2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class vs 2025 Nissan Kicks

The 2025 Nissan Kicks was designed with young consumers and first-time car buyers in mind, drawing inspiration from sneaker culture to create a unique design concept. The Kicks designers aimed to convey agility, athleticism, and style, resulting in a tougher-looking crossover that stood out without being overly sporty. Built on the new CMF-B platform, the Kicks was slightly larger with increased ground clearance, distinguishing it from other small crossovers. It offered eight colour options, with two-tone configurations available on higher trims, and featured thoughtful details like the Kicks logo on side-mirror supports and sneaker-tread-like rocker panel trim, enhancing its premium feel despite its affordability.

Inside, the Kicks showcased a variety of textures, with some cost-saving measures evident but not intrusive. The carbon-fibre-look panel on the dash was a highlight, being soft to the touch. The vehicle featured Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats, providing comfort and support with standard cloth or optional synthetic leather upholstery. Heated front seats were standard in Canada, though adjustments were manual. The Kicks came with LED exterior lighting and offered 16-inch steel wheels as standard, with 17- or 19-inch alloy wheels available.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class retained its iconic boxy design, tracing its roots back to the 1979 Geländewagen. Despite subtle styling updates for 2025, such as a new grille and bumpers, the G-Class maintained its traditional features like flat hood and fenders, prominent corner lights, and robust doors. Functional changes included a repositioned rearview camera and new A-pillar trim for the G 550, with wheel options ranging from 18 to 22 inches depending on the model. The Manufaktur program offered over a million exterior and interior combinations for customization.

Inside, the G-Class boasted a luxurious interior with a sci-fi aesthetic, featuring large round vents, ambient lighting, and metallic trim. The dashboard prominently displayed switches for differential locks, while AMG models had sportier steering wheels. The G-Class offered a blend of opulence and ruggedness, with the AMG G 63 model featuring an AMG Active Ride Control suspension system for improved handling and comfort on rough terrain. Despite its truck-like feel, the G-Class provided a plush ride with low wind and tire noise, making it a comfortable choice for both on-road and off-road adventures.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks addressed previous generation flaws, offering a smoother and quieter ride. It featured a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with 141 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque, paired with a new CVT. This was a significant improvement over the previous 1.6-litre engine, providing better performance and fuel economy. The Kicks offered optional AWD with torque vectoring, enhancing traction and handling. The ride was steady and balanced, with minimal body roll and improved noise control. However, acceleration was sometimes sluggish, particularly at high elevations, though Sport mode offered a slight improvement. Fuel economy was rated at 8.1 L/100 km city and 6.6 highway for FWD, and 8.4 city and 6.9 highway for AWD.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class lineup included the G 550 and AMG G 63 models, with a new all-electric G 580 variant. The G 550 featured a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine with 443 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, while the AMG G 63 retained its 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8, producing 577 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque. Both models included a mild-hybrid system and nine-speed automatic transmissions with permanent 4WD. The G 550 accelerated from zero to 96 km/h in 5.3 seconds, while the G 63 did it in 4.2 seconds. The AMG model featured an AMG Active Ride Control suspension system, enhancing both off-road and on-road performance. Despite its weight, the G-Class offered a comfortable ride with low noise levels.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks provided a good view of the road, though the seating position was low and required manual adjustment. The interior was spacious, particularly in the second row, with a panoramic moonroof adding to the airy feel. The Kicks offered 849 litres of cargo space with FWD and 676 litres with AWD, expanding to 1,699 litres and 1,418 litres respectively with the rear seats folded. However, wind buffeting was an issue with only the driver’s window down, requiring additional windows or the moonroof to be opened for relief.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, while not as spacious as some luxury SUVs, offered ample headroom and a commanding view of the road. Its compact size made it easier to park and manoeuvre, though cargo space was limited to 640 litres with the rear seats in place. The side-hinged tailgate could complicate loading in tight spaces. The G-Class had a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, comparable to midsize pickup trucks, and provided good visibility with thin roof pillars and short overhangs.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks featured a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The base S model included a four-speaker stereo and two USB-C ports, while higher trims added more speakers, a wireless charging pad, and additional USB-C ports. The SR trim boasted dual 12.3-inch screens for the instrument cluster and infotainment, along with a Bose audio system with headrest speakers, enhancing the driving experience.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class incorporated the MBUX infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It featured dual 12.3-inch screens, creating a continuous display across the dashboard. The system included off-road menus, augmented reality navigation, and voice recognition. A Burmester 3D surround sound system was expected to be standard, along with a dashcam and rear-seat entertainment system with dual 11.6-inch touchscreens.

The 2025 Nissan Kicks came standard with a rearview camera and Safety Shield 360 package, including features like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring. ProPilot Assist was standard from the SR trim, offering advanced driver-assistance features. The Kicks also offered a 360-degree monitor system, rare for its class, and received a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class was expected to include standard driver-assistance features like forward-collision warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. The Pre-Safe system prepared the vehicle for imminent crashes by engaging seatbelt tensioners and closing windows. New features for 2025 included route-based speed adaptation, automated lane centring, and an emergency-stop feature.