The New Nissan Kicks Is Still Dirt Cheap But There’s One Huge Compromise

Nissan’s American dealer network, and indeed the entire brand, has been having a rough go lately. Perhaps the 2025 Nissan Kicks will bring new life to showrooms, partly because it looks good and partly because it starts cheap. The old model in base S trim stickered for $22,730 including freight, while the new model in base S trim starts at $23,220 including freight. That a price increase of just $490, and you seem to get a decent amount of car for that sort of money, provided you’re willing to miss out on a few key features.

Under the hood, the 122-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine on the old car is replaced by a two-liter four-cylinder engine making 19 more horsepower and a whopping 26 more lb.-ft. of torque. Add in the new availability of all-wheel-drive and 8.4 inches of standard ground clearance, and the new Kicks promises to be a better-rounded subcompact crossover than the old one.

Oh, and speaking of all-wheel-drive, adding it only costs $1,500 on the base S trim, $1,650 on the mid-range SV trim, and $1,500 on the range-topping SR trim. In the grand scheme of things, that sort of pricing is still reasonable, and should make the Kicks the go-to model for anyone who wants the cheapest new car with all-wheel-drive.

However, there’s a catch to the base model — it doesn’t come with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, two of the most important features in any new car because drivers interact with them constantly. It’s hard to believe that an automaker is still making CarPlay and Android Auto optional in 2024, but here we are. What a disappointment.

So, the cheapest 2025 Nissan Kicks that anyone would actually want to buy stickers for $25,070 including freight, but it might still be missing other stuff you want, like more than four speakers, front seatback pockets, rear heater ducts, and illuminated vanity mirrors. You know, stuff many $2,500 used cars have. An SV Premium Package adds the seatback pockets, the heater ducts, illuminated vanity mirrors, a sunglass holder, a big moonroof, and heated seats for an extra $1,500, at which point you’re spending $26,570.

If you want more toys such as more than four speakers, lane-keep assistance, rear cupholders, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a rear seat armrest, the SR trim starts at $27,570 — that’s $2,280 more than the old Kicks SR. In fact, if you load a Kicks SR up with the SR Premium Package and all-wheel-drive, you’re looking at a $29,630 Nissan Kicks. While still inexpensive in the grand scheme of new cars, that’s a lot of money for something meant to be cheap and cheerful.

If you want Apple CarPlay and you’re not looking for all-wheel-drive, the Chevrolet Trax still presents better value on paper than the 2025 Nissan Kicks. Even the base Trax gets wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and that thing costs $21,495 including freight. In this segment, something that costs $3,575 less and still offers key features is just too good to ignore, and the fact that a top-trim Trax is only $25,395 means you must really want a front-wheel-drive Kicks in order to pay the extra money. If you’re particularly style conscious, the Buick Envista is also worth a look, because it really surprised us for a base price of $23,995 including freight.

Is the 2025 Nissan Kicks still worth consideration? Absolutely. A new small crossover that can be had in bright colors for sensible money is still worth a gander. However, it’s not quite the ultra-cheap crossover it once was. If you’re shopping for one, peruse the spec sheet carefully and decide what features you can live without, because unless you’re splashing the cash, you’ll always have to compromise on something.

(Photo credits: Nissan)

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