2026-27 Nissan Kicks earns IIHS Top Safety Pick with improved backseat protection

This award signals that the Kicks now meets the IIHS’s strict criteria for crashworthiness and front crash prevention, making it a safer choice for buyers who prioritize occupant protection.

What it takes to earn Top Safety Pick

To qualify for the 2026 Top Safety Pick, vehicles must earn good ratings in the moderate overlap front, small overlap front, and side crash tests. Additionally, headlights must be rated acceptable or good across all trim levels. The vehicle must also have an acceptable or good rating in the pedestrian front crash prevention test.

For the higher Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must have a good rating in pedestrian front crash prevention and an acceptable or good rating in the updated vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention test introduced in 2024. Importantly, qualifying front crash prevention systems must be standard equipment.

How the Nissan Kicks improved

The Nissan Kicks was redesigned for the 2025 model year but initially received a poor rating in the moderate overlap front crash test, which focuses on protecting second-row passengers. This rating prevented it from qualifying for the Top Safety Pick award.

Nissan addressed this issue by making changes to the rear seat belts in models built after June 2026. These updates improved occupant protection in the rear seats, allowing these newer Kicks models to earn a good rating in the moderate overlap front test and qualify for the Top Safety Pick.

What it means for you

If you are considering a Nissan Kicks, make sure to check the build date. Only models manufactured after June 2026 meet the improved safety standards that earned the Top Safety Pick award.

The award confirms that the Kicks offers strong crash protection for front and rear passengers, good headlight performance across trims, and acceptable pedestrian crash prevention. These factors can influence insurance costs and resale value while providing peace of mind.

The IIHS also provides ratings on seat belt reminders and LATCH ease of use, which are not part of the award criteria but may be important for families with children.

In addition to the Kicks, the IIHS released new crash test ratings for five other models that did not qualify for awards this year, offering consumers more data to compare safety across vehicles.

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