Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2025 Honda CR-V

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks Play has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Automatic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Rear cross-path warning is not offered on the CR-V LX and the CR-V’s Cross Traffic Monitor does not include automatic braking.

Both the Kicks Play and the CR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Honda CR-V:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kicks Play for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the CR-V (2/24,000 vs. 1/12000).

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Kicks Play has a standard 510-amp battery. The CR-V’s 410-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Honda.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks Play gets better mileage than the CR-V:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks Play uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V with the 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Kicks Play SV/SR’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the CR-V are solid, not vented.

The Kicks Play stops much shorter than the CR-V:

The Kicks Play’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CR-V LX’s standard 65 series tires.

The Kicks Play has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The CR-V doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks Play has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The CR-V doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks Play handles at .83 G’s, while the CR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kicks Play executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid (28.7 seconds @ .55 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is 3.1 feet tighter than the CR-V’s (34.2 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 800 to 1200 pounds less than the Honda CR-V.

The Kicks Play is 1 foot, 3.7 inches shorter than the CR-V, making the Kicks Play easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks Play has .4 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more rear headroom than the CR-V.

The Kicks Play’s standard Intelligent Key allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Pushbutton Start standard on the CR-V only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle. Pushbutton Start is not available on the CR-V EX/Sport.

Compared to the Honda CR-V, the Nissan Kicks Play eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Kicks Play and the Honda CR-V, based on reliability, safety and performance.