Compare the2022 Nissan KicksVS 2021 Mazda CX-3

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Kicks SV/SR are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The CX-3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 CX-3 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Kicks has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The CX-3 doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The CX-3 only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The Kicks SV/SR’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The CX-3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Compared to metal, the Kicks’ plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Mazda CX-3 has a metal gas tank.

Both the Kicks and the CX-3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available daytime running lights.

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 Mazda CX-3:

	Kicks	CX-3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	139	183
Abdominal Force	172 lbs.	199 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	85 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	14 inches
HIC	218	287
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	31 G’s
Hip Force	535 lbs.	629 lbs.

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

Warranty

There are almost 2 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Mazda dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks’ warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Kicks has a standard 120-amp alternator. The CX-3’s 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan fifth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 23rd, below the industry average.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Nissan Kicks higher (7 out of 10) than the Mazda CX-3 (3 to 7). This means the Kicks produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the CX-3 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

The Kicks has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The CX-3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 CX-3 are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops shorter than the CX-3:

	Kicks	CX-3
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	143 feet	148 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

The Kicks SV/SR’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-3’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Kicks SV/SR has standard 17-inch wheels. The CX-3’s largest wheels are only 16-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 CX-3 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Kicks’ wheelbase is 1.9 inches longer than on the CX-3 (103.1 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

The Kicks SR handles at .83 G’s, while the CX-3 AWD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the CX-3’s (34.1 feet vs. 34.8 feet).

Passenger Space

The Kicks has 5.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the CX-3 (92.7 vs. 87.6).

The Kicks has 2 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front legroom, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the CX-3.

Cargo Capacity

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the CX-3 with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 17.8 cubic feet). The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the CX-3 with its rear seat folded (53.1 vs. 42.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kicks easier. The Kicks’ cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.6 inches, while the CX-3’s liftover is 30.6 inches.

The Kicks’ cargo area is larger than the CX-3’s in almost every dimension:

	Kicks	CX-3
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36”/64”	30.9”/58”
Max Width	49.7”	n/a
Min Width	39”	39.4”
Height	38.6”	26.6”

Ergonomics

The Kicks SV/SR has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The CX-3 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 CX-3’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Kicks SV/SR’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. The CX-3 doesn’t offer heated side mirrors.

The Kicks SR offers optional heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the CX-3.

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 CX-3 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Kicks and the Mazda CX-3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Nissan Kicks outsold the Mazda CX-3 by almost 13 to one during the 2021 model year.