Buick Envista vs. Nissan Kicks: What Each One Really Costs

At matching equipment levels, the Buick Envista and the Nissan Kicks cost almost the same to buy and to fuel. A 2026 Envista Preferred and a front-drive 2027 Kicks SV are $430 apart once destination is added, and at 12,000 miles a year the Kicks’ slightly better mileage saves roughly $35 a year in gas. The bigger money decisions are which trim you need and whether you need all-wheel drive.

This is the numbers side of our Buick Envista vs. Nissan Kicks comparison. Every figure comes from Buick, Nissan or the EPA, and where we had to make an assumption, such as the price of gas, we say so, so you can swap in your own numbers.

Price with destination, trim by trim

Advertised starting prices leave out the destination charge, which every new vehicle carries. Buick’s is $1,795 on the 2026 Envista; Nissan’s is $1,575 on the 2027 Kicks. Here is what the lineups look like with it included.

The entry-level Kicks S starts at $24,365 with destination, about $2,130 below the Envista Preferred. If the base Kicks has everything you need, that is a genuine saving. Most shoppers who compare these two end up looking at the middle of each lineup, where the prices are within a few hundred dollars.

Manufacturer’s suggested retail prices plus destination, excluding tax, title, license, dealer fees and options. The price you pay depends on the vehicle, current offers and your trade.

What a price gap does to your payment

A useful rule of thumb: on a 60-month loan at 7% APR, every $1,000 financed adds about $19.80 to the monthly payment. That makes it easy to put any gap in context.

• The $430 gap between an Envista Preferred and a Kicks SV FWD is about $8.50 a month.
• The $2,130 gap between an Envista Preferred and a Kicks S FWD is about $42 a month.
• The $930 gap between an Envista Avenir and a Kicks SR AWD is about $18 a month.

Your actual rate depends on your credit, the term and current manufacturer financing offers, which change monthly. If you want real numbers rather than a rule of thumb, you can apply for financing online and see what you qualify for.

Fuel cost

The EPA rates the Envista at 28 mpg city, 32 highway and 30 combined. Nissan published EPA estimates of 28 city and 35 highway for the front-drive 2026 Kicks, which works out to 31 combined, and 27 city and 34 highway with all-wheel drive.

At 12,000 miles a year, the Envista uses about 400 gallons and a front-drive Kicks about 387. At an assumed $2.75 a gallon, that is a difference of roughly $35 a year. An all-wheel-drive Kicks and an Envista come out about even. If most of your driving is long highway runs, say Monroe to Shreveport on I-20, the Kicks’ highway rating gives it a slightly bigger edge; around town the two are effectively tied.

Both engines run on regular unleaded.

Maintenance and the first service

GM covers the first maintenance visit on a new Buick, which includes an oil change, a multi-point inspection and a tire rotation at a participating dealer within the first year of delivery. Ask our service department to confirm your vehicle’s eligibility when you book it. Beyond that, both vehicles follow their manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, which the vehicle’s own oil-life monitor or owner’s manual will tell you.

For a broader look at fuel, insurance, maintenance and depreciation on any Buick, read how to calculate the cost of owning a Buick.

The costs that are hard to compare on paper

Insurance depends far more on you, your ZIP code and your driving record than on the vehicle. Get quotes on the specific trims you are considering before you decide.

Resale value depends on the market when you sell, how many miles you put on and how well the vehicle is kept. Nobody can promise you a future trade-in number, and you should be wary of anyone who does.

Your trade-in often moves the deal more than any line above. Trading at a dealership in Louisiana generally means you pay sales tax only on the difference between the two vehicles, which we explain in trade-in vs. cash offer in Louisiana. Already driving a Kicks? See trading a Nissan Kicks for a Buick Envista.

The bottom line on cost

If the lowest possible price is the goal, the base Kicks S wins. Past that, cost is close enough that it should not be the deciding factor. Decide on the features you need, all-wheel drive and cargo room on one side, rear legroom, torque and a more upscale cabin on the other, and then compare the out-the-door price on the specific vehicles you are considering.

See Buick Envista inventory at Jim Taylor Buick GMC · Value your trade

Frequently asked questions

Written by Sarah Pesek, Director of Sales and Marketing at Jim Taylor Auto Group. Sarah oversees marketing across Jim Taylor Chevrolet in Rayville, Jim Taylor Buick GMC in Monroe and Jim Taylor Ford in Ruston, and chairs the NADA INT1 20 Group for dealership marketing leaders.

Sources

• Buick: 2026 Envista pricing and EPA estimates
• GM Authority: 2026 Envista destination charge (January 2026)
• Nissan: 2027 Kicks press kit, pricing and destination (August 13, 2026)
• Nissan: 2026 Kicks EPA estimates
• Buick: warranty and first maintenance visit
• EPA fuel economy ratings at FuelEconomy.gov

Payment examples are illustrations, not offers of credit. Prices and specifications reflect manufacturer information published as of October 2026 and can change.