Nissan Kicks: The Smallest, and One of the Smartest
The Kicks got a complete redesign for 2025. It comes in with a wider stance, sharper styling, and a more powerful 2.0L four-cylinder engine rated at 141 horsepower. For drivers around Beech Island and Augusta who spend most of their time on surface streets and shorter runs, this thing was made for you.
It finally adds an available all-wheel drive option, too, which matters when fall storms roll through the CSRA and the roads get slick. Standard features on the base trim include a 12.3-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and Nissan Safety Shield 360® (automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and rear cross-traffic alert, among others). You get a lot of vehicle for around $21,830 starting MSRP.
Maximum cargo space stretches to around 60 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Fuel efficiency comes in at an estimated 28 MPG city and 35 MPG highway on FWD models. If gas prices are part of the calculus — and for most buyers they are — the Kicks keeps those costs genuinely low.
Good fit for: commuters, first-time buyers, smaller households, and anyone who wants to keep monthly costs manageable without giving up solid tech and safety features.