The rear seat room is surprisingly good, both in leg room and head room. Mostly you get in, buckle up, and drive comfortably. Active ride control (see below) on the top-line SR minimizes the bumps. Expansion bumps make the car bounce a bit, a factor of the short, 103-inch wheelbase, rather than inherent suspension flaws. The electric power steering feel is light. Drag-race the cars in the Kicks segment, and the most likely outcome is 'called on account of darkness.' At a svelte 2,672 pounds versus 125 horsepower (and 115 pound-feet of torque), the power-to-weight ratio is a reasonable 21:1 (pounds per hp). Zero to 60 mph is on the order of 9 to 10 seconds. Only the brave will do much two-line country-road passing. It has all the power you need for city driving and merging on most freeway on-ramps. Out on the road, the Nissan Kicks drives smoothly. Otherwise, the Kicks puts buyers in a most acceptable new and not used car for just over $20,000. To keep costs down (Nissan says), the base model comes without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. It also limits you to front-drive, a 125-hp engine, no sunroof, no leather upholstery, and no on-board navigation, which few entry-level-car buyers want anyway.

Forward emergency braking is standard.Ī simplified configurations list caps the all-in price at $22,265. Even at 169 inches long, Kicks is comfortable in back for adults. It's three inches shorter than the Nissan Rogue Sport, $2,200 less expensive, and comes with a healthy dose of technology and safety features. The subcompact SUV market is so hot, Nissan just launched a second mainstream subcompact crossover: the Nissan Kicks.

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