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The updated 2023 Nissan Kicks comes in three trim levels – S, SV, and SR, with prices of the lineup starting at $20,290.

If you are out shopping for a compact entry-level crossover, this piece of news should be worth noticing for you. Nissan has given its smallest crossover, the Kicks, a mild midlife update by adding a few more features than before. However, the Nissan Kicks retains the 1.6-liter 122 hp inline-four naturally-aspirated engine, which comes mated to a CVT unit and makes it one of the most fuel-efficient crossovers you can buy.

For the new 2023 model, the Nissan Kicks is available in three trim levels – base-spec S, mid-spec SV, and top-spec SR. We have listed all the features offered by Nissan in these three trim levels and help you know which one is worth buying for the asking amount over its competitors.

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Launched at $20,290, the Nissan Kicks S is a variant that does not give you the feels of a bare-bones base-spec variant, as it comes loaded with all the essentials you want in a car. Starting with the safety equipment, it comes equipped with Nissan Safety Shield 360 as standard. The list includes front, side, curtain, and knee airbags, vehicle dynamic control, and traction control. It also has automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, rear automatic braking, lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear sonar.

Step on the inside and the cabin of the Nissan Kicks S welcomes you with a decent amount of kit. The list includes audio, Bluetooth, and cruise control buttons on the steering wheel, a 7-inch touchscreen audio system with six speakers, Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a rearview monitor, a push start-stop button, three USB ports, and 6-way manually-adjustable driver’s seat. The exterior looks a bit basic with halogen lighting all around, blacked-out door handles, and wheel caps for the 16-inch steel wheels.

The Nissan Kicks SV has come in at $22,150, and for around $2,000 more than the base-spec S variant, it gets a host of visual add-ons and features. The exterior now looks a bit more updated with add-ons like 17-inch alloys, body-colored door handles and silver-colored roof rails, and a heating function for the rearview mirrors. The cabin also gets a few additional features like a 7-inch colored display in the instrument console and a slightly bigger-sized 8-inch touchscreen audio system with Sirius XM satellite radio, Apple Carplay, and Android Auto.

Additional features offered in this variant are an electronic parking brake, remote engine start, intelligent cruise control, center console armrest with storage, and intelligent driver alertness. It also has an integrated dynamics control module that includes active ride control, intelligent trace control, and an intelligent engine brake.

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While the top-spec SR variant of the Nissan Kicks is not as generously loaded and exceeds our expectations, it ticks all the essential boxes without missing the must-have features. On the outside, it looks a bit more stylish with black-painted rear view mirrors and roof rails, body-colored inserts for the bumpers, a dark chrome front grille, and a rear spoiler. It also gets LED lamps for low beam function, LED fog lamps, and LED turn signals on the outside rearview mirrors.

The cabin of the Nissan Kicks SR feels plusher and premium over the lower two variants, with more features like a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, and a unique pattern for the seat fabric. The list of additional features in this cabin includes automatic climate control and an around view monitor. This variant has been priced at $22,850 – only $700 more than the mid-spec SV.

However, the party doesn’t end here, as Nissan has introduced two optional packages exclusively for the SR variant. First is the ‘Premium’ package, which comes bundled with an optional kit like a more premium BOSE audio system with eight speakers, Prima-Tex leather seats, heated front seats and steering wheel, and a tonneau cover. There’s also a ‘Technology’ package, which includes NissanConnect telematics services, OTA updates for the head unit firmware, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can buy either or both of them at additional costs.

Nissan has done a decent job of differentiating all three variants with well-defined features. But if you ask us, it is the top-spec SR variant that feels worth buying. Priced at $22,850, it is $2,700 more expensive than the base-spec S variant and only $700 more than the mid-spec SV variant. And it justifies these premium charges with the kind of features it comes equipped with it.

Also, the top-spec SR variant is the only one in the lineup on offer with the two optional packages – Premium and Technology – which further make the Kicks feel even more up-to-date.

Hailing from India, Jeo has grown up dreaming about a red-colored Porsche 911. This fascination led him to study more about cars and their functionality in his automotive engineering days from the past. His passion for writing about cars directed him towards blogging, which he has been doing for almost a decade.