Is the Nissan Kicks more reliable than the Buick Envista?

No, they are effectively tied. Both stand as good. The Kicks drew 8.3 complaints per 10,000 sold and the Envista drew 7.1, a small gap. The Envista has a much shorter record, so its numbers may change as more cars age.

Which has more recalls, the Kicks or the Envista?

The Kicks has more. Federal recall records show 10 recalls across 9 Kicks model years. The Envista has 1 recall across its 3 model years. The Kicks has been sold far longer, so part of the gap is simply time on the road.

What is the most common Buick Envista problem?

Electrical faults. Owners most often describe the instrument cluster and center screen going blank at startup or while driving, leaving no speedometer or warning lights. It often starts in the first months. Some reports add stalling at stoplights, and dealers often find no trouble codes.

Do Nissan Kicks owners report rear window problems?

Yes. Electrical and structure complaints both describe the rear glass shattering, sometimes on a parked car with the engine off. Owners say it pops loudly enough to sound like a gunshot. Some reports say the dealer could not find a cause.

Which Kicks model years should I avoid?

Avoid 2018 and 2019 if you can, since they are the weakest years. The strongest years are 2022 and 2026. The 2026 year is the newest, so it has had less time to collect complaints. Choose 2022 as the better-proven pick.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Buick Envista

Good

Nissan Kicks

Good

The Nissan Kicks and Buick Envista are effectively tied on reliability. Both rate good, and complaint rates sit close together. The Envista has far fewer recalls, but it has only three model years of history, while the Kicks has nine.

How Do the Buick Envista and Nissan Kicks Generations Compare?

Most used Kicks shoppers will be looking at the first generation, the P15, which covered US model years 2018 through 2025 and received a facelift in 2021. A second generation, the P16, is also listed. The 2018 and 2019 years have the weakest record, so post-facelift cars are the safer search range. The Envista is a single generation, the RE6, sold from 2024 through 2026. It has not been through a facelift or a redesign. Every Envista on the used market is an early-run car, and its low complaint count partly reflects short time on the road.

Verdict

The Buick Envista is more reliable than the Nissan Kicks, scoring 79/100 vs 78/100.

Effectively tied. Both cars stand as good, and their complaint rates sit close together, at 8.3 per 10,000 sold for the Kicks and 7.1 for the Envista. The Envista has far fewer recalls, but it has only three model years on the road, so its record is thin. The Kicks has a long record with repeat faults, such as shattering rear glass and sudden power loss. Neither car has an edge large enough to decide the purchase alone.

Key Differences

1Buick Envista has 9 fewer total recalls
2Buick Envista has 1.2 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Buick Envista scores 1 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Buick Envista

—

0Nissan Kicks

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks: Which Is More Reliable?

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Buick Envista	Nissan Kicks
Reliability Score	79/100	78/100
Years Tracked	3	9
Total Recalls	1	10
Complaints per 10k Sold	7.1	8.3
Year Wins	1	2

What Are the Common Problems With the Buick Envista and Nissan Kicks?

Electrical faults lead for both, but they look different. Kicks owners report the rear hatch glass shattering on a parked car, a false rear-braking stop while backing up, and power dropping suddenly with a "System Malfunction" message. Envista owners report the instrument cluster and center screen going blank, sometimes with stalling at stoplights. The Kicks has crash-linked complaints in electrical, power train and service brakes. The Envista has one crash-linked brake complaint, but its few engine and power train reports describe fires and an engine failure, and its steering reports describe full shutdowns while moving.

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks common problem areas comparison
Component	Buick Envista	Nissan Kicks
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.9Low	1.8Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	1.2Low	1.2Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.3Very Low	0.8Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.5Very Low
STEERING	0.3Very Low	0.3Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.5Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	—None	0.4Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.2Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY	0.2Very Low	—None
AIR BAGS	—None	0.2Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.2Very Low
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
SUSPENSION	—None	0.1Very Low

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks Reliability Compare by Year?

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Buick Envista	Nissan Kicks	Edge
2026	82/1000R / 3C	83/1001R / 1C	Nissan Kicks
2025	80/1000R / 28C	78/1003R / 24C	Buick Envista
2024	75/1001R / 49C	81/1001R / 20C	Nissan Kicks

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Buick Envista scored 75/100 and the 2024 Nissan Kicks scored 81/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Buick Envista vs the Nissan Kicks?

Pick the Kicks if you want a compact SUV with a long track record you can research. Target 2022 or later, since 2018 and 2019 are the weakest years. Before buying, check that the rear hatch glass, rear automatic braking and any power-loss warnings have never come up on the car you are looking at. Ask for the recall history, because the Kicks has 10 recalls across its model years. Pick the Envista if you want a midsize SUV with a lighter recall history, at one recall across three model years. Test the instrument cluster and center screen carefully, since blank displays are the most common complaint and often start in the first months. Drive it at length and watch for any stalling. Treat the 2025 and 2026 years with care, because newer cars have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2024 if you can find a clean later one. If a dealer cannot explain a blank screen, walk away.

Buick Envista vs Nissan Kicks: Common Questions

Is the Nissan Kicks more reliable than the Buick Envista?: No, they are effectively tied. Both stand as good. The Kicks drew 8.3 complaints per 10,000 sold and the Envista drew 7.1, a small gap. The Envista has a much shorter record, so its numbers may change as more cars age.
Which has more recalls, the Kicks or the Envista?: The Kicks has more. Federal recall records show 10 recalls across 9 Kicks model years. The Envista has 1 recall across its 3 model years. The Kicks has been sold far longer, so part of the gap is simply time on the road.
What is the most common Buick Envista problem?: Electrical faults. Owners most often describe the instrument cluster and center screen going blank at startup or while driving, leaving no speedometer or warning lights. It often starts in the first months. Some reports add stalling at stoplights, and dealers often find no trouble codes.
Do Nissan Kicks owners report rear window problems?: Yes. Electrical and structure complaints both describe the rear glass shattering, sometimes on a parked car with the engine off. Owners say it pops loudly enough to sound like a gunshot. Some reports say the dealer could not find a cause.
Which Kicks model years should I avoid?: Avoid 2018 and 2019 if you can, since they are the weakest years. The strongest years are 2022 and 2026. The 2026 year is the newest, so it has had less time to collect complaints. Choose 2022 as the better-proven pick.

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How we score the Buick Envista and Nissan Kicks

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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