Slightly bedeviled by delays during its development process, the 2025 Nissan Kicks was officially unveiled this spring in New York, but without a firm launch date. Now, it looks like the AWD-equipped new Kicks will hit dealerships starting in September, as reported by Automotive News.
Holding the line on price
The outlet also reported that in the U.S., dealers have been told the starting price for the new Kicks will be barely $500 higher than that of the outgoing model. That is not confirmed, and even less so for Canada. But we reported from New York in March that pricing for the new Kicks in Canada would be “similar” to the outgoing model, as per then-president of Nissan Canada Steve Milette.
Note that the 2024 Kicks currently comes with a starting price of $22,198 CAD. That’s for the base FWD model; for the new 2025 AWD variants, Canadians could be looking at something starting somewhere between $30,000 and $33,000.
That’s all conjecture for now, of course. Nissan has not confirmed pricing, on either side of the border. But with delivers set to start in September, we can expect an announcement in the coming weeks.
Nissan explains that its strategy regarding price has two components: first, the Kicks must be competitive in its segment; and second, the automaker wants to draw in compact sedan buyers who might not otherwise consider a crossover due to the higher price point. (As we reported recently, sales of compact sedans are up this year in the U.S., in large part due to their relative affordability. Nissan is surely aware of the trend and wants to position its Kicks as a entry-level affordable crossover.)
The 2025 Nissan Kicks – What’s new?
To recap, the new Kicks gets a boost in power with the obtention of the Sentra sedan’s 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, delivering 141 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque with the aid of a CVT. Another big change is the all-wheel-drive configuration, optional on lower S and SV trims and standard on the higher SR one.
The model also gets an exterior overhaul, its first significant redesign since being introduced for the 2018 model-year. Nissan positions the new Kicks as replacement for the outgoing model but also for the defunct Qashqai. That means a larger interior space for both occupants and cargo for the subcompact SUV. That interior now features Nissan’s “zero gravity” seats not just in front, but also in the rear.
All variants feature a 12.3-inch screen on the centre console, and it’s possible to connect wirelessly to the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto applications. The driver data display is 7.0 inches diagonally in the first two trims, 12.3 inches in the SR.