Compare the2025 Nissan Kicks PlayVS 2025 Subaru Crosstrek

The Nissan Kicks Play has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Kicks Play has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Crosstrek’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Kicks Play has standard Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Rear Automatic Braking automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Crosstrek and its not available on the Base and the Crosstrek’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

Compared to metal, the Kicks Play’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Subaru Crosstrek has a metal gas tank.

Both the Kicks Play and the Crosstrek have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Kicks Play is safer than the Subaru Crosstrek:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Nissan pays for scheduled maintenance on the Kicks Play for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Nissan will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Subaru doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Crosstrek.

There are over 66 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Subaru dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Kicks Play’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Subaru vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 17 more problems per 100 vehicles, Subaru is rated lower.

On the EPA test cycle the Kicks Play gets better mileage than the Crosstrek:

The Kicks Play stops much shorter than the Crosstrek:

The Kicks Play has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Kicks Play has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Crosstrek doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Kicks Play handles at .83 G’s, while the Crosstrek Limited pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Kicks Play’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Crosstrek Wilderness’ (34.2 feet vs. 34.8 feet). The Kicks Play’s turning circle is 1.2 feet tighter than the Crosstrek’s (34.2 feet vs. 35.4 feet).

The Nissan Kicks Play may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 pounds less than the Subaru Crosstrek.

The Kicks Play is 7.3 inches shorter than the Crosstrek, making the Kicks Play easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Kicks Play has .6 inches more front headroom, .8 inches more front legroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Crosstrek.

The front step up height for the Kicks Play is 2 inches lower than the Crosstrek (15.5” vs. 17.5”). The Kicks Play’s rear step up height is 2.1 inches lower than the Crosstrek’s (15.9” vs. 18”).

The Kicks Play has a much larger cargo volume than the Crosstrek with its rear seat up (25.3 vs. 19.9 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Kicks Play easier. The Kicks Play’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 27.6 inches, while the Crosstrek’s liftover is 30.7 inches.

The Kicks Play’s cargo area is larger than the Crosstrek’s in almost every dimension:

The Kicks Play has a standard Intelligent Key that allows you to unlock the doors from either front door handle, unlock the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Crosstrek Premium/Sport/Limited/Wilderness offers Keyless Access and Start.