2020 Jeep Compass vs 2021 Nissan Kicks

The 2020 Jeep Compass was a handsome SUV, reflecting the refined side of the Jeep brand, much like the Grand Cherokee. It came in four core trim levels: Sport, Latitude, Limited, and Trailhawk, with various packages and special edition trim upgrades available. Prices started at $22,280 for a Compass Sport with front-wheel drive (FWD) and a six-speed manual transmission, while the High Altitude upgrade for the Compass Limited with all-wheel drive (AWD) was priced from $32,645. Our test vehicle, a 2020 Compass Limited with AWD, was loaded with nearly every option package, bringing the total to $39,755, including the destination charge. Despite its premium features, the Compass had some cost-cutting measures that detracted from its overall appeal.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks received significant exterior updates, aligning its design with the new face of the 2021 Nissan Armada, Ariya, and Rogue. The Kicks featured a bold V-motion design, thinner and longer headlights, and a new bumper and LED taillight combination at the rear. The top-tier Kicks SR trim level came with LED multi-reflector headlights and standard LED fog lights. New paint options were added, and the two-tone paint job option with a floating roof was available. The Kicks SR test car had a sportier aesthetic with LED headlights, black heated outside mirrors, and a rear roof-mounted spoiler. The interior featured higher quality materials, new seat and door designs, and a full center console armrest in the mid-range Kicks SV and SR.

The 2020 Jeep Compass was powered by a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, known as the Tigershark, producing 180 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 175 pound-feet of torque at 3,900 rpm. Despite these figures, the engine was loud, slow, and thirsty, with sluggish acceleration and nearly non-existent passing power. The test vehicle averaged 23.1 mpg, falling short of the EPA rating of 25 mpg combined. The nine-speed automatic transmission often shifted harshly and resisted downshifts, while the automatic engine stop/start system could be deactivated. The Compass's suspension controlled body roll but allowed too much vertical motion and impact harshness. The steering was heavy and vague, and the brake pedal was sensitive. However, the Compass excelled in off-road capability, especially in Trailhawk trim with added ground clearance and an Active Drive Low AWD system. The Compass Limited test vehicle had a simpler AWD system with a 50:50 Lock mode and Selec-Terrain traction system.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks came with a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque, paired with Nissan’s Xtronic continuously variable transmission (CVT) and front-wheel drive (FWD). The Kicks felt nimble with its electric power-assisted steering and front independent strut stabilizer bar suspension. Despite being low-powered, the Kicks had a good power-to-weight ratio, making it suitable for its size. The CVT could get noisy under heavy acceleration, but this was typical for many CVTs. The Kicks SR tester maintained good handling on icy roads, and all models came with all-season tires. The Kicks also featured a traction control system, stability control system, hill start assist, and auto-hold. The Kicks S trim had a front disc/rear drum antilock braking system, while the Kicks SV and SR had rear disc brakes. The Kicks SR also had an integrated dynamic-control module with active engine brake, intelligent trace control, and intelligent ride control. The EPA rated the Kicks at 31 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 33 mpg combined, with a range of 356 miles on a single tank of gas.

The 2020 Jeep Compass test vehicle featured the new-for-2020 Luxury Seat Group, adding premium leather, ventilated front seats, a power-adjustable front passenger seat, and a memory function for the driver’s settings. The back seat was roomy, with air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a 115-volt power outlet for rear passengers. The Compass offered 27.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat and a maximum of 59.8 cubic feet with the back seat folded down. However, the optional spare tire and Alpine subwoofer housing took up some cargo space. The cabin had scant storage room and awkwardly positioned cupholders.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks had easy-to-reach buttons and knobs throughout the cabin, with good small-item storage and easy-access USB ports. The climate controls were easy to understand and use, and the seat warmers provided the expected amount of warmth. The Kicks SR tester had a heated steering wheel. The Kicks featured a D-shaped steering wheel, six-way adjustable driver’s seat, four-way adjustable front passenger seat, and 60/40 split-folding rear seat as standard. The Kicks had best-in-class front seat legroom, though the hip room proportions made the front seats more compartmentalized. Adults could easily fit in the back seats. The available tonneau cover provided hidden storage, covering about two-thirds of the rear cargo area.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered an excellent Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth connectivity, and 4G LTE WiFi connectivity. The system was ready for extra-cost SiriusXM Guardian connected services, which included emergency calling, a vehicle finder, remote engine starting, and more. The test vehicle also had a navigation system and an Alpine premium audio system. Uconnect was intuitive and featured appealing graphics, though some features were embedded into menus. The voice recognition system worked well with naturally spoken requests, but navigation required more specific prompts. Overall, Uconnect impressed for the segment.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks had a host of standard tech features, including a 7-inch infotainment touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, three USB ports, keyless entry, push-button start, and Easy Fill Tire Alert. The Kicks SV added Nissan Intelligent Key, automatic climate control, a 7-inch driver information screen, satellite radio, remote engine start, and a USB-C port. The Kicks SR Premium Package included the class-exclusive Bose Personal Plus sound system with eight speakers and Bose signal processing. The Kicks also had a surround-view monitor, a WiFi hot spot, and NissanConnect services.

The 2020 Jeep Compass offered a range of driving assistance and collision avoidance technology, available even on the base Sport trim level. The test vehicle included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic warning. These systems performed to average expectations, with some overreacting and insistent corrective actions. The Compass earned Good ratings in IIHS crash tests, except for headlight performance. The NHTSA gave the Compass a mix of three-star, four-star, and five-star ratings.

The 2021 Nissan Kicks came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane departure warning, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, high beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Kicks had 10 airbags, a driver alertness monitor, and rear door alert as standard on Kicks SV and SR. The 2020 Kicks scored all Good marks in IIHS crashworthiness tests, with headlights rated Acceptable or Poor. The NHTSA gave the 2020 Kicks a four-star overall rating. The Kicks had a strong history of few recalls.