Nissan improves Kicks safety rating following IIHS test revisions

Nissan has updated the rear seat belts in the Kicks crossover to improve occupant protection. This mid-cycle revision allows the vehicle to move from a ‘Poor’ rating to a ‘Good’ rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reworked moderate-overlap frontal test.

The updated safety protocol, which applies to vehicles built after June 2026 and covers 2026 and 2027 models, places a higher emphasis on rear-passenger protection. While the Kicks saw significant improvement, other models such as the Audi Q3 and Toyota RAV4 faced challenges under the stricter testing standards.