If you’re on the lookout for a small crossover or SUV, most automakers have you covered. Small utility vehicles are becoming increasingly popular and, these days, are often among a brand’s top-selling vehicles.
The 2025 Honda HR-V and 2025 Nissan Kicks are tenacious competitors in the category, worthy of a closer look. Let’s see how they stack up.
2025 Honda HR-V
The Honda HR-V is among the more popular small SUVs on the market, helped largely by its redesign for the 2023 model year. The most significant upgrade is that it’s simply bigger than the previous model, but still fits in the subcompact category. The current HR-V shares a platform with the Honda Civic, whereas the earlier versions were based on the since-discontinued Honda Fit hatchback.
The impact was immediate, with this latest generation gaining more interior room, a beefier engine, and better ride and handling, all while retaining a reasonable price. All-wheel drive, an important consideration, is also available on the HR-V.
Honda HR-V Highlights
Fun to drive: Powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine putting out 158 horsepower, the HR-V isn’t exactly a pocket rocket. However, the move to a more sophisticated suspension setup, courtesy of the Civic, injected a bit of “slow-car-fast” driving fun into the little SUV.
Resale value: Shoppers at the end of this segment are often looking for good value, and the HR-V retains its value at the end of the ownership cycle better than most subcompact SUVs, including the Kicks, in the market. This means more money available to put toward the next vehicle when that time comes.
Safety first: The HR-V uses the automaker’s suite of driver assistance and safety technology dubbed Honda Sensing. It includes forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with low-speed follow, and lane departure warning with steering assist.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the HR-V models for sale near you.
2025 Nissan Kicks
Nissan redesigned the Kicks for 2025. (Although the previous generation lives on as the 2025 Kicks Play.) This top-to-bottom, inside-and-out makeover brought more cargo space, more power, more distinguished styling, and finally, optional all-wheel drive. In other words, the new Kicks is all “growed up.”
If you’re looking for a low-priced option to get into a new vehicle, the Kicks is a fine choice. In fact, its starting price is lower than nearly every other segment rival, including the HR-V. Even at that low price, the Kicks comes standard with a lot of safety and convenience tech that buyers in this segment crave but can’t always get.
Nissan Kicks Highlights
Affordability: The Kicks starts low in the $20,000s and comes in three trim levels: the S, SV, and SR. That means it’s easy to shop for, and even a top-line version is surprisingly budget-friendly.
More efficient: One of the reasons buyers shop in this segment is fuel economy. Regardless of the cost of gas, it’s always nice to get a lot of miles out of a tank. So, getting the above-segment average of 31 mpg (HR-V: 28 mpg) in combined city-and-highway driving is a boon for any buyer.
Room to roam: OK, it’s not a behemoth, but this Nissan holds its own. The Kicks is perfect for tooling around town, but also has a reasonable ride quality on the highway for those longer trips. Moreover, it has above-average stowage (up to 30 cubic feet) behind the second-row seat, which is 25% more than the HR-V.
Check this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Kicks models for sale near you.
Similarities
The Honda HR-V and the Nissan Kicks are subcompact SUVs with good looks and 4-cylinder engines that deliver solid fuel economy. Moreover, both also provide similar safety and infotainment tech features and optional all-wheel drive.
Price
The Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price for any individual used vehicle can vary greatly according to mileage, condition, location, and other factors. The prices here reflect what buyers are currently paying for New 2025 Honda HR-V vehicles and New 2025 Nissan Kicks vehicles in typical condition when purchasing from a dealership. These prices are updated weekly. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) quoted includes the destination fee, but does not include tax, license, document fees, and options.
| 2025 Honda HR-V | 2025 Nissan Kicks | |
| Popular Powertrains | ||
| Engine | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder | 2.0-liter 4-cylinder |
| Towing Capacity | N/A | N/A |
| Horsepower | 158 hp @ 6,500 rpm | 141 hp @ 6,000 rpm |
| Torque | 138 lb-ft @ 4,200 rpm | 140 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm |
| Transmission | Automatic, CVT | Automatic, Xtronic CVT |
| Fuel Economy | 26 city/32 highway/28 combined mpg | 28 city/35 highway/31 combined mpg |
| Specs | ||
| Basic Warranty | 3 years/36,000 miles | 3 years/36,000 miles |
| Powertrain Warranty | 5 years/60,000 miles | 5 years/60,000 miles |
| NHTSA Overall Safety | 5 stars | Not rated |
| Max Seating Capacity | 5 | 5 |
| Wheelbase | 104.5 inches | 104.6 inches |
| Overall Length | 179.8 inches | 171.9 inches |
| Width | 72.4 inches | 70.9 inches |
| Height | 63.4 inches | N/A |
| Turning Diameter | 35.1 feet | N/A |
| Headroom, Front | 39.4 inches | 39.7 inches |
| Headroom, 2nd Row | 38.0 inches | 38.5 inches |
| Legroom, Front | 41.9 inches | 42.7 inches |
| Legroom, 2nd Row | 37.7 inches | 34.5 inches |
| Shoulder Room, Front | 56.6 inches | 54.7 inches |
| Shoulder Room, 2nd Row | 55.2 inches | 54.7 inches |
| Cargo Behind Second Seat | 24.4 feet | N/A |
| Cargo With All Seats Down | N/A | 60.0 feet |
Specification table reflects the typical configuration of vehicles shown.
Conclusion
The most significant difference between these vehicles is the starting price — the Kicks starts roughly $3,600 lower. Furthermore, the Kicks delivers better fuel economy, which, according to the EPA, equals a savings of about $17 per month over the HR-V. Therefore, the Kicks is certainly the pick for anyone constrained by a tight budget. On the other hand, a lot of refinement comes with the higher-priced HR-V, including a more pliant ride. If you have the budget bandwidth, the HR-V is the one to get if you want a little extra power, more polish, and class-leading resale value.
