The comparatively normal Kicks introduced for 2018 resonated better with American shoppers. Yet with a meager maximum of 125 horsepower, the Kicks was soon outflanked by a series of newer, more substantial competitors. Novelty is fleeting, and tiny SUVs aren't so tiny anymore, so while extroverted elements glint across the redesigned 2025 Kicks, Nissan's primary focus was bringing more size, power, and content to its smallest SUV.
The new Kicks has distinctive style and is sufficiently attractive, albeit devoid of funky flourishes like the Cube's asymmetric rear-end design. Chunky lines and tasteful brightwork jibe with horizontal grille bars and LED running lights. Nissan says the design of the lower body cladding mimics the soles of athletic shoes, an influence that's hard to see on our Deep Blue Pearl test car. But opt for a brighter hue like Yuzu Yellow Metallic, and the Kicks might get away with a Nike swoosh down its side. Our top SR model's optional 19-inch aluminum wheels up the visual wattage over the standard 17s, though lesser trims come with 16- or 17-inch steel wheels wearing plastic covers. But this is a vehicle that starts at just $23,220, its increase over the outgoing model amounting to a $490 pittance.
More important are the larger proportions: It's 2.8 inches longer, 1.6 inches wider, and nearly an inch taller than before. Ground clearance is now a substantial 8.4 inches, a 1.4-inch increase. The wheelbase grows from 103.1 inches to either 104.6 or 104.9, depending on whether you go with the standard front-wheel-drive layout or spring for the newly available all-wheel drive ($1500 to $1650, depending on the model).
If you're on the fence about spending the extra money, consider that front-drive versions have a torsion-beam rear axle, while all-wheel-drive examples like this one get an independent struttype rear suspension.
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Denne historien er fra January - February 2025-utgaven av Car and Driver.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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AN AMERICAN TOURING SCOTLAND IN AN ENGLISH CAR BUILT IN CHINA
In Dornbach, Scotland, Kitman walks past a modern MG and a Morris Minor, its distant relative. From left: Motoring through the Scottish Highlands; lobster traps in Dunbeath; taking on electrons at Gridserve; traversing the North Sea coast.
THE MAD SCRAMBLE
AN 814-HP V-12 THAT SCREAMS TO 9400 RPM IS JUST THE START OF THE INTENSE EXPERIENCE THAT IS THE LAMBORGHINI REVUELTO.
2022 Rivian R1T
This EV pickup proves to be E-Z to live with.
Spite Defender
Ineos Grenadier HIGHS: Dapper off-road style meets genuine off-road capability, wonderfully smooth powertrain, built like a brick outhouse. LOWS: Incessant warnings, sloppy and slow steering, noisy on the highway.
The Revivalist
The Nissan Murano emerges fresh-faced and revitalized from a long-overdue redo.
ELECTRICAL CONNECTION
The Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord, and the Hyundai Sonata all take different approaches to hybridization, but which one does it best?
The Achilles Kneel
Mercedes-Benz W123 wagons doing the Carolina Squat can get their droopy self-leveling rear suspension back up to snuff courtesy of a Californian.
Dollars to Donuts
Despite the high cost, automakers are still drawn to racing.
G to the Power of E
Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology HIGHS: Quicker than the old G550, improved handling, better braking. LOWS: Cubist shape torpedoes highway range, cramped inside, dorky name.
The Best Odds
The cars I recall most fondly were neither the prettiest nor the quickest. Certainly not the most expensive. They were machines that emerged willfully peculiar and intractably idiosyncratic.
