Seems to be a nasty little vehicle. This clown car class is a tough one.
The Kicks even fared badly in IIHS safety tests, while the older CX-3 aced them and received a "Top Safety Pick".
Venue, Soul, EcoSport, Trax, CX-3, CH-R are the competition. Of these, I have not driven the Ford (never will - cancelled) and the Hyundai (will fight for the keys when it arrives in fleet). The Mazda looks fantastic but is hyper-small inside and rides rough, and cancelled too, the Trax