It can be tough for some competitors to stand out when others offer additional powertrain options and unique models. Consider Mazda with the CX-30 Turbo, Subaru with the Crosstrek Wilderness or Hyundai with the Kona Electric.

In such a popular and hotly contested segment, the latest Nissan Kicks is a colourful offering much like the smaller, older Kicks Play that will be gone at the end of 2025. Furthermore, it is available in a wide range of models, all of which can be specified with AWD.

• Also: Budget-Friendly Nissan Kicks Play Won’t Return for 2026
• Also: Top 10 Best Car Interiors of 2025 According to WardsAuto

All-inclusive prices for 2026 are as follows: S FWD at $29,981, S AWD at $32,281, SV FWD at $31,531, SV AWD at $33,831, SV Premium AWD at $34,631, SR AWD at $36,331 and SR Premium AWD at $37,981. For our weeklong test drive, we spent time with a Kicks SV AWD featuring a two-tone exterior and costing $33,873.

Friendly Interior

Today’s automotive landscape can be awfully bland at times, so the boldly styled Kicks is a refreshing sight on the road. Several two-tone combinations are available, such as the one on our SV model with grey lower panels and a red roof. The Kicks is also one of the rare affordable SUVs to offer a yellow finish. The bold theme continues inside where the seats feature unique patterns and body-coloured trim pieces.

The cabin is generally spacious and accommodating, although headroom in the second row is a bit tight. The driver faces a large interface that combines a standard 7-inch or optional 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen. The former, while attractive and easy to read, is curiously arranged, with key information such as speed appearing on a smaller area.

As for infotainment, the display is elegant and user-friendly. Our only complaint is the small size of the buttons on the left and bottom of the screen, making navigating through the menus and settings unnecessarily difficult. By the way, this is a recurring issue in Nissan and Infiniti vehicles featuring this new interface, as we mentioned in our 2026 Nissan LEAF review. Music lovers will definitely get a kick (pun intended) out of the available 10-speaker Bose sound system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

A Surprising Tourer

During a road trip of more than 850 km, mainly of highways, the 2026 Nissan Kicks proved a solid tourer. Its naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, which produces 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque, is well-suited to its size in terms of performance and fuel economy. Sure, these power figures aren't spectacular, but the Kicks feels lively in urban driving and output is sufficient for safe passing maneuvers at high speeds. The CVT simulates gear shifts to avoid monotonous acceleration, but manual shifting is not possible.

Despite being larger than the Kicks Play and equipped with all-wheel drive, our Kicks SV AWD burned fuel at a pleasantly low rate, achieving a combined 6.7 L/100 km. As you can imagine, S FWD and SV FWD models are a tad more efficient. We understand that some people would like a hybrid variant, but the fuel savings really wouldn’t be that big.

While the Kicks' powertrain is surprisingly good, the same cannot be said about noise levels inside the cabin. In particular, we found road noise from the tires to be annoying. Braking power is another source of irritation. The brakes lack responsiveness and endurance, even though they are disc brakes. This is particularly noticeable when adaptive cruise control is activated, as the Kicks struggles to maintain a safe following distance when braking. Fortunately, the gaps between vehicles are long.

The interior is nonetheless pleasant, with Nissan's much-touted Zero Gravity seats increasing comfort for the driver and front passenger, although they’re a bit short on thigh support for taller individuals. Visibility is adequate, the ride is on the stiff side, and steering provides good feedback thanks to its precision and weight.

In the Middle of the Pack

The 2026 Nissan Kicks stands out from other subcompact SUVs and crossovers with a vibrant personality and slightly more dynamic handling than the average competitor. It's more inspiring than the Honda HR-V, Mitsubishi RVR or Toyota Corolla Cross, but not as sporty as the Mazda CX-30, which is considered the benchmark for driving pleasure in the segment. Furthermore, it doesn't offer an alternative powertrain like the Kia Seltos or Subaru Crosstrek.

Ultimately, even though it doesn't get the recognition enjoyed by some well-established rivals, the Kicks proves an interesting pick, offering a pleasant combination of ride and handling, a comfortable enough interior and pretty good fuel economy. It’s the sweet middle ground that a lot of drivers are looking for. Higher prices may explain why sales are lower than those of the previous generation, but with the Kicks Play not returning for 2026, the fresher, roomier and better Kicks should rise in popularity.

Watch: Nissan's Design Chief Presents All-New Kicks