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2026 Nissan Kicks

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-09-11
C
Safety Signal
76 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
RecallsNHTSA campaigns3
Complaintsowner reports to NHTSA7
Crash ratingNHTSA overall4★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA31 mpg
202620252024202320222021202020192018

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 the steering. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
KicksGasFWD2.0L 4-cyl283531$2,000
Kicks AWDGasAWD2.0L 4-cyl273430$2,100

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 49845, 49868.

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Recalls (3)

Source: NHTSA recall database
▲high

Electrical System

PMA66
51,598 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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."RiskA partial or blank screen display will not show critical safety information such as vehicle speed and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.FixDealers 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.
NHTSA campaign 26V331000reported May 21, 2026Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Seats

PMA64
15 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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."RiskA loose seat may not restrain the occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.FixDealers 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.
NHTSA campaign 26V145000reported Mar 13, 2026Nissan North America, Inc.
▲high

Latches/Locks/Linkages

PD185, PMA61
26,432 vehicles
ProblemNissan 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."RiskA door that opens unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion increases the risk of injury or a crash.FixDealers 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.
NHTSA campaign 26V023000reported Jan 20, 2026Nissan North America, Inc.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
7complaints filed

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire · 0 injuries · 0 deaths reported

Filed per year: 2026: 7

Most-cited components

Unspecified4
Steering2
Electrical System2
Wheels2
Power Train1
Engine1

What owners describe

“The contact owns 2026 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The brakes and steering wheel were locked. All the warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there was a total communication failure across the modules. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired…”Aug 3, 2026 · Engine · NHTSA owner report
“The issue involves defective malfunction of the dashboard (usb,audio, and sometimes warning lights are hidden then appear) and improperly unbalanced wheels. Which has significantly impacted the safety, reliability, and usability of my vehicle.”Jul 29, 2026 · Wheels · NHTSA owner report
“I am writing to file a formal safety complaint concerning a rental vehicle provided to me by Hertz, 1) because I want to help ensure this does not happen to anyone else, and 2) to request action that prevents a similar safety failure from recurring. Hertz rented me a near-new vehicle to transport my medically fragile d…”May 5, 2026 · Wheels · NHTSA owner report

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

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover 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

C

2025 Nissan Kicks

4 recalls · 36 complaints

A

2024 Nissan Kicks

1 recalls · 37 complaints

A

2023 Nissan Kicks

1 recalls · 15 complaints

A

2022 Nissan Kicks

0 recalls · 22 complaints

B

2021 Nissan Kicks

2 recalls · 76 complaints

A

2020 Nissan Kicks

0 recalls · 93 complaints

A

2019 Nissan Kicks

1 recalls · 134 complaints

A

2018 Nissan 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. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.

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