2018 Nissan Kicks
Price Range: $12,988 - $19,990
Nissan Kicks Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(46%)
4(16%)
3(18%)
2(8%)
1(12%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Few bugs that the dealership won't address.
Chris, 03/31/2019
2018 Nissan Kicks SR 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
I really like my Kicks. Bought it brand new at around 50 miles and find it a steal at the price. It handles well and though the CVT is an adjustment, I really enjoy how it drives. As others have said, the climate control is picky. Either it blows really hot or really cold, no matter what temp you set it to. Dealership insists that its performing as designed. The … collision detection tends to get 'blocked' by the rain, even in a light drizzle, and throws a warning light and notification. The entertainment touchscreen occasionally blacks out and becomes unusable until you restart the car, which is a minor annoyance but should be addressed by Nissan. My biggest concern so far has been that it once stalled the engine at a stoplight. We stopped, the Kicks shuddered and then stalled completely. We had to restart it in the middle of the road. Once again, Nissan claimed there was no problem with it when we took it in. I'll be much happier if Nissan addresses these problems. So far, they have issued NO recalls on a vehicle with clearly multiple issues.
Huge Mistake
sw89, 10/06/2019
2018 Nissan Kicks SR 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
I purchased my 2018 Kicks SR With 20 miles on it, Initially the car was ok for getting to and from work with decent gas mileage, until it got to about 2000 miles on it. Then the problems started: 1. I had the interior lighting package installed on the vehicle, and to put it frankly it sucks you can not tell the lights are even on even in the dark of night so aprox $500 down the drain, … and the dealers suggestion was to buy an aftermarket kit that they would install for me at an additional cost. 2. Front and rear radar went out at about 2500 miles had that replaced. 3. Transmission was acting funny and kept jerking the car during acceleration, took it to dealer they managed to get that problem fixed. 4. Back to the front and rear radar sensors they went out gain at 4000 miles, so second fix. 5. Radio becomes unresponsive 4000 miles. dealer replaces. so now everything seems to be going ok, now I'm up to about 9000 miles, in about 4 months. And the problems start again 6. front and rear radar, dealer replaces. 7. auto dimming rear view mirror stops functioning, dealer replaces. 8. Radio goes out again at 11,000 miles, dealer again replaces. a few months go buy nothing happens. 8 months in and the car seems to have stopped giving me problems, 20,000 miles hits and 9. Front and rear radar again. 10. 25,000 my mpg drops from 32 to 19 another issue with the transmission. and a break in issues until 36,000 miles 11. Front and rear radar, and radio again and I have owned the car just over a year. I now have about 40,000 miles on my vehicle and have not had any more issues sense the last visit to the dealer. The dealer says I just got the bad one in the lot, But my husband has the same make model and year, and is having the same issues. They just have not happened as much for him, probably because I drive far much more than he does, he has about half as many miles as I do. unfortunately the issues did not all happen in less than a year to be claimed as a lemon. I would recommend anyone looking for a small suv look elsewhere and not purchase the kicks.
“A new part for a new car?”
Robynne , 04/20/2019
2018 Nissan Kicks SV 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
As of this review I have had my 2018 Nissan Kicks for 3 weeks which was purchased at Nissan Auto Centers in Wood River, IL. After having it for 1 week, the entire panel blacked out. I had no sound, no radio, no clock, nothing. I thought this was odd and maybe because the weather had turned cold overnight. After the car was on for about ten minutes the radio came back on. It … happened again a couple of days afterwards. I contacted the dealer and was scheduled for an appointment. I took the car in and was told that it would need to be replaced. I was also told that since it was a new car it was still under warranty it would be no charge. They did something to it while I was there. I got back in and all was well until it went out again. I am strongly considering returning this car because if it is having issues at only 3 weeks, what will I experience moving forward. It also doesn’t have a quick pick up power (as it relates to speed). I am not feeling comfortable about this. Before I purchase another car, I am going to read the reviews.
Read this before you buy...
SJ Lambright, 03/24/2019
2018 Nissan Kicks SR 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT)
I've owned my 2018 Kicks for three months and have put 7,000 miles on it. I have to be fair, so as a little upfront "disclaimer," I bought the Kicks after owning a 2013 Altima SL for 4 years, which I bought used and LOVED. However, after putting 100,000 miles on it quicker than I thought I would, I needed to trade it in with negative equity (there were other issues with the car that I … couldn't afford to fix). So, it's important to understand I was a little spoiled before buying the Kicks.
First, the Pros...
The car seems to get decent gas mileage. By that, I mean that the electronic gauges indicate I get an everage of 32.5 mpg. Keep in mind that I put a minimum of 70 miles per day 5 days a week on this car, with 60 of those miles being low traffic highways in 55 to 70 mph speed zones.
I love the parking assist cameras. These show an aerial view of the spot I'm pulling in or out of. After 30 years of driving, I'm still not the best at parking a vehicle, so this is a big plus for me.
I also love the blind spot sensors. These alert both while driving and while pulling out of a parking space. Living in east Texas where tons of people drive oversized pick up trucks, with a car this small, that's a BIG plus when getting out of parking spaces!
