Compare the2022 Nissan KicksVS 2022 Subaru Forester

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Nissan Kicks has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Forester doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Forester 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 which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Forester’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Forester and isn't available on the not available.

Compared to metal, the Kicks’ plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Forester has a metal gas tank.

Both the Kicks and the Forester have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights and 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 is safer than the Subaru Forester:

	Kicks	Forester
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	347 lbs.	389 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	56 G’s
Hip Force	517 lbs.	670 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	16 inches
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	535 lbs.	673 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Kicks is 1.4% less likely to roll over than the Forester.

Warranty

There are over 69 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks’ warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan fifth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 36 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is ranked 24th, below the industry average.

Brakes and Stopping

The Kicks 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 Forester are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops much shorter than the Forester:

	Kicks	Forester
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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 Forester doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Kicks SR handles at .83 G’s, while the Forester Limited pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Forester’s (34.1 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 850 pounds less than the Subaru Forester.

The Kicks is 1 foot, 1.6 inches shorter than the Forester, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The rear step up height for the Kicks is 1.3 inches lower than the Forester (15.9” vs. 17.25”).

Ergonomics

The Kicks’ front power windows 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 Forester’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. The Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear windows don’t close automatically.