Compare the2023 Nissan KicksVS 2022 Honda HR-V

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
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 HR-V 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 HR-V 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 HR-V 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 HR-V only offers a rear monitor.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks’ standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The HR-V doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

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 HR-V doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Kicks SR offers optional NissanConnect Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The HR-V doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Kicks and the HR-V 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, rearview cameras 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 Honda HR-V:

	Kicks	HR-V
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	139	148
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	318	357
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	59 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	48 G’s
Hip Force	535 lbs.	799 lbs.

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

Reliability

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 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 25 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Honda.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Kicks
	FWD	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/36 hwy
HR-V
	FWD	1.8 SOHC 4-cyl.	28 city/34 hwy
	AWD	LX 1.8 SOHC 4-cyl.	27 city/31 hwy
		Sport/EX/EX-L 1.8 SOHC 4-cyl.	26 city/31 hwy

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 Honda HR-V (5). This means the Kicks produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the HR-V every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Nissan Kicks as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Honda HR-V is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

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 HR-V are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops shorter than the HR-V:

	Kicks	HR-V
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	127 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 HR-V doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Kicks SR handles at .83 G’s, while the HR-V EX-L AWD pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the HR-V’s (34.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Kicks’ turning circle is 4.6 feet tighter than the HR-V Sport’s (34.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 400 pounds less than the Honda HR-V.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Kicks has a liquid-filled front engine mount. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The HR-V uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

Passenger Space

The Kicks has .9 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more front legroom, .2 inches more rear headroom and 1.7 inches more rear hip room than the HR-V.

Cargo Capacity

The Kicks has a larger cargo volume than the HR-V with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 24.3 cubic feet).

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 HR-V 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 HR-V’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Kicks’ variable intermittent wipers have an adjustable delay to allow the driver to choose a setting that best clears the windshield during light rain or mist. The HR-V LX/Sport’s standard fixed intermittent wipers only have one fixed delay setting, so the driver will have to manually switch them between slow and intermittent.

The Kicks has a standard automatic headlight on/off feature. When the ignition is on, the headlights automatically turn on at dusk and off after dawn. The HR-V has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the EX/EX-L.

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.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Kicks, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Honda HR-V isn't recommended.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Kicks third among small suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The HR-V isn’t in the top three.

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