Research Another Vehicle

Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2021 Nissan Kicks is associated with 75 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 2 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Structure & Body, accounting for 23 reports (31% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 1 certified vehicle configuration spanning 1.6l 4-cyl powertrain configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 33 MPG combined.

Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 75 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 2 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Structure & Body (23 / 31%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 6 crash / 0 fire / 2 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: 4 / 5 Stars Overall Laboratory Score
  • • EPA Certified Range: 33–33 MPG across 1 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
Kicks 1.6L 4-Cyl Front-Wheel Drive Automatic (variable gear ratios) 31 MPG 36 MPG 33 MPG — $1,850 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Tested Drivetrain / Cab Variant Overall Rating Frontal Crash Side Crash Rollover Rating Rollover Risk
SUV FWD 15.5%
Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Standard and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Standard in official NHTSA records for tested 2021 Nissan Kicks models.
View complete 2021 Nissan Kicks crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

Summary of 75 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
75
Crash Reports
6
Fire Reports
0
Complaints w/ Injury
2
Total Injuries
2

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Structure & Body 23 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance 7 complaints
Electrical System 5 complaints (1 crash)
Powertrain 5 complaints (1 crash)
Air Bags 2 complaints (2 crashes)

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2021 Nissan Kicks problems & component breakdown (29 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #23V496000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code and replace the steering column assembly, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PMA26. This recall involves vehicles that were previously inspected, but did not receive a steering column replacement, under recall number 22V-693. These vehicles will need to be reinspected for this recall.
NHTSA Campaign #22V693000 Active Recall
Affected Component: STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

Defect Summary: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2021 Versa and Kicks vehicles. An intermittent electrical connection in the electric power steering (EPS) torque sensor can disable the power steering assist.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering column torque sensor lot code, and replace the column, if necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed November 9, 2022. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PMA10 / PMA25.
View all 2021 Nissan Kicks recalls & campaign history (2 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2021 Nissan Kicks

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2021 Nissan Kicks

How many safety recalls does the 2021 Nissan Kicks have?

The 2021 Nissan Kicks is associated with 2 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 2 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

NHTSA records list 75 consumer defect complaints for the 2021 Nissan Kicks. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Structure & Body, appearing in 23 filings (31% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2021 Nissan Kicks defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2021 Nissan Kicks?

Under the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), the 2021 Nissan Kicks earned an Overall Safety Rating of 4 out of 5 stars across 1 tested configuration(s).

Laboratory evaluations include a 35 mph frontal barrier crash, side barrier and pole impact tests, and static rollover resistance assessments.

View detailed crash test laboratory breakdown →
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2021 Nissan Kicks get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2021 Nissan Kicks range from 33 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.