# Nissan Kicks safety performance in Brazil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/nissan-kicks-safety-performance-in-brazil
> Updated: 2026-10-26T17:45:08.000Z. Sources: 12. Developments: 2.

The Nissan Kicks manufactured in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has received a five-star safety rating from Latin NCAP. The vehicle achieved high scores in child protection (92%), occupant protection (86%), and safety assistance (85%).

While the Brazilian model showed improved performance in side-impact tests compared to previous Mexican versions due to implemented countermeasures, certain metrics saw slight declines compared to the 2025 model. Specifically, there was a 4% drop in adult occupant protection and a 3% decrease in safety assistance scores, with reports citing concerns regarding footwell stability and marginal whiplash protection resulting from seat changes.

A subsequent audit confirmed these Latin NCAP results. Detailed evaluation metrics for the vehicle included 86.29% for adult occupant protection, 91.66% for child occupant protection, 72.79% for pedestrian and vulnerable road user protection, and 85.17% for safety assistance systems. The SUV is equipped with six airbags and the Nissan Safety Shield, which incorporates 17 assistance and protection technologies.

Additionally, mid-cycle revisions to the Kicks' rear seat belts have improved performance in IIHS moderate-overlap frontal crash tests. For vehicles manufactured after June 2026, these updates upgraded the rear-occupant protection score from ‘Poor’ to ‘Good’ under stricter testing protocols. Consequently, the Kicks became the only crossover to receive a ‘Good’ rating in the updated IIHS moderate-overlap frontal crash test, distinguishing it from competitors like the Audi Q3, Toyota RAV4, and Chevrolet Trailblazer, which failed to meet all criteria due to insufficient rear-seat passenger protection. This improvement qualified the model for the 2026 Top Safety Pick designation.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-26: Nissan Kicks earns top safety ratings in updated crash tests

The Nissan Kicks is the only crossover to achieve a ‘Good’ rating in updated IIHS frontal crash tests following rear seat belt revisions, while also earning five stars from Latin NCAP.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nissan-improves-kicks-safety-rating-following-iihs-test-revisions

### 2026-10-13: Nissan Kicks earns five-star Latin NCAP safety rating in Brazil

The Brazilian-made Nissan Kicks earned a five-star safety rating from Latin NCAP, showing improved side-impact performance over previous versions despite slight decreases in some occupant protection metrics.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/nissan-kicks-earns-five-star-latin-ncap-safety-rating-in-brazil

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Cite as: Nissan Kicks safety performance in Brazil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/nissan-kicks-safety-performance-in-brazil