The 2025 Nissan Kicks Is The New Honda HR-V Rival We Won’t Be Getting

Ahead of its 2024 New York Auto Show debut, Nissan USA has unveiled the second-gen, 2025 Nissan Kicks B-segment SUV.

Nissan updated its B-segment SUV fighter last week, as the Japanese automaker recently launched the all-new, second-gen Nissan Kicks in the US. For the next-gen iteration, the Kicks B-SUV grows larger over its predecessor, while featuring a more powerful powertrain setup under its hood.

Aside from the new 2.0-litre petrol engine, the new Nissan Kicks also comes with an all-wheel drive (AWD) system for the first time.

For the American market, the new Kicks is exclusively powered by a new 2.0-litre 4-cyl naturally-aspirated petrol mill that generates 139 HP (104 kW) and 190 NM, boasting a significant power boost of 17 HP and 36 NM over its predecessor’s 1.6-litre unit. Said engine is mated to the latest version of Nissan’s proprietary Xtronic CVT gearbox, which facilitates power delivery to either the front (FWD) or all four wheels (AWD).

First-time offered to the Kicks, the optional AWD system comes with several driving modes, including a dedicated one for snowy conditions. This, coupled with the Kick’s tall ground clearance of 213 MM, allows this SUV crossover to do some light off-roading activities.

The second-gen Nissan Kicks looks very similar to the Chinese-spec Nissan Pathfinder SUV., thanks to its thick horizontal grille bars and stacked LED DRLs.

On the design front, the new Nissan Kicks embraces a much boxier and chiseled design over its predecessor, resembling the Chinese-spec Nissan Pathfinder in certain angles and parts. At the front, the new Kicks comes with horizontal LEDs that are seamlessly integrated with its black-hued front grille, with the actual headlight unit sitting atop the LEDs.

Despite its boxier overall design, the new Kicks comes with a sportier, coupe SUV-style greenhouse with thick, gloss black-hued C-pillars to give it a floating roof design style. At the rear, this B-SUV comes with sharp LED taillights that seamlessly blend with the black trim on the tailgate.

Taking out the measuring tape, you’ll see that the new Kicks measures 4,366 MM long, 1,801 MM wide, and 1,631 MM tall, with a wheelbase that spans 2,664 MM – putting it on par with newer B-segment rivals like the Honda HR-V. Thanks to this bulk-up, the Kicks boasts a roomier cabin and cargo space, offering an additional 43 MM of shoulder room and 23 MM of rear legroom. 

Speaking of cabin, the new Nissan Kicks comes with a pretty typical front dashboard layout, featuring a dual-display digital cockpit with screens measuring up to 12.3 inches for the upmarket variants with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support. Aside from the presence of USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad, the new Kicks also comes with touch-sensitive controls and buttons for its climate control, which we’d reckon won’t go well with many users.

Other variant-specific features offered to the new Kicks include the panoramic sunroof, Nissan’s ProPilot Assist system, as well as a 10-speaker Bose premium audio system with dedicated speakers built into the front seats’ headrests.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks will headline Nissan USA's exhibition at the upcoming 2024 New York International Auto Show, happening later in March 29.

The all-new, second-gen 2025 Nissan Kicks is poised to make its big unveiling at the upcoming 2024 New York International Auto Show, with sales set to commence later in summer for both the US and Canadian markets. While Nissan USA has yet to reveal the price for its new B-SUV, we can expect it to be pricier than its predecessor, which started at $20,790 (RM98,248).

Unfortunately, the new Nissan Kicks won’t make its way past both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as this B-segment SUV crossover is specially developed for both the North and South American markets. Should Nissan decide to bring the new Kicks into Asian markets like us, we’d reckon it’ll put up a good fight against the likes of the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-30.