The Kicks kicks off this competition with the most attractive starting price of $23,330, undercutting the Trailblazer ($25,100), Kona ($26,050), and Seltos ($24,690) by meaningful margins. Even the top-tier Kicks SR trim, with an MSRP of $27,680, is thousands of dollars less than its counterparts from the other automakers. Some buyers in this segment have so strict a budget that they won’t even consider a vehicle that exceeds their set limit by even $1,000. The Kicks, though, is welcoming to first-time buyers and others who need to keep their payments especially affordable. On another note, out of these four competing models, only the 2025 Nissan Kicks is assembled in North America: the others are built in South Korea.
All four vehicles mentioned here are fuel-efficient in around-town driving (26 to 27 mpg), but the Kicks is the most economical on the open road. It carries an EPA-estimated highway fuel economy rating of 34 mpg, compared to 31 mpg for the Seltos, its closest rival in this area. The Trailblazer and Kona are rated to achieve 29 mpg on the highway. As a result, the Kicks has a maximum range of 422 miles before a gas-station stop is needed, which far exceeds that of the Trailblazer (383 miles) and the Kona (360 miles). The Seltos has a 409-mile range per full tank.
The Kicks’ leadership in highway fuel economy comes from an efficient use of power. Its naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine produces 141 horsepower, enabling it to reach 60 mph from a standstill in 9.0 seconds, according to Car and Driver. That output is just a negligible amount under the Kona’s 147 horsepower and the Seltos’ 146 horsepower (those mechanically similar vehicles have nearly identical powertrain specs), but the Kicks’ 9%-15% improvement in highway mpg is notable.
It’s worth mentioning that the Seltos is only 0.1 seconds quicker than the Kicks (the performance time for a comparable Kona was unavailable). Meanwhile, the Trailblazer has a turbocharged three-cylinder engine under its hood. As a result, this Chevy delivers modestly more horsepower (155) than the Kicks, but is only marginally quicker, completing a zero-to-60 mph dash in 8.7 seconds. As we’ve already mentioned, the Trailblazer lags far behind the Kicks in highway fuel economy.
Only the Nissan Kicks comes with a comprehensive safety suite that includes blind-spot monitoring (BSM), rear cross-traffic alert (RCTA), and rear automatic braking (RAB). BSM and RAB are optional on the Trailblazer and require a trim upgrade with the Seltos (BSM and RCTA are standard on the Kona). RAB isn’t available at all on the Trailblazer, Kona, or Seltos.
Despite its compact exterior, the Kicks effectively maximizes interior space. Front-seat passengers benefit from 42.7 inches of legroom, substantially more than the Trailblazer’s 40.9 inches and more than competitive with the Kona (41.7 inches) and Seltos (41.4 inches). The Kicks also provides the most rear headroom (38.5 inches).
All four of these crossovers have similar exterior measurements, with most dimensions varying by less than an inch. That said, the Kicks stands out in a few crucial areas. First, it has an 8.4-inch ground clearance, compared to 8.1 inches for the Kona. The Trailblazer (7.5 inches) and Seltos (7.3 inches) are even lower to the ground. The Kicks’ taller stance helps while traveling over speed bumps, accumulated snow, and less-even surfaces. At the same time, the Kicks has the longest wheelbase (104.9 inches), which also helps to smooth out road imperfections.
