Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Nissan Kicks, and it carries 1 recall. These are owner allegations rather than confirmed defects, but the pattern of what people complain about is the most useful signal a used buyer has.
| Area | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown or other | 12 | 14% |
| Service brakes | 6 | 7% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 5% |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 4 | 5% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Engine | 3 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 3 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 4% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 4% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
It originally started about two years ago when the check engine light came on (along with others) that point to a code with the Mass Air Flow sensor. It would stall at low RPMs at traffic lights, and was extremely worryi
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
2018 Nissan Kicks evap system has holes in it from Freon that causes the Freon to leak out. The required Freon is contributing to the holes being made in the aluminum evap. It leaks out and the air blows hot. Is there
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
Vehicle experienced sudden engine stall/shutdown after warning indicators illuminated. While driving at low speed, the ABS warning light, front collision warning light, and check engine light appeared. After placing the
NHTSA complaint: Engine
The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and lost motive power, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle wa
NHTSA complaint: Engine
When put in park car started idling rough and then stalled. Engine light, collision warning light, and traction control light came on. Code scanned as a P0101 code.
NHTSA complaint: Engine
Radio skips songs back and forth randomly, and now radio screen and buttons are block.
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Intermittently for the last year, car will show 3 dash lights: 1. AEB light 2. Slip indicator light 3. Master warning light When this occurs, the car can be slow to accelerate. When the three lights are on, the probl
NHTSA complaint: Service brakes
The p0101 code has been going on and off of this car since purchase (3 years) the MAF sensor has been replaced twice and the check engine light comes back on after just a few days each time. This poses a safety risk beca
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Nissan Kicks. Recalls are free to have fixed at a franchised dealer regardless of who owns the car now, but only if they were never done, so check the VIN of the specific car rather than trusting the model.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additio
Risk: The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners
| Reliability raw | 85 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 79 | good |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 55 | average |
| Safety | 92 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 84 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and unknown or other is the most reported area with 12 of them (14%). There is 1 recall on record. Check any specific car against its VIN before buying.
AVOIR scores its reliability 85/100 (excellent) from NHTSA recall campaigns and complaint density. That figure is a raw complaint count, not yet adjusted for sales volume, so a high-volume model scores worse than it deserves.
AVOIR scores its longevity 79/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2018 car has no 200,000-mile population to observe yet, so treat it as a prior rather than evidence.
AVOIR's read: worth a look, because a solid ownership case with specific caveats below. Its overall ownership score is 78/100. Condition, mileage and service history still matter more than any score, so get a pre-purchase inspection on the specific car.
Sources: NHTSA recalls and complaints, EPA fuel economy, IIHS awards, and live market listings. A score describes a model-year, not the individual car in front of you. Get a pre-purchase inspection.