Get to Know the Remarkable 2026 Nissan Kicks

Small SUVs are some of our favorite vehicles because they’re perfect for drivers who don’t need something immense and excessive to get around each day. The 2026 Nissan Kicks is a perfect example of this: a subcompact SUV with sporty performance, excellent handling, and great features designed to help you make the most of your daily drive. 

If you’re not already interested in a Nissan Kicks for sale in Knoxville, then we’re here to show you what you’ve been missing because this is a fantastic piece of machinery. Let’s take a good look at the 2026 Kicks and what it has to offer; you’ll see why so many drivers have chosen this model to help make the most of their daily drive and kick things up a notch.

Perfect Subcompact Performance 

When evaluating any vehicle, we prefer to begin with overall performance, as we find it sets the tone for everything else. If you discover that a large SUV has weak performance, for example, then it’s often a sign that other aspects will be lacking as well. With a small SUV like the Kicks, you don’t need massive power, but you still want something fun to drive. 

Nissan understands this well, which is why the 2026 Kicks comes with a 2.0L engine that delivers 141 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque, ensuring you enjoy yourself while getting around Knoxville and taking care of everything you need to do each day.

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is standard on the Kicks, which makes sense for a subcompact SUV like this, especially since it serves as an entry point for the Nissan lineup. What you might not expect, however, is that all-wheel drive (AWD) is available to enhance traction and overall performance as you drive. 

This is perfect if you enjoy camping or expect to encounter a lot of dirt and gravel roads while handling everything you need to do. Standard 16-inch wheels are ideal for this small SUV, although larger 17-inch and 19-inch wheels are available on higher trims. Ultimately, the Kicks is a lot of fun to drive and feels great on the road.

Excellent Fuel Efficiency

One of the best reasons to choose a subcompact SUV is its fantastic gas mileage; Nissan understands this, and the Kicks is designed to let you go further between gas stops. A 2026 Kicks with FWD gets an estimated 28 MPG in the city, 35 MPG on the highway, and 31 MPG of combined fuel efficiency. 

If you opt for an AWD model, you only lose 1 MPG in each category, which barely impacts how much you can accomplish before needing to refill. This means you can choose the kind of performance and handling you want as you drive around Knoxville each day, and achieve excellent gas mileage, regardless of what else you’re looking for.

Just Big Enough for Most

Subcompact SUVs are ideal when you want something small that you can easily integrate into your life without it occupying your garage or making it difficult to find parking spots. The 2026 Kicks is about 172 inches in length, about 71 inches wide, and stands around 64 inches tall, so it can easily navigate crowded Knoxville streets and get you where you need to go. 

With more than eight inches of ground clearance, you don’t have to worry about occasional speed bumps; also, a 34.8-foot turning diameter makes it easy to maneuver wherever you go. And yet you still get more than 42 inches of legroom up front and more than 34 inches of legroom in the back seats. Plus, always having 30 cu.ft. of rear cargo volume means you have plenty of room inside to load up with everything you need each day.

Terrific Comfort Features

A small SUV doesn’t have to feel cramped, as we just saw, which means you can also get excellent features designed to keep you and your passengers comfortable. Nissan offers three different trim levels for the 2026 Kicks (the S, SV, and SR) with various features across them, so keep that in mind as we look at what you can get. 

The base S trim features a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, cloth upholstery, and additional amenities to keep you and your passengers comfortable. Moving up to the SV trim provides more options, such as available heated front seats. The SR trim features cloth/leatherette upholstery, a leather steering wheel, and additional options designed to enhance every moment you spend on the road.

Innovative Tech Features

Even though the 2026 Kicks is often seen as an entry-level model in the Nissan lineup, there are still plenty of impressive features for you to enjoy when you go with this great little SUV. Just like the comfort features, however, what you get will depend on the trim level you’re considering. 

The base S trim comes with a 12.3-inch NissanConnect infotainment display that looks fantastic and makes it easy to use different apps and programs. You get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, a four-speaker sound system, and a seven-inch driver display.

Moving up to the SV trim, many of the features are the same as those of the S, although you get some upgrades, such as remote start functionality and a wireless phone charger up front. The SR trim has the most to offer, such as a larger 12.3-inch driver display that looks fantastic and makes it easier to keep track of important information as you drive. The SR also comes with a six-speaker sound system, and a ten-speaker Bose audio system is available for those seeking enhanced sound quality.

Stay Safer While Driving 

If great safety features and driver-assistance technology are important to you, then you’ll love what the 2026 Kicks brings to the road. Every trim comes with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which is a comprehensive suite of driver-assistance features designed to help keep you safer. 

This includes a Forward Collision System that has Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection to keep you and others safer. You get High Beam Assist auto high beams, Brake Assist for added braking support when needed, and a Blind Spot Warning in every trim, plus a Lane Departure Warning for enhanced safety.

When considering higher trims, you gain additional great features to help you stay safer and make your daily drive less stressful. Going up to the SR trim gets you the best the Kicks has to offer, including Traffic Sign Recognition that makes it easier to keep an eye on changing speed limits, plus Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention to keep you from merging into someone lurking in your blind spot. 

The SR also features an Intelligent Around View Monitor for enhanced visibility around your vehicle while maneuvering at low speeds, and Intelligent Cruise Control with ProPILOT Assist 1.0, which provides active lane centering and freeway cruise control support to make long drives and your daily commute less of a hassle. All of this comes together to make the Kicks an incredibly safe subcompact SUV that’s remarkably fun to drive.

Get Your Kicks in the 2026 Nissan Kicks

No matter what you’re looking for from a small SUV like this, you can see that the Nissan Kicks is ready to deliver. Every trim comes with excellent performance, fantastic fuel efficiency, a spacious and comfortable interior, and advanced tech to improve your drive and help keep you safer on the road each day. 

While there are some notable differences between the three trim levels, you really can’t go wrong with any of them. If you’re ready to see the 2026 Kicks for yourself and discover everything it has to offer, then we’re here at Rusty Wallace Nissan to show you what it can do and help you find a vehicle you’ll love driving each day.

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