Compare the2025 Nissan KicksVS 2026 Honda HR-V

The Kicks SR offers an optional front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The HR-V doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The HR-V only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The Kicks has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the HR-V Sport/EX-L offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the HR-V Sport/EX-L offers Cross Traffic Monitor.

Both the Kicks and the HR-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 and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

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 is safer than the Honda HR-V:

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

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 visits) on the Kicks for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the HR-V (2/24,000 vs. 1/12000).

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.

As tested in Motor Trend the Nissan Kicks is faster than the Honda HR-V:

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

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Kicks’ engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The HR-V doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Kicks SR’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the HR-V Sport/EX-L’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kicks SR has standard 19-inch wheels. The HR-V’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Kicks 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 HR-V doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks 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 HR-V doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks SR AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the HR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Kicks SR AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the HR-V EX-L AWD (28 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 28.5 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is .3 feet tighter than the HR-V’s (34.8 feet vs. 35.1 feet). The Kicks’ turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the HR-V Sport’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Kicks has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the HR-V LX/EX-L (8.4 vs. 7 inches), allowing the Kicks to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Kicks’ minimum ground clearance is 1.1 inches higher than on the HR-V Sport (8.4 vs. 7.3 inches).

The Kicks is 7.9 inches shorter than the HR-V, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks has .3 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more rear headroom and 2.7 inches more rear hip room than the HR-V.

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the HR-V with its rear seat up (30 vs. 24.4 cubic feet). The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the HR-V with its rear seat folded (60 vs. 55.1 cubic feet).

The Kicks’ front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The HR-V’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the HR-V Sport/EX-L’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

The Kicks’ standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The HR-V’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted. The Kicks SR’s optional wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Kicks’ headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the HR-V’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

On extremely cold winter days, the Kicks SR’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The HR-V doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The Kicks SR has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The HR-V doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Compared to traditional radio, the Nissan Kicks’ standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the HR-V EX-L.