I like having two USB ports for charging that the back passengers can use. My teenagers find this the most important feature of the car lol.
The backseat and cargo area are surprisingly roomy for the compact size of the vehicle. I love having a removable hard shell privacy cover for the cargo area as well.
Finally, I like the way my Kicks looks on the outside. I get questions and compliments on it. It's a cute little car!
Now the Cons...
My main complaint is the size of the gas tank. It's like between 10 and 11 gallons. I literally have to get gas like every other day. Two and a half days, tops. I guess I don't understand why they'd build a car with great gas mileage, knowing consumers with long commutes would buy it, and give it a gas tank that tiny.
The seats are like sitting on concrete. No exaggeration. It takes me 40 minutes to get to work, and yes, I'm a curvy girl, but my behind shouldn't start hurting the way it does after driving this car for only a short distance.
There is one arm rest, for the driver of course... one. It's about 2 inches wide, covered with scratchy material, and not padded well at all. So, it's lose-lose whether you're the driver (uncomfy rest) or the passenger (no rest at all).
For some reason, the designers thought it a good idea to use some cheap silver-coated pieces in the "high traffic" area of the arm rest/handle on the inside of the doors. Within a week, this looked scratched up and old. Not thought out well at all.
The cameras, while I love the parking and blind spot assists, have to be cleaned a wiped down EVERY SINGLE DAY. Even after that, the rear one still looks blurry. Not once since I drove it off the lot has it looked like it did when I did the test drive.
Now for the issues I hope to get fixed when I get the chance to take it back to Nissan for work...
The technology has bugs. When I try to use my ipod (yes, I know, old school), the songs randomly skip, like literally similar to a scratched 45 record (also old school, I know). I had to switch my music to a USB flash drive, which works, but I lost a lot of options that come with ipod (for on-screen menus, etc.). The flash drive works, but I wish I could use my ipod.
The display screen in the car (used for everything, of course... radio, ipod, satellite, parking cameras, etc.) doesn't work sometimes. By that, I'd say an average 3 times a week it freezes up or blanks out. I've had to pull over, turn the car off, and restart to get it working again.
There's also the A/C - heater issues. The temperature doesn't adjust according to what the read out indicates. It literally blows either really hot, or cold. I can't feel the in-between temperatures or get comfortable a lot of the time.
To be fair, I will update the last few paragraphs after my visit to the Nissan service shop.
2018 Nissan Kicks video
2018 Nissan Kicks First Drive
Edmunds special correspondent Elana Scherr takes the 2018 Nissan Kicks on a first drive around San Diego. How does the Kicks fare in the highly competitive subcompact crossover SUV segment? Watch to find out.
Safety
Our experts’ favorite Kicks safety features:
- Forward Collision Warning
- Warns if a front collision is imminent with audible and visual alerts.
- Automatic Emergency Braking
- Applies the brakes at full force if the forward collision warning is triggered and the driver does not respond in time.
- Blind Spot Warning
- Alerts the driver if a vehicle is lurking in a blind spot.
FAQ
Is the Nissan Kicks a good car?
The Edmunds experts tested the 2018 Kicks both on the road and at the track. Edmunds’ consumer reviews show that the 2018 Kicks gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 50 reviews) What about cargo capacity? When you're thinking about carrying stuff in your new car, keep in mind that the Kicks has 25.3 cubic feet of trunk space. And then there's safety and reliability. Edmunds has all the latest NHTSA and IIHS crash-test scores, plus industry-leading expert and consumer reviews to help you understand what it's like to own and maintain a Nissan Kicks. Learn more
What's new in the 2018 Nissan Kicks?
According to Edmunds’ car experts, here’s what’s new for the 2018 Nissan Kicks:
- The 2018 Nissan Kicks is an all-new vehicle.
- Part of the first Kicks generation introduced for 2018.
Is the Nissan Kicks reliable?
To determine whether the Nissan Kicks is reliable, read Edmunds' authentic consumer reviews, which come from real owners and reveal what it's like to live with the Kicks. Look for specific complaints that keep popping up in the reviews, and be sure to compare the Kicks's 4-star average consumer rating to that of competing vehicles. Learn more
Is the 2018 Nissan Kicks a good car?
There's a lot to consider if you're wondering whether the 2018 Nissan Kicks is a good car. Our consumer reviews show that the 2018 Kicks gets an average rating of 4 stars out of 5 (based on 50 reviews). Safety scores, fuel economy, cargo capacity and feature availability should all be factors in determining whether the 2018 Kicks is a good car for you. Learn more
How much should I pay for a 2018 Nissan Kicks?
The least-expensive 2018 Nissan Kicks is the 2018 Nissan Kicks S 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT). Including destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of about $18,290.
Other versions include:
- S 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $18,290
- SV 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $19,990
- SR 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT) which starts at $20,590
What are the different models of Nissan Kicks?
If you're interested in the Nissan Kicks, the next question is, which Kicks model is right for you? Kicks variants include S 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT), SV 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT), and SR 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl CVT). For a full list of Kicks models, check out Edmunds’ Features & Specs page. Learn more
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Michigan
$168/mo for Kicks S
vs
$260/mo
Avg. Compact Car













