--- title: "Nissan’s ‘B’ Gear in Regular Gas Cars Is an Odd Label with Real Reasons" description: "I recently finished a week of driving the new [Nissan]() Kicks. It's a totally agreeable cheap and small crossover, and my review of it should be out soon. But I noticed something odd about the car that is probably best…" date: "2025-02-06" modified: "2025-02-06" authors: - name: "Adam Ismail" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/adam-ismail" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/why-the-nissan-kicks-has-a-b-gear-even-though-its-not-a-hybrid-or-ev" categories: - "Car Tech" - "News" - "News by Brand" - "Nissan News" tags: - "compact" - "Kicks" - "Nissan" - "suv/crossover" --- # Nissan’s ‘B’ Gear in Regular Gas Cars Is an Odd Label with Real Reasons ![Picture of the 2025 Nissan Kicks' gear selector shifter.]() *The shift lever of a 2025 Nissan Kicks. \Adam Ismail\* I recently finished a week of driving the new [Nissan]() Kicks. It's a totally agreeable cheap and small crossover, and my review of it should be out soon. But I noticed something odd about the car that is probably best to share outside of the context of a formal assessment, mostly because it doesn't make the car good or bad—it's just strange. The Kicks' powertrain comprises a two-liter four-cylinder and Nissan's Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission. Altogether, the combo sends 141 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque to the wheels, and it's adequate, if a bit wheezy, for a car like this. There are no electric motors anywhere in the chain, which is why I was surprised to discover a "B" gear replacing the typical low-gear "L" mode along the PRNDL shifter. The "B" stands for "Brake," and here's how Nissan explains it in the vehicle's owner's manual: ![]() *2025 Nissan Kicks owner's manual, pg. 342. *Nissan** That reads pretty clearly, and sounds intended for the same kinds of situations that would historically suit the "L" gear in a passenger car with an automatic transmission. The idea is to remain high in the rev range in lower gears, which limits speed cruising downhill and also gives you the torque needed to climb uphill. I suspect that in the Kicks' case, "L" was renamed "B" for a few reasons. Technically, you're not selecting a lower gear because [CVTs don't have gears]() (well, [most of them anyway]()); rather, the "B" mode effectively simulates a low gear ratio, allowing for engine braking when off throttle. This may burn more fuel but, at least when cruising downhill, should keep you from riding that brake pedal. Additionally, Nissan might've settled on the "B" name to create surface-level consistency with its EVs, which have similarly laid-out shifters. The trouble with that is, in an electrified vehicle, the "B" setting usually means something quite different. Take an EV like [Nissan's own Leaf](); there, that "B" gear is effectively a high-regen mode. It's forcing the kinetic energy of slowing down back through the motors into the batteries, which also has the effect of bringing you to a stop quickly without touching the brake pedal. This is how EVs achieve their one-pedal driving behavior. And unlike in the case of the ICE-only Kicks, Nissan doesn't forbid using the "B" mode on flat roads in the Leaf's manual. Rather, it simply states that the setting "engages the regenerative braking system more aggressively on downhill slopes," more so than in the standard "D" mode. ![]() ![]() Now, the [Toyota Prius]() has also had a "B" gear for a very long time—it happens to be described identically in the [manuals of 2015]() and [2024]() model-year cars. For the Prius, Toyota says "B" is for "applying engine braking or strong braking when the accelerator pedal has been released on steep downward slopes etc." The manufacturer makes no mention of this gear impacting regen, even though regenerative braking is something hybrids have been doing for ages. According to Toyota, if you want the best fuel economy in one of its conventional hybrids, you should stick to "D" mode. This made me curious what the purpose of the "B" gear is in one of Toyota's electrified vehicles with a less traditional powertrain, like the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid. Surprise—that car has no "B" setting on its shifter. It's been replaced with "S," which allows the driver to select from ["six levels of accelerating force and engine braking force."]() It's basically your typical fake manual mode, which could nonetheless be useful during dramatic elevation changes, just like the "B" modes in non-EVs. All this is to say that if you've ever wondered what the "B" gear does in your car, well—it depends on the car you have. In the case of the Kicks, which burns only fuel to move, "B" definitely isn't for standard driving on flat ground. It'll cause the engine to rev high unnecessarily, making it noisy and inefficient, and while the vehicle will slow down a little more sharply when off-throttle compared to coasting in "D," it's certainly nothing like the one-pedal experience of EVs. With all the different kinds of powertrains in modern cars, the best way to understand yours is, as ever, to read the owner's manual. ![]() *2025 Nissan Kicks in Deep Blue Pearl. *Adam Ismail** *Got tips? Send ’em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Adam is a Senior Editor at The Drive, concentrating on curating and developing the site's slate of daily journalism, from initial pitch to final copy edit. When he's not at his desk researching leads and working with writers, he's testing vehicles or reviewing racing games, new and old. He joined The Drive in 2023, following seven years of covering consumer technology and cars. A car lover and gamer since his earliest memories, Adam came to know the automotive world through video games. First it was Daytona USA, Sega Rally, and Ridge Racer; then came Need For Speed, which inspired an encyclopedic knowledge of '90s supercars, and, of course, Gran Turismo. If not for them, he'd assuredly be doing something else right now. Adam is based in the suburbs outside Philly, where there are ample roads for his hot hatch to stretch its legs. In his car, he's probably listening to indie rock, drum and bass, or Yankees baseball. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()