The 2025 Nissan Kicks is a sporty small SUV with a new design. Critics are calling the new Kicks “chunky” and praising it for its many upgrades. However, they caution that you need to choose the more expensive SV edition to get the same features you’ll find on rivals.

The biggest complaint from consumers is sure to be that the redesign has not equipped the Nissan Kicks in Phoenix with a better engine. It does have more horsepower, but it still lags behind as you will see.  

Despite improvements, the Kicks doesn’t quite measure up to the iconic look of the Soul. This small SUV continues to upgrade its features while maintaining the style that sets it apart.  

The 2025 Kia Soul is adding to its fun nature with a new Special Edition with a black roof. This model has color-adjustable speaker lights and a Harmon Kardon audio system. The cabin wears a special Umber vinyl and cloth upholstery combination.  

Price: Which One is the Most Affordable SUV?

If the Kia Soul vs Nissan Kicks price is the most important thing to you, that’s understandable. Most buyers are looking for the best deal. If you go by the entry level MSRP, the Kicks price is $21,830 compared to the Soul at $20,490. That’s an initial difference of $1,340.

As for trim levels, the Soul S price starts at $22,990 MSRP. The Nissan Kicks SV price starts at $23,680, an increase of more than $500. Soul GT-Line prices start at $24,090 MSRP. The Nissan Kicks SR price starts at $26,180 MSRP, an increase of more than $1,000.  

Still keeping it under $25,000, the Soul EX price starts at $24,790 MSRP. Meanwhile, the Kicks SR price starts at $27,680 MSRP. At this point, the difference has grown to almost $3,000.  

All of this would indicate that you can get a better price on a subcompact SUV from your Kia dealer than your Nissan dealer in Phoenix.  

Value: Which One Represents the Best Value?

The Soul was named the 2024 Best Subcompact SUV for the Money. It represents greater value for the money than its rivals, and this includes the 2025 Nissan Kicks in Phoenix.

In the most recent rankings, the Soul is ranked #1 by US News and World Report while the Kicks is tied for the #3 ranking. As our Kia Soul review demonstrates, the key to this car’s success is its long list of standard technologies and features.  

You can see that Nissan holds back when you notice that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto don’t appear unless you step up to the SV edition. Essentially the Nissan Kicks shopper is shut out from this modern feature if they aren’t willing to pay more.  

Size: Which Small SUV is Bigger?

If you expect your ride to have the maximum space for passengers, it is important to know which small SUV is truly bigger. In this case, the Kia Soul’s smart roof allows for the best headroom.

On the second row, the Soul has 38.8 inches of rear legroom. In comparison, the Kicks SUV has only 34.5 inches of legroom. In other words, the Soul is big for its size while the Kicks is just average.  

What about Kia Soul vs Nissan Kicks Cargo Space? This is a complicated question because the Nissan Kicks has a variety of cargo hold sizes, depending on your choice of trim level. Shoppers should pay attention.  

The FWD hold measures 29.2 or 30 cubic feet, while the AWD hold measures 23.9 cubic feet. In some cases, it is bigger than the Soul and in others it is smaller. The Soul cargo hold measures an ample 24.2 cubic feet with a high ceiling due to its special design.  

The Soul has an adjustable floor with up to three levels to allow you to choose how much space you need or whether you want to secure items under the floor in the deep cargo well The Kicks is almost as flexible with a two-level floor system.  

In all-wheel drive Kicks models, the total cargo area is 50.1 cubic feet while front-wheel drive models are rated for 60 cubic feet behind the first row.  

However, the Kia Soul outdoes both FWD and AWD Kicks in Phoenix by offering a standard 62.1 cu ft when the second row is folded and the cargo hold floor is in the right position. So in the end, the Kia pulls ahead.  

Performance: Which One is the Best SUV for City Driving?

These two SUVs offer similar power, but the Kia pulls ahead just a bit. Soul performance is rated at 147 horsepower while the Kicks is rated at 141 horsepower. That 6-horse boost can make a difference when zipping in and out of busy traffic.

Fuel Economy: Which One is the Most Fuel Efficient SUV?

If you look at Kia Soul vs Nissan Kicks fuel economy, the FWD Kicks earns 31 mpg combined. That’s just 1 mpg more than the FWD Soul with 30 mpg combined. Both SUVs have idle stop and go which can help improve city fuel economy.

Financially, there’s very little real life difference, which indicates that both of these qualify as a fuel-efficient SUV in today’s world where 28 mpg is more the norm. Furthermore, if the concern is about how often you stop for gas, the Soul flips the script by having a much bigger gas tank.  

Ownership: Which one is the Most Reliable Small SUV?

As you may already know, the Kia warranties far exceed the Nissan warranties. You get up to two extra years of bumper-to-bumper coverage with Kia and up to five extra years of powertrain coverage. Not only does this promise lower ownership costs, but it speaks to the reliability of the Kia Soul in the long run.

If you assume that the car with better coverage is the most reliable small SUV, then the answer to this question is clearly the Kia Soul.  

Conclusion

While some comparisons are close, the Kia Soul manages to push ahead of the Nissan Kicks on price, value, horsepower, and size. Is it right for you?

The best way to understand a vehicle is to get behind the wheel. You are invited to Earnhardt Peoria Kia for a closer look.

Schedule a test drive.