Compare the2025 Nissan KicksVS 2025 Honda CR-V

The Kicks SR offers an optional front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The CR-V doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

With its standard Autonomous Emergency Braking, the Nissan Kicks is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Honda CR-V, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

The Kicks SR has a standard Around View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The CR-V 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.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning is not offered on the CR-VLX.

Both the Kicks and the CR-V have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 visits) on the Kicks for 1 year and 12000 miles longer than Honda pays for maintenance for the CR-V (2/24,000 vs. 1/12000).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Honda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles, Honda is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Honda With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Honda.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks gets better mileage than the CR-V:

Both the Kicks and the CR-V have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Kickss have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. The CR-V Hybrid doesn’t offer a way to disable start/stop.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Nissan Kicks uses regular unleaded gasoline. The CR-V with the 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Kicks stops shorter than the CR-V:

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 CR-V LX’s standard 65 series tires. The Kicks SR’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid’s 55 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 CR-V 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 CR-V doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks SR AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Kicks SR AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid (28 seconds @ .59 average G’s vs. 29.3 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Kicks’ turning circle is 2.5 feet tighter than the CR-V’s (34.8 feet vs. 37.3 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Kicks has a greater minimum ground clearance than the CR-V (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Kicks to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Nissan Kicks may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 650 pounds less than the Honda CR-V.

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

The Kicks has 1.4 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more rear headroom than the CR-V.

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