Compare the2023 Hyundai TucsonVS 2023 Nissan Kicks

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Tucson offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Kicks doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Tucson \’s standard Downhill Brake Control allows you to creep down safely. The Kicks doesn’t offer Downhill Brake Control.

Both the Tucson and Kicks have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Tucson has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Kicks’ Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Tucson and the Kicks 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 around view monitors.

The Hyundai Tucson weighs 580 to 997 pounds more than the Nissan Kicks. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Nissan Kicks:

	Tucson	Kicks
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	24%	32%
Neck Stress	164 lbs.	374 lbs.
Neck Compression	14 lbs.	27 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	27/60 lbs.	343/312 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	325	326
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	35%	79%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	392 lbs.
Neck Compression	59 lbs.	138 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	51/13 lbs.	370/209 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, results indicate that the Hyundai Tucson is safer than the Nissan Kicks:

	Tucson	Kicks
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	71	139
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	37	318

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Tucson its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 127 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kicks has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Tucson comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Kicks’ 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Tucson 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Kicks. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Kicks ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Tucson’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Kicks’ (7 vs. 5 years).

Hyundai pays for scheduled maintenance on the Tucson for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Hyundai will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Kicks.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Tucson has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Kicks’ 120-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in reliability, above the industry average. With 57 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 20th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 2 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 65 more horsepower (187 vs. 122) and 64 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 114) than the Kicks’ 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Hyundai Tucson is faster than the Nissan Kicks:

	Tucson	Kicks
Zero to 30 MPH	3.1 sec	3.7 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	9.3 sec	10.5 sec
Zero to 80 MPH	15.5 sec	19.3 sec
Passing 45 to 65 MPH	5 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	17 sec	18 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	83.6 MPH	77.5 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Tucson’s 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 Kicks doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Tucson has 3.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks (14.3 vs. 10.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Tucson’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Kicks:

	Tucson	Kicks
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	12 inches	8” drums
Opt Rear Rotors		11 inches

The Hyundai Tucson has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Rear drums are standard on the Kicks. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

The Tucson stops much shorter than the Kicks:

	Tucson	Kicks
60 to 0 MPH	118 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	131 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Tucson has larger tires than the Kicks (235/65R17 vs. 205/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Tucson has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kicks S. The Tucson’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Kicks SV/SR.

The Hyundai Tucson’s wheels have 5 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Nissan Kicks S only has 4 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Tucson has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Kicks has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Tucson has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Kicks’ suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Tucson has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Tucson flat and controlled during cornering. The Kicks’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Tucson’s wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the Kicks (108.5 inches vs. 103.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Tucson is 3.9 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Kicks.

The Tucson Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Kicks SR pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Tucson Limited AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Kicks SR (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Chassis

The design of the Hyundai Tucson amounts to more than styling. The Tucson has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Kicks (.334 to .344) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Tucson get better fuel mileage.

The front grille of the Tucson uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Kicks doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Tucson has 15.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kicks (108.2 vs. 92.7).

The Tucson has 3.6 inches more front hip room, 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom, 7.9 inches more rear legroom, 4.8 inches more rear hip room and 2.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kicks.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Tucson’s rear seats recline. The Kicks’ rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kicks with its rear seat up (38.7 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Tucson has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kicks with its rear seat folded (80.3 vs. 53.1 cubic feet).

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Tucson’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Kicks doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited’s power liftgate can be opened just by waiting momentarily behind the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Tucson’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Kicks doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Tucson has a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kicks has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Tucson uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Kicks doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

When two different drivers share the Tucson Limited, the memory seats make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position. The Kicks doesn’t offer memory seats.

The Tucson Limited’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Kicks doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Tucson’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Kicks has a lever-type parking brake that has to be strenuously raised to engage properly. It has to be lifted up more and a button depressed to release it.

The power windows standard on both the Tucson and the Kicks have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Tucson is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Kicks prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

On a hot day the Tucson’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Kicks can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Tucson’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Kicks’ power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Tucson Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Kicks’ manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Tucson’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Kicks’ standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

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 Tucson’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Kicks’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

Both the Tucson and the Kicks offer available heated front seats. The Tucson Limited also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kicks.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Tucson Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Kicks doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Tucson 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 Kicks doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Tucson (except SE)’s optional dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Kicks doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Tucson and the Kicks offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Kicks SV/SR doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Tucson Limited’s standard GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Kicks’ available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

With standard voice command, the Tucson XRT/N Line/Limited offers the driver hands free control of the radio, climate controls and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The Kicks doesn’t offer a voice control system.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Tucson SEL/XRT/N Line/Limited has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Kicks doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Tucson Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Kicks doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Hyundai Tucson and the Nissan Kicks, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Hyundai Tucson outsold the Nissan Kicks by over three to one during 2022.