Compare the2025 Subaru CrosstrekVS 2025 Nissan Kicks

The Crosstrek has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Kicks doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Crosstrek. But it costs extra on the Kicks.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Crosstrek’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Kicks doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Crosstrek and the Kicks have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Crosstrek the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 120 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Kicks has not been fully tested, yet.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Nissan With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Subaru higher than Nissan.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru first in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 12th.

The Crosstrek’s standard 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (152 vs. 141) and 5 lbs.-ft. more torque (145 vs. 140) than the Kicks’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness’ standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder produces 41 more horsepower (182 vs. 141) and 38 lbs.-ft. more torque (178 vs. 140) than the Kicks’ 2.0 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Crosstrek is faster than the Nissan Kicks:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Crosstrek lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Kicks doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

The Crosstrek has 4.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks’ standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 11.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Crosstrek has 4.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Kicks AWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 12.4 gallons).

For better stopping power the Crosstrek’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Kicks:

The Crosstrek’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Kicks are solid, not vented.

The Crosstrek stops shorter than the Kicks:

For better traction, the Crosstrek has larger tires than the Kicks (225/60R17 vs. 215/60R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Crosstrek has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Kicks S.

For superior ride and handling, the Subaru Crosstrek has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Kicks 4x2 has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Crosstrek Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Kicks SR AWD (27.3 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The front grille of the Crosstrek uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Kicks doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Crosstrek Limited is quieter than the Kicks SR AWD:

The Crosstrek has 4.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Kicks (100.5 vs. 95.7).

The Crosstrek has .1 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, 2.7 inches more front hip room, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom, 5.1 inches more rear hip room and .6 inches more rear shoulder room than the Kicks.

The front step up height for the Crosstrek is 1.5 inches lower than the Kicks (17.5” vs. 19”). The Crosstrek’s rear step up height is 1 inches lower than the Kicks’ (18” vs. 19”).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Crosstrek. The Kicks doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The engine in the Crosstrek is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Kicks. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Subaru service is better than Nissan. J.D. Power ranks Subaru 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 17% lower rating, Nissan is ranked 16th.

The power windows standard on both the Crosstrek and the Kicks have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Crosstrek is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Kicks prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Crosstrek has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Kicks doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Crosstrek’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Kicks offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Crosstrek’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Kicks doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Compared to the Nissan Kicks, the Subaru Crosstrek eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Crosstrek as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Crosstrek outsold the Nissan Kicks by over two to one during 2024.