Edmunds stylish SUV test: Buick Envista vs. Nissan Kicks

Just because an SUV is small and inexpensive doesn't mean it has to be as bland as plain oatmeal for breakfast. The 2025 Buick Envista and 2025 Nissan Kicks are two great examples. They look good, have surprisingly big interiors, and boast prices in the $20,000s regardless of trim level. That's largely where the similarities stop, though.

It all starts with their designs. The redesigned 2025 Kicks has the sporty vibe of a fashionable sneaker with vibrant two-tone color options. It's fair to say it's more youthful. The Envista definitely isn't Grandma's Buick. It has a coupe-like look that could pass as something coming from Europe. There are plenty of other differences, too. Edmunds' auto experts compare these two small SUVs to help you decide which is the better buy.

Fuel economy and performance

The Envista has a turbocharged three-cylinder engine that's surprisingly peppy around town and when merging onto the highway despite its modest output of 137 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in combined city/highway driving. One potential downside: The Envista is not available with all-wheel drive.

The Kicks has a four-cylinder engine with 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque. Though the Kicks has a similar horsepower output, Edmunds' editors have found the vehicle slower in real-world driving, especially when you want a quick burst of speed for getting on the highway. All-wheel drive is available, though, which might be advantageous for buyers living in areas with snowy and icy winters. The EPA estimates that the Kicks gets 31 mpg combined with front-wheel drive or 30 mpg combined with all-wheel drive.

Advantage: Envista

Interior room and comfort

The Envista and Kicks are both small SUVs, but the Buick is longer and has a coupe-like roofline. As such, the Envista has less rear headroom but more rear legroom than the Kicks. There's about 4 more inches of rear legroom. That's a lot and can be useful if you need to install a bulky rear-facing child safety seat.

We do prefer the Kicks' front seating. Its comfortable driver's seat is similar to what you'll find in pricier Nissans, whereas the Envista's is rather flat and doesn't have enough bolstering to help keep you from sliding around when going around turns.

The Envista lacks the soft, cushy ride you might expect from a Buick. Still, it isn't uncomfortable and it maintains a better composure over bumps than the Kicks.

Advantage: Envista

Cargo space

In real-world testing, both the Envista and Kicks managed to hold more pieces of luggage in their trunks than we were expecting given their cargo volume specs. Their cargo areas are very different, though, which means it's smart to look beyond the official volumes.

The Envista has a longer, more trunk-like cargo area. The Kicks has a taller, boxier space that results not only in greater capacity on paper and in practice but in better versatility too. The components needed for the Kicks' available all-wheel-drive system reduce cargo space, but even then the Kicks will still have more space than the Envista.

Advantage: Kicks

Features and value

The $23,220 base Kicks S trim level is pretty dour-looking on the inside and has a small 7-inch touchscreen. It starts at $23,220 including destination fees. Thankfully, the more expensive Kicks SV ($25,070) and SR ($27,570) get padded, upholstered surfaces on the dash and doors, plus a colorful, feature-packed 12.3-inch touchscreen. It's a surprisingly cool and high-quality environment for the money.

The Envista interior has a more refined design, and there's less of a difference between trim levels with better overall materials quality. Every trim has a 10-inch touchscreen that's easier to use than the Kicks' base system but not quite as appealing as its 12.3-inch upgrade.

The Envista's base Preferred trim level starts at $25,195. That's more than the base Kicks, but its feature content is closer to the similarly priced Kicks SV. From there, the value equation tilts back and forth depending on the optional packages you choose, but ultimately, these two are similarly priced and equipped. The most expensive Envista Avenir with the Advanced Safety package goes for $30,790, while the priciest front-wheel-drive Kick SR with the Premium package is $29,520.

Advantage: tie

Edmunds says

The Nissan Kicks offers cool design, lots of features, strong fuel economy and surprising practicality, but the Envista's superior passenger space and performance add up to a stronger SUV overall. Its more re

_____

This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds. James Riswick is a contributor at Edmunds.