Showing the 2025 Kicks S. NHTSA's VIN data shows it with a 1.6 L or 2.0 L engine, but that may not be every version of it, so the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 18, 2026.
Fuel economy
30–33 mpgcombined; city 27–31, highway 34–36; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$9,840–$10,830U.S. average; Ohio $8,790–$9,680 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2025 Kicks. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2025 Kicks. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Unknown or other
8
0
1
0
Electrical system
6
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
6
0
0
0
Power train
5
0
0
0
Steering
5
0
0
0
Back over prevention
4
0
0
0
Structure
4
0
0
0
Wheels
3
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
2
0
0
0
Lane departure
2
0
0
0
Suspension
2
0
0
0
5 more parts
Air bags
1
1
0
1
Engine
1
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
What the columns count
Complaints: complaints that name that part. One complaint can name several parts, so the rows overlap and don't add up to the total.
Crashes and Fires: complaints that report one. Two owners can file about the same event, and NHTSA doesn't link them, so these count reports, not events.
Injuries: the number of people the complaints say were injured.
None of these columns shows that a part caused a crash, fire or injury: they're what owners reported, unverified.
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2025 Kicks over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
NHTSA campaign 26V331000 · reported May 21, 2026 · 51,598 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will resume the software reprogramming of the combination meter software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA66. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 22, 2026.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Kicks vehicles. A software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: A partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 25V324000 · reported Jun 4, 2025 · 79,755 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will update the software on the vehicle’s center information display, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 10, 2025. The manufacturer numbers for this recall are PD152 and PMA48.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Frontier and Kicks vehicles. The center information display unit may display a blank screen when shifted into reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview image that does not display can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 25V188000 · reported Apr 17, 2025 · 37,003 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will install new labels, free of charge. Additionally, dealers will mail replacement labels to owners. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD136 and PMA47.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Kicks vehicles. The certification label may have been printed with the incorrect Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) values, which can result in the vehicle being overloaded. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 567, "Certification." Additionally, certain 2025 Nissan Kicks SR trim level vehicles equipped with an optional 19-inch wheel package may have a certification label that states an incorrect wheel size. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: An overloaded vehicle can increase the risk of a crash. Vehicles with incorrect wheel and tire information may lead to tires that are inflated improperly, which can also increase the risk of a crash.
NHTSA campaign 24V969000 · reported Dec 23, 2024 · 89 vehicles potentially affected across the whole campaign
Remedy: Dealers will reconfigure the body control module (BCM) to activate the "Shift-to-Park" warning, free of charge. Some owner notification letters were mailed January 29, 2025. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated, May 7, 2025. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA42.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Kicks vehicles. The "Shift-to-Park" warning may not activate as intended when the vehicle is shut off and still in a gear other than "Park." As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Risk: When the vehicle is not in "Park" and the ignition is shut off, the vehicle could move unexpectedly, increasing the risk of a vehicle rollaway and crash.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 15 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2025 Kicks, the latest on May 1, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: structure (8), engine (5), fuel/propulsion system (2).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2025 Kicks.
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Kicks Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
28 / 35 / 31
Kicks All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
27 / 34 / 30
Kicks Play Front-Wheel Drive
1.6 L, 4 cyl
Automatic (variable gear ratios)
Regular Gasoline
31 / 36 / 33
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data