The 2025 Nissan Kicks vs the Competition

The 2025 Chevy Trax is a very successful and very affordable crossover. Powered by a small turbocharged three-cylinder engine, it was made for space and efficiency. The four-door crossover comes only with front-wheel drive.  

• Nissan now offers Intelligent All-Wheel Drive on all grades. It works well on any surface and is enhanced with a selection of Drive Modes, including Snow mode. The Trax does not come with all-wheel drive.  

• The Kicks has more horsepower than the Trax (141 vs. 138). It also delivers improved fuel economy on the highway, with the Kicks rated at 35 MPG by the Environmental Protection Agency vs. the Trax’s 32 MPG.  

• On SV models and above, the infotainment touchscreen measures 12.3 inches. This is larger and more intuitive than the 11-inch screen on the Trax. 

• When it comes to safety and driver engagement, the Kicks protects you with more standard airbags and standard Adaptive Cruise Control. Plus, it comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, which includes an expanded list of driver assistance features designed to keep you safe.  

• The Kicks has more cargo space than the Trax, with 30 cubic feet on FWD models compared to 25.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats. This is expandable to 60.0 cubic feet compared to the Trax’s 54.1 cubic feet.  

Kia’s compact SUV offers plenty of practicality underneath its conventional but with a unique design. It also offers Kia’s distinctive design language, which makes it stand out in its class. The Seltos is available in front- and all-wheel drive.  

• The Kicks has more torque than the standard engine on the Seltos (140 pound-feet vs. 132 pound-feet). It also delivers improved fuel economy on the highway, with the Kicks rated at 35 MPG by the Environmental Protection Agency vs. the Seltos’ 34 MPG.  

• When it comes to safety and driver engagement, the Kicks protects you with more standard airbags, an electronic parking brake, front and rear automatic braking, and standard Adaptive Cruise Control. Plus, it comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, which includes an expanded list of driver assistance features designed to keep you safe.  

• On SV models and above, the infotainment touchscreen measures 12.3 inches. This is larger and more intuitive than the 10.25-inch screen on the Seltos. 

• There is more cargo space in the Kicks behind the rear seats than the Seltos, with 30 cubic feet on FWD models compared to 26.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats.  

• The Kicks is more affordable overall compared to the Seltos. In fact, it is about $2,800 less than the lowest-priced Kia model. When equipped with Intelligent Al-Wheel Drive, the Kicks is still $1,300 less than the comparable Seltos AWD model.  

Subaru offers a crossover with plenty of unique features. With standard all-wheel drive and a horizontally opposed engine layout, the Crosstrek was developed for a more specific purpose. Its loyal customer base loves their Subarus because of these unique features.  

• The Kicks delivers improved fuel economy. On the highway, the Kicks is rated at 35 MPG by the Environmental Protection Agency vs. the Crosstrek’s 34 MPG. In the city, the Nissan delivers a rated 28 MPG over the Subaru’s 27 MPG.  

• When it comes to safety and driver engagement, the Kicks protects you with standard front and rear automatic braking and a driver attention alert system. It also comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, which offers an expanded list of driver assistance features designed to keep you safe.  

• On SV models and above, the infotainment touchscreen measures 12.3 inches. This is larger and more intuitive than the 11.6-inch screen on the Crosstrek. 

• There is more cargo space in the Kicks over the Crosstrek behind the rear seats, with 30 cubic feet on FWD models compared to 19.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats. With the rear seats down, the Nissan offers 60.0 cubic feet on FWD models, compared to the Subaru’s 54.7 cubic feet.  

• Overall, the Kicks is more affordable than the Crosstrek. In fact, it is about $4,000 less expensive than the lowest-priced Subaru model. When equipped with Intelligent Al-Wheel Drive, the Kicks is still $2,500 less expensive than the comparable Crosstrek model.  

Volkswagen recently updated its smallest SUV with more performance and an updated interior. It is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and has the choice of front—or all-wheel drive. It is also the only European-badged vehicle in this size class.  

• When it comes to safety and driver engagement, the Kicks protects you with more standard airbags, cornering brake control, front and rear automatic braking, a driver attention alert, rear parking sensors, and a check rear seat reminder. Plus, it comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard, with an expanded list of driver assistance features designed to keep you safe.  

• It is the small things that make a difference in a vehicle. The Kicks S has a few more convenience features that make life easier. These include an overhead console above the front seats, a vehicle immobilizer, heated windshield wiper rests, front solar tint glass, and acoustic front-side glass. These features are not found on the base Volkswagen Taos S.  

• On SV models and above, the infotainment touchscreen measures 12.3 inches. This is larger and more intuitive than the 8.0-inch screen on the Taos, which is standard across all trim levels. 

• There is more cargo space in the Kicks behind the rear seats than in the Taos, with 30 cubic feet on FWD models compared to 27.9 cubic feet behind the rear seats.  

• The Kicks has a lower price overall compared to the Taos – over $3,000 less on average, based on trim and equipment level.