Compare the2024 Nissan KicksVS 2024 Subaru Crosstrek

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 Crosstrek 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 Crosstrek only offers a rear monitor.

The Kicks has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base.

Compared to metal, the Kicks’ plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Crosstrek has a metal gas tank.

Both the Kicks and the Crosstrek 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, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights and driver alert monitors.

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 Crosstrek has not been tested, yet.

There are over 69 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks’ warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 5 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

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 Subaru With 21 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Subaru.

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

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks SR handles at .83 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Crosstrek’s (34.1 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 pounds less than the Subaru Crosstrek.

The Kicks is 6.8 inches shorter than the Crosstrek, making the Kicks easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks has .6 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Crosstrek.

The front step up height for the Kicks is 2 inches lower than the Crosstrek (15.5” vs. 17.5”). The Kicks’ rear step up height is 2.1 inches lower than the Crosstrek’s (15.9” vs. 18”).

The Kicks has a much larger cargo volume than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 19.9 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 Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

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 Crosstrek doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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