Is the Mazda CX-30 more reliable than the Nissan Kicks?

No. The Nissan Kicks leads by a large gap on the index. The CX-30 has fewer complaints per car sold, but it has crash-linked airbag and emergency braking reports that the Kicks does not show in its main problem areas. Both models carry a good standing.

Which has more recalls, the CX-30 or the Kicks?

They are even. Federal recall records show 10 recalls for each. The CX-30 spreads them over 7 model years and the Kicks over 9. Check any car's VIN for open recalls before buying, since two CX-30 airbag complaints mention a recall with no fix available.

Which has more owner complaints?

The Kicks does, with 439 complaints, or 8.3 per 10,000 sold. The CX-30 has 218, or 5.7 per 10,000 sold. The Kicks complaints often involve electrical and power faults that dealers could not reproduce, while the CX-30 has more crash-linked safety reports.

What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-30?

Engine oil warnings are the most common, with 44 complaints, including a car needing a quart every 1,000 to 2,000 miles. The more serious reports involve automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead, and airbags that deploy with no crash.

Why does the rear window break on the Nissan Kicks?

The data gives no cause. Owners report the rear glass shattering with a loud pop, sometimes on a parked car with the defroster off. Reports appear under both electrical and structure complaints, and in one case the dealer could not find a reason.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks: Reliability Compared

Mazda CX-30

Good

More Reliable

Nissan Kicks

Good

The Nissan Kicks beats the Mazda CX-30 on reliability by a large gap. Owners file more complaints about the Kicks, but the CX-30 has more crash-linked braking and airbag reports, and that weighs against it.

How Do the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Kicks Generations Compare?

Most used examples of both models come from a first generation. The CX-30 first generation (DM) covers US model years 2020 to 2024, and its weakest years, 2020 and 2021, sit at the start of that run. The 2026 CX-30 has had little time on the road, so its clean record says little yet. The Kicks first generation (P15) ran from 2018 to 2025, with a facelift for 2021. Its weakest years, 2018 and 2019, came before that facelift. A second Kicks generation (P16) is listed starting in 2025, so newer cars are a different design from most used ones.

Verdict

The Nissan Kicks is more reliable than the Mazda CX-30, scoring 78/100 vs 67/100.

Reliability favors the Nissan Kicks by a large gap on the index. That may look odd, since owners filed more complaints about the Kicks. The CX-30's problems lean toward safety systems: airbags, emergency braking and total power loss, with more crash-linked reports in those areas. The Kicks complaints are frequent but cluster around electrical and power-loss faults that dealers often cannot reproduce. Recall counts are even at 10 each. On the data given, the Kicks is the safer bet.

Key Differences

1Nissan Kicks scores 11 points higher in reliability
2Mazda CX-30 has 2.6 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Mazda CX-30 has a 1-star higher safety rating

Category Scoreboard

2Mazda CX-30

—

1Nissan Kicks

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateSafety Rating

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks: Which Is More Reliable?

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Mazda CX-30	Nissan Kicks
Reliability Score	67/100	78/100
Years Tracked	7	9
Total Recalls	10	10
Complaints per 10k Sold	5.7	8.3
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	0	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Mazda CX-30 and Nissan Kicks?

Safety hardware is where the two split. On the CX-30, automatic emergency braking can stop the car with nothing ahead, one owner reports it 11 times, and brakes carry 6 crash-linked complaints. Airbags can deploy with no crash, and they carry 4 crash-linked reports. The Kicks has no airbag category among its main problems. Its complaints center on electrical faults, including rear hatch glass that shatters on a parked car, and sudden power drops with a malfunction message. Rear automatic braking can also stop the car while backing up. Both have oil, stalling or transmission issues that can leave you stranded.

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks common problem areas comparison
Component	Mazda CX-30	Nissan Kicks
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	0.8Very Low	1.8Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.7Very Low	1.2Low
ENGINE	1.2Low	0.5Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.4Very Low	0.7Very Low
POWER TRAIN	0.3Very Low	0.8Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.2Very Low	0.4Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.5Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.3Very Low	0.2Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.3Very Low	0.1Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.2Very Low	0.2Very Low
STEERING	0.1Very Low	0.3Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
WHEELS	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.2Very Low
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)	—None	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY	—None	—None

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

How Does Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks Reliability Compare by Year?

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Mazda CX-30	Nissan Kicks	Edge
2026	72/1000R / 0C	83/1001R / 1C	Nissan Kicks
2025	68/1001R / 22C	78/1003R / 24C	Nissan Kicks
2024	68/1002R / 23C	81/1001R / 20C	Nissan Kicks
2023	68/1001R / 20C	80/1001R / 23C	Nissan Kicks
2022	67/1001R / 28C	82/1000R / 19C	Nissan Kicks
2021	60/1002R / 94C	78/1002R / 66C	Nissan Kicks
2020	64/1003R / 31C	78/1000R / 85C	Nissan Kicks

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Mazda CX-30 scored 68/100 and the 2022 Nissan Kicks scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Mazda CX-30 vs the Nissan Kicks?

Pick the Kicks if you want the better standing on the index and want to avoid the airbag and emergency braking reports tied to the CX-30. Target the 2022 model year, which ranks among its strongest. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. Check the rear window and the rear body vent seals for water leaks, and ask whether the car has ever lost power while driving. Pick the CX-30 if you can accept its risks and want the lower complaint volume, 5.7 per 10,000 sold against 8.3 for the Kicks. Look at 2024, one of its strongest years, and skip 2020 and 2021, its weakest. Before buying, confirm every open recall is closed, since two airbag reports describe a recall with no available fix. Watch the oil level, and test the car for emergency braking that triggers with nothing ahead. A 2026 looks clean partly because it has had little time to collect complaints.

Mazda CX-30 vs Nissan Kicks: Common Questions

Is the Mazda CX-30 more reliable than the Nissan Kicks?: No. The Nissan Kicks leads by a large gap on the index. The CX-30 has fewer complaints per car sold, but it has crash-linked airbag and emergency braking reports that the Kicks does not show in its main problem areas. Both models carry a good standing.
Which has more recalls, the CX-30 or the Kicks?: They are even. Federal recall records show 10 recalls for each. The CX-30 spreads them over 7 model years and the Kicks over 9. Check any car's VIN for open recalls before buying, since two CX-30 airbag complaints mention a recall with no fix available.
Which has more owner complaints?: The Kicks does, with 439 complaints, or 8.3 per 10,000 sold. The CX-30 has 218, or 5.7 per 10,000 sold. The Kicks complaints often involve electrical and power faults that dealers could not reproduce, while the CX-30 has more crash-linked safety reports.
What is the biggest problem with the Mazda CX-30?: Engine oil warnings are the most common, with 44 complaints, including a car needing a quart every 1,000 to 2,000 miles. The more serious reports involve automatic emergency braking that stops the car with nothing ahead, and airbags that deploy with no crash.
Why does the rear window break on the Nissan Kicks?: The data gives no cause. Owners report the rear glass shattering with a loud pop, sometimes on a parked car with the defroster off. Reports appear under both electrical and structure complaints, and in one case the dealer could not find a reason.

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How we score the Mazda CX-30 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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