Compare the2023 Jeep CompassVS 2023 Nissan Kicks

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

Safety

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The Compass’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Kicks doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Compass has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Kicks doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Compass has 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 Compass Trailhawk’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Kicks doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

Both the Compass and the Kicks 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, plastic fuel tanks, 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 Jeep Compass weighs 869 to 935 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 Jeep Compass is safer than the Nissan Kicks:

	Compass	Kicks
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	172	326
Neck Injury Risk	36%	79%
Neck Stress	235 lbs.	392 lbs.
Neck Compression	92 lbs.	138 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 Jeep Compass is safer than the Nissan Kicks:

	Compass	Kicks
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	139
Chest Movement	.8 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	134 lbs.	172 lbs.
Hip Force	335 lbs.	347 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	101	318
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches

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, with its optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Compass the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 169 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kicks last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2019.

Warranty

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Compass for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Kicks.

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

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Compass has a standard 180-amp alternator. The Kicks’ 120-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Compass has a standard 850-amp battery. The Kicks’ 510-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Nissan With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Nissan.

Engine

The Compass’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 78 more horsepower (200 vs. 122) and 107 lbs.-ft. more torque (221 vs. 114) than the Kicks’ 1.6 DOHC 4-cylinder.

Fuel Economy and Range

In heavy traffic or at stoplights the Compass’ 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 Compass has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks (13.5 vs. 10.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Compass has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Kicks doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Compass	Kicks
Front Rotors	12 inches	11 inches
Rear Rotors	10.95 inches	8” drums

The Jeep Compass 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 Compass stops shorter than the Kicks:

	Compass	Kicks
60 to 0 MPH	129 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Compass has larger standard tires than the Kicks (215/65R17 vs. 205/60R16). The Compass 4x4’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Kicks (235/45R19 vs. 205/60R16).

The Compass 4x4’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Kicks SV/SR’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Compass has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kicks S. The Compass 4x4’s optional 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Kicks SV/SR.

The Jeep Compass’ 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.

The Compass Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Kicks; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Jeep Compass 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 Compass has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Compass flat and controlled during cornering. The Kicks’ suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Compass’ drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Kicks doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Compass Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Kicks SR (28.6 seconds @ .57 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The Compass has 6.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kicks (99.6 vs. 92.7).

The Compass has 3.2 inches more front hip room, 3.7 inches more front shoulder room, 4.9 inches more rear legroom, .1 inches more rear hip room and 1.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kicks.

Cargo Capacity

The Compass has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Kicks with its rear seat up (27.2 vs. 25.3 cubic feet). The Compass has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Kicks with its rear seat folded (59.8 vs. 53.1 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Kicks doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Towing

The Compass Trailhawk w/Towing Package offers up to a 2000 lbs. towing capacity. The Kicks has no towing capacity.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Compass 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 Compass Limited/Trailhawk, the optional 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 Compass’ instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Kicks has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

The Compass’ 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 Compass and the Kicks have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Compass 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.

The Compass’ 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 Compass’ optional 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 Compass’ 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 Compass’ available headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Kicks’ headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Poor.”

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Kicks doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Compass’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Kicks SV/SR.

Both the Compass and the Kicks offer available heated front seats. The Compass Trailhawk/Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Kicks.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Compass Limited/Trailhawk 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 Compass 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 Compass (except Sport)’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 Compass and the Kicks offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Compass 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 Compass Trailhawk/Limited’s available 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 Compass 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 Jeep Compass (except Sport) offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Kicks doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Compass (except Sport) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Kicks doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Compass Latitude/Trailhawk/Limited’s optional ParkSense Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Kicks doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

The Jeep Compass outsold the Nissan Kicks by 34% during the 2022 model year.

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