2026 Nissan Kicks
Gas Compact SUV
The 2026 Nissan Kicks is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Kicks, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 7 complaints, most often about unknown or other. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicks | Gas | FWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 28 | 35 | 31 | $2,000 |
| Kicks AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.0L 4-cyl | 27 | 34 | 30 | $2,100 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (3)
Electrical System
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Kicks vehicles. A software error in the combination meter may cause the screen display to go partially or fully blank. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Control and Displays."
Risk: A partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will resume the software reprogramming of the combination meter software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 6, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA66. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 22, 2026.
Seats
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2026 Kicks and Sentra vehicles. The hook bracket of the front seat frames may be insufficiently welded, which can cause the front seat frames to become loose. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 207, "Seating Systems" and 210, "Seat Belt Assembly Anchorages."
Risk: A loose seat may not restrain the occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front seat assemblies, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 18, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA64. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 13, 2026.
Latches/Locks/Linkages
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2025 Altima, Sentra, 2025-2026 Frontier, and 2026 Kicks vehicles. The door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 206, "Door Locks and Door Retention Components."
Risk: A door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the door strikers, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 17, 2026. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 800-647-7261. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PD185 and PMA61. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning January 28, 2026.
Owner complaints
7 complaints filed
0 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2026: 7
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 4
- Steering — 2
- Electrical System — 2
- Wheels — 2
- Power Train — 1
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUV AWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 18% |
| SUV FWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 20% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Kicks model years
2025 Kicks
4 recalls · 36 complaints
A2024 Kicks
1 recalls · 37 complaints
A2023 Kicks
1 recalls · 15 complaints
A2022 Kicks
0 recalls · 22 complaints
B2021 Kicks
2 recalls · 76 complaints
A2020 Kicks
0 recalls · 93 complaints
A2019 Kicks
1 recalls · 134 complaints
A2018 Kicks
1 recalls · 84 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 49845, 49868). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.