Nissan Kicks

537 complaints across 4 scored model years and 8 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Nissan Kicks Full report

Grade 2018–2021

2019 vs model median 1.5×

Model median3× median

Driver Assist 20

Electrical 20

Engine 18

Weakest

2019 · 2020

Best

2018 · 2021

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Nissan Kicks
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2018	0.85×	82	B
2019	1.50×	126	C
2020	1.15×	102	B
2021	0.76×	78	B
2022 P	0.41×	37	A
2023 P	0.28×	26	A
2024 P	0.38×	43	A
2025 P	0.43×	43	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	30.5
City / Highway	27.5 / 34.5
Engine	2L, 4 cyl
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$2,025

Recalls

8 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
19V654000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2018, 2019	1,228,830
25V324000	BACK OVER PREVENTION:SOFTWARE	2025	79,755
26V331000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL	2025	51,598
25V188000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS	2025	37,003
22V693000	STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM	2021	20,040
23V496000	STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM	2021	11,824
24V154000	AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE	2023, 2024	351
24V969000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BODY CONTROL MODULE/BCM	2025	89

Others in Subcompact SUVs

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Alfa Romeo Stelvio	2018	C
Audi E-Tron	none flagged	C
Audi Q3	20202021	C
BMW X1	2014	C
Buick Encore	2015	C
Buick Encore GX	none flagged	B
Cadillac XT4	none flagged	B
Chevrolet Captiva	none flagged	B

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2019 Kicks

Complaints in window: 126
Severity-weighted: 211.5
Model median (weighted): 141
vs model median: 1.50×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 1
Open investigations: 0

Score 60.1 C