Reliability, what owners report, and what it costs to keep.
AVOIR's read: a solid ownership case with specific caveats below.
Owners have filed 94 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Nissan Kicks, and it carries no recalls. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 8 | 9% |
| Forward collision avoidance | 7 | 7% |
| Electrical system | 5 | 5% |
| Air bags | 4 | 4% |
| Service brakes | 4 | 4% |
| Engine | 3 | 3% |
| Electrical system | 3 | 3% |
| Unknown or other | 3 | 3% |
| Engine | 3 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 3% |
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint records, trimmed for length.
My car when in over 95 degree weather, literally will not have power to get up hills and starts to jerk and looses power to make the hills. When the temps outside are cooler the car works fine. I live in [XXX] and I driv
NHTSA complaint: Power train
My 2020 Nissan Kicks with 62,000 miles, went into limp mode on XXX and after a diagnostic test by the Pinnacle Nissan dealership in Scottsdale ([XXX]), it was determined a "Throttle Body Replacement" was needed. I paid
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
Check engine light appears on and throws code p0101, mass air flow sensor. Have changed mass air flow sensor twice, had code cleared at mechanic. Drive 5 miles and BAM check engine light appears. As soon as my car hits 2
NHTSA complaint: Unknown or other
My vehicle over the last 3-4 years has been showing P0101 code errors, resulting in issues with idle, performance, and fuel economy. Cleaning the MAF sensor does nothing. This causes all sensors to turn off and stay off
NHTSA complaint: Engine
CVT issues-car is sputtering and gears slipping. Vehicle has 148,000 miles.
NHTSA complaint: Power train
The vehicle's ABS Actuator (47660-5RW0D) failed and was replaced. Given the mileage was only 32,827, the component failed prematurely and was nowhere near the end of its lifetime expectancy. This indicates it was inher
NHTSA complaint: Electrical system
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while the fiancé was driving approximately 30 MPH, and turning left the power steering and power brake suddenly failed causing the fiancé to loose control of
NHTSA complaint: Steering
The car acceleration issues, taking a long time to go from 0-50 with the tachometer going up to 5 to do so. My MPG has gone from 33 to 28 mpg. There are times when I press on the gas but my car doesn’t move. It also make
NHTSA complaint: Vehicle speed control
| Reliability raw | 80 | excellent |
|---|---|---|
| Longevity est. | 77 | good |
| Maintenance | 90 | excellent |
| Depreciation | 76 | good |
| Performance | 41 | below average |
| Efficiency | 55 | average |
| Safety | 80 | excellent |
Percentile ranks against other midsize & large cars in the catalog.
What stands behind each score for this car:
Owners have filed 94 complaints with NHTSA for this model-year, and power train is the most reported area with 8 of them (9%). No recalls are on record for it.
AVOIR scores its reliability 80/100 (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 77/100, but that figure is an estimate built from the powertrain and the brand's record, not a measurement. A 2020 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 75/100. 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.