Compare the2023 Nissan KicksVS 2022 Jeep Renegade

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
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 Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade 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 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 Renegade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kicks and the Renegade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, 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 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks is safer than the Jeep Renegade:

	Kicks	Renegade
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	191	207
Leg Forces (l/r)	343/312 lbs.	343/366 lbs.

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

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 Jeep Renegade:

	Kicks	Renegade
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	139	161
Chest Movement	.9 inches	1 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
Spine Acceleration	47 G’s	73 G’s
Hip Force	517 lbs.	1157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
HIC	218	314
Spine Acceleration	30 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	535 lbs.	625 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 2.4% to 7.3% less likely to roll over than the Renegade.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Kicks has a standard 510-amp battery. The Renegade’s 500-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Kicks’ reliability 19 points higher than the Renegade.

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 Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 6 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks gets better mileage than the Renegade:

			MPG
Kicks
	FWD	1.6 DOHC 4-cyl.	31 city/36 hwy
Renegade
	FWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
		Trailhawk 1.3 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Renegade requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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 Jeep Renegade (6). This means the Kicks produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Renegade 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 Renegade 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 Renegade are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops much shorter than the Renegade:

	Kicks	Renegade
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

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

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 Renegade 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 Renegade (103.1 inches vs. 101.2 inches).

The Kicks SR handles at .83 G’s, while the Renegade Latitude 4x4 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Renegade Trailhawk 4x4’s (34.1 feet vs. 35.3 feet). The Kicks’ turning circle is 2.2 feet tighter than the Renegade’s (34.1 feet vs. 36.3 feet).

Chassis

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 800 pounds less than the Jeep Renegade.

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 Renegade uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The design of the Nissan Kicks amounts to more than styling. The Kicks offers aerodynamic coefficients of drag from .334 to .344 Cd (depending on bodystyle and options). That is lower than the Renegade (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Kicks get better fuel mileage.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Kicks has standard flush composite headlights. The Renegade has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The front step up height for the Kicks is 3.9 inches lower than the Renegade (15.5” vs. 19.4”). The Kicks’ rear step up height is 3.7 inches lower than the Renegade’s (15.9” vs. 19.6”).

Cargo Capacity

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Renegade with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Renegade with its rear seat folded (53.1 vs. 50.8 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 Renegade’s liftover is 30.2 inches.

The Kicks’ cargo area is larger than the Renegade’s in every dimension:

	Kicks	Renegade
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	36”/64”	28.9”/59”
Max Width	49.7”	40.1”
Min Width	39”	37.6”
Height	38.6”	33.7”

Ergonomics

The Kicks has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Renegade doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

Consumer Reports rated the Kicks’ headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Renegade’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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 Renegade has an automatic headlight on/off feature standard only on the Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Nissan Kicks, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Renegade 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 Renegade isn’t in the top three.

The Nissan Kicks outsold the Jeep Renegade by 37% during the 2021 model year.