Comparing the 2025 Honda HR-V and 2025 Nissan Kicks

Car buyers looking for a new subcompact SUV may find themselves comparing the 2025 Honda HR-V vs 2025 Nissan Kicks. Both of these five-passenger SUVs come standard with front-wheel drive, with the option to upgrade to all-wheel drive. At a glance, they may seem to be similar vehicles, but when you dive a little deeper, one of these two models distinguishes itself in performance, comfort, and features.

The 2025 Honda HR-V offers a strong powertrain for its size, utilizing a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, while the 2025 Nissan Kicks is equipped with a comparable 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that somehow doesn’t produce as much power. (The 2025 Honda HR-V offers 158 hp, compared to the Nissan Kick making 141 hp.) Drivers can feel this difference firsthand behind the wheel of these two models. There’s a lot more to them, though, than their power outputs, so let’s take a closer look…

A Sleek Exterior

Honda focused on sophistication and luxury when designing the exterior of the 2025 HR-V. A sleek, curvy design makes this model stand out from others on and off the road, drawing attention with its attractive body sculpting. Exterior features like LED headlights and the option for 18-inch alloy wheels can give anyone the feeling of driving a luxury vehicle when sitting behind the wheel of a Honda HR-V. The Nissan Kicks has a similar body styling, except it’s more boxy and traditional; also, it offers halogen headlights that have a significantly shorter lifespan than LED ones.

A Roomy Interior

The 2025 Honda HR-V distinguishes itself from the Nissan Kicks, thanks to its roomy interior and an abundance of legroom in the front and rear of the vehicle. With an overall length of 179.8 inches, the HR-V’s extra space will be noticed, with passengers having plenty of space to stretch out despite being a subcompact model. The Nissan Kicks measures 171.9 inches long and has somewhat tighter quarters for its interior.

The HR-V also offers a significant amount of cargo space, which is something that will be appreciated by families needing space for toting sports gear, groceries, luggage, or other items around town. The HR-V has 24.4 cu.ft. of rear cargo space, and that can be expanded to an impressive 55.1 cu.ft. with the rear seat folded flat. The Nissan Kicks has a somewhat greater cargo space, at 30 cu.ft. in the rear and expandable to 60 cu.ft. with the back seat down. This difference will be noticed when transporting larger cargo, but it could otherwise feel negligible.

As if the space and ability to stretch out in the roomy interior of the HR-V wasn’t enough of an advantage, Honda also utilizes noise cancellation technology to keep the grating sounds of the road out. Through computer-generated active noise cancellation, Honda has eliminated much of the outside noise and vibrations from entering the vehicle. The Nissan Kicks does not offer active noise cancellation in the 2025 model.

Exceptional Handling

The 2025 Honda HR-V was designed with fully independent front and rear suspensions. This makes a difference in the car’s handling on the road and the comfort of everyone onboard. This suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at an angle and pressure that is best for gripping the pavement, resulting in a smooth and comfortable driving experience. Nissan’s model only offers semi-independent rear suspension, which is a difference that everyone in the vehicle can feel.

Honda didn’t stop focusing on ride smoothness with the HR-V’s suspension. This model also has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, ensuring that the vehicle stays on the road and under control while cornering. The 2025 Nissan Kicks doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar. The two models have a wheelbase of comparable length, at 104.5 inches for the 2025 HR-V and 104.6 inches for the 2025 Kicks; this is one area where their handling won’t differ, manifesting in turning angles.

Another consideration when designing the Honda HR-V was its ability to drive off-road. The 2025 HR-V offers a ground clearance of 7.3 inches in its Sport trim; this, however, is not as much as the Nissan Kicks’s 8.4 inches of ground clearance. Nevertheless, with a subcompact SUV, it’s doubtful that incredible feats of backcountry exploration will be attempted; either way, getting more than seven inches is enough for undulating paths, rocks, and branches on dirt or gravel roads.

It’s the Small Details

Attention is truly in the details, and Honda recognized this when designing the 2025 HR-V. This model has an intelligent auto-lock when you walk away, and the power parking brake features a convenient one-touch set and release. Honda realizes that comfort is key for both short drives around town and longer road trips. A dual-zone temperature setting allows the driver and passenger to have their own temperature controls.

The Nissan Kicks does not offer such features. Both also offer voice commands for safer hands-free control of the connectivity features, adding convenience so that you don’t have to take your eyes off the road. These small details add up to make a big difference, distinguishing the 2025 Honda HR-V with extra touches.

Driver Assistance

These 2025 models are both fully equipped with all of the safety features that a driver would expect to see in the latest car. This includes airbags throughout the front and rear of the car’s interior, traction control, stability control, and child safety locks. Both cars’ driver assistance suites include a backup camera, emergency braking assist, a blind spot monitor, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control.

Honda further distinguishes itself with safety features in the 2025 HR-V through the manufacturer’s unique LaneWatch. This safety tool utilizes a small camera placed strategically on the exterior mirror of the passenger side to offer a live feed of what is going on beside the vehicle. This makes lane changing, parking, and overall navigation of the vehicle a breeze.

Infotainment Features

The Honda HR-V has an edge over Nissan Kicks with regard to their infotainment systems. Each model includes satellite radio, steering wheel audio controls, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, smart device integration, and Bluetooth connection. However, the Honda HR-V sets itself apart with additional features such as an HD radio and HondaLink—another savvy means of connecting your phone to your car and controlling one with the other.

Choosing Between the Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks

While these two subcompact SUVs may seem closely matched at a glance, the more powerful engine and roomier interior of the 2025 Honda HR-V make it stand out. Whether you are looking for a vehicle for commuting or a car that will fit the family well, the HR-V can get the job done in comfort and style.

The easiest way to decide between the 2025 Honda HR-V and Nissan Kicks is to experience these vehicles for yourself. Test driving these latest models will allow you to see firsthand the features, comfort, and handling that each model offers. At Ralph Honda, you can test drive a 2025 Honda HR-V and see for yourself what makes this latest Honda model stand out on the roadway and in the crossover segment.