Compare the2024 Nissan KicksVS 2024 Buick Envista

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Kicks are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Buick Envista doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 Envista 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 use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The Envista 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 Envista 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Buick charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Envista.

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 Envista doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Kicks and the Envista have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available daytime running lights.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, its standard front crash prevention system, its “Good” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Kicks the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 192 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Envista has not been tested, yet.

The Kicks’ corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Envista’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Kicks’ engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Envista’s camshafts. If the Envista’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks gets better fuel mileage than the Envista (31 city/36 hwy vs. 28 city/32 hwy).

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 Envista doesn’t offer a CVT.

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 Envista are solid, not vented.

The Kicks stops shorter than the Envista:

The Kicks SR handles at .82 G’s, while the Envista Sport Touring pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 3.3 feet tighter than the Envista’s (34.1 feet vs. 37.4 feet). The Kicks’ turning circle is 4.3 feet tighter than the Envista Avenir’s (34.1 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 pounds less than the Buick Envista.

The Kicks is 1 foot, 1 inches shorter than the Envista, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks has 1 inch more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front legroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom and 3.3 inches more rear hip room than the Envista.

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume than the Envista with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 20.7 cubic feet).

The Kicks’ front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Envista’s power windows’ switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

The Push Button Ignition standard on the Kicks allows you to unlock the driver’s door, cargo door and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Buick Envista’s Pushbutton Start doesn’t unlock the doors or the cargo door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Kicks has a standard rear wiper. The Envista doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

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