Nissan's 2025 Kicks may be timed right for car buyers facing sticker shock

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Arriving in showrooms for the new model year is the 2025 version of the Kicks, Nissan's smallest and most affordable crossover SUV. With its $23,200 base price, along with standard technology, it's aimed squarely at younger people.

"In the Kicks, we have a lot of new, first-time buyers that are coming in. Thirty percent of our millennials and Gen Zs, this is their first car ever," said Peter Bedrosian, Nissan product planner.

And for those young buyers - and maybe their families - safety technology is a high priority.

"Safety is very important for the segment. For these young drivers and inexperienced drivers, our Safety Shield 360 is standard - blind spot warning, forward collision," noted Bedrosian.

The styling is all new. It's gotten a power boost, and for the first time, all-wheel drive is available. Step up to the higher trim SR model and things like a panoramic sunroof and Bose speakers in the front headrests give it a premium vibe.

Nissan says buyers expect great styling and lots of features. But something else is really helping out the Kicks right now: a fairly low sticker price. In today's market, that's increasingly important.

The Kicks starts well under $25,000 and even a fully-loaded SR grade tops out at just over $30,000.

"That's well under the average for many different types of vehicles," said Brian Moody, Executive Editor at Autotrader.com.

Yes, the average price of a new vehicle now tops $48,000, though prices actually peaked in late 2022. For the last several years, buyers have been facing sticker shock.

That may be why Hyundai will be bringing back an entry-grade version of its Sonata sedan, which it had previously dropped. The 2025 Sonata SE will start at under $28,000 but is full of features.

"There's still plenty of great choices for low-priced vehicles, and those low-priced vehicles increasingly have nicer and nicer features," Moody added.

And for those buyers watching the bottom line, it's more than just the MSRP these days. It's also today's steeper interest rates for car loans. Don't be misled.

"That interest rate that you see advertised on the radio or on television? That's not for everybody. That's for people with excellent credit," said Moody, adding that people with only average credit scores will be paying at much as 10% APR or more for a new car loan.

So an emerging trend these days is vehicles that can offer an attractive price for young buyers, and actually, all car buyers. Nissan's new Kicks appears ready to appeal across the consumer spectrum.