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Nissan Kicks reliability.

Is it reliable? Mostly. About two-thirds as many complaints as the average car.

68All years 2018–2022 · 100 = average car

Better than average · 2018–2022

Fewest 2022Most 2018

2021 Nissan Kicks illustration

20211st generation

Lemon Index 60YouTube #1 of 7See the 2021 report ›
2018Taller bar = more complaints per car sold2025

What owners say on YouTube

#199 of 269YouTube owner tone vs. cars the same age · 324 videos
2021YouTube's favorite year2019Least-liked year on YouTube

2018–2024 Kicks · 200 most-watched videos

Owners praise

Fun to drive18%
Looks14%
Space and practicality14%
Tech and features12%

Owners complain about

CVT / transmission shudder3%

Fixes owners look up most

  1. Heat, A/C & blend door128K views
  2. Infotainment, battery & electrical114K views
  3. Transmission & shifter69K views

Before you buy, watch

2021 Nissan Kicks vs 2021 Toyota CHR Which One Should You Buy?Cars Unlocked · 75K views2020 Nissan Kicks E-Power Review : Kicks Ass or Ass-Kicked? - CarBuyer.com.sg SingaporeCarBuyer Singapore · 63K views2023 Nissan Kicks Review | Behind the WheelAutoDeal.com.ph · 682K views

Praise and complaints: the share of each generation's most-watched videos that mention a topic with a praise or trouble word next to it, in the title or what's said. YouTube rank: how positive owners and reviewers sound, compared with every car of the same model year. It measures tone, not failure rates. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.

Every year2022Fewest owner complaintsSee every year →Comparevs Hyundai PalisadeAlso Mazda Tribute, Chevrolet BlazerSee comparisons →Questions6 quick answersIs the Nissan Kicks reliable?Is the Nissan Kicks a good car?See questions →All the data8 model yearsin one table: index, complaints, recalls, mpgSee the table →

Looking at a 2023 or newer? Those are too new for a full complaint score (any score shown is partial, in gray), but YouTube owners like the 2023 best.

Fewest complaints

2022.

202225about a quarter as many complaints as the average car202160a bit over half as many complaints as the average car202072about three-quarters as many complaints as the average car

Most complaints

2018.

2018161about one and a half times the average car's complaints201983somewhat fewer complaints than the average car

Every year. Lower is better. Tap a year for its full report.

202569#4202460#32023–·202225#2202160#1202072#6201983#72018161#5

Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average, too new (2023+: a partial score, marked “partial”) or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 7 Nissan Kicks years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.

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<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/nissan-kicks/" title="Nissan Kicks reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="376" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/nissan-kicks/">Lemon Index</a> (Nissan Kicks reliability by year)</p>

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YouTube rank: we read 324 YouTube videos about the Nissan Kicks, 2018 to 2025, and ranked every year by how much they praise it vs. how much they talk about problems. YouTube's favorite: 2021. Old cars rank lower partly because most of their videos are repair and restoration videos. A gray dot means not enough data yet: under 10 videos, or a new year with no owner complaints to compare.

Compare the Nissan Kicks.

Nissan KicksHyundai Palisadevs Hyundai PalisadeNissan KicksMazda Tributevs Mazda TributeNissan KicksChevrolet Blazervs Chevrolet BlazerNissan KicksMitsubishi Outlander Sportvs Mitsubishi Outlander Sport

Opens the compare tool with both cars, every year side by side. Compare with any car →

Quick answers.

Is the Nissan Kicks reliable?

Mostly. It draws about two-thirds as many complaints as the average car, but YouTube owners complain about it more than about most cars its age. Fewest complaints: 2022. Most complaints: 2018.

Is the Nissan Kicks a good car?

Yes, it draws fewer complaints than the average car, by owner complaints to the government per car sold (2018-2022: Lemon Index 68; 100 is average). Some years are much better than others: 2022 drew the fewest complaints and 2018 the most.

What are the best Nissan Kicks years to buy?

By owner complaints per car sold: 2022, 2021, 2020. 2022 drew the fewest.

What Nissan Kicks years should you stay away from?

The 3 years with the most complaints per car sold: 2018 (worse than average, Lemon Index 161), 2019 (better than average, Lemon Index 83). 100 is the average car; lower is better.

How many recalls does the Nissan Kicks have?

10 safety recalls across the 8 model years we track. Most: 2025 (4), 2021 (2), 2018 (1). Each year's page lists them, and every Nissan Kicks recall is in one list here.

What are the most common Nissan Kicks problems?

Across every year, owners' complaints to the government name automatic emergency braking, electrical and engine most. Some years are much worse than others: see the chart above.

Every year in one table
YearIndexCompared with averageComplaintsTop complaintRecallsCrash testMPG
2018161about one and a half times the average car's complaints38stability control (32%)1—33
201983somewhat fewer complaints than the average car49engine (33%)1★★★★☆33
202072about three-quarters as many complaints as the average car41automatic emergency braking (51%)0★★★★☆33
202160a bit over half as many complaints as the average car48body structure (46%)2★★★★☆33
202225about a quarter as many complaints as the average car19automatic emergency braking (32%)0★★★★☆33
2023–too few complaints to score18automatic emergency braking (44%)1★★★★☆33
202460a bit over half as many complaints as the average car40visibility (28%)1★★★★☆33
202569about two-thirds as many complaints as the average car43wipers & visibility (16%)4★★★★☆30–33

The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. U.S. sales source: en.wikipedia.org. How it works

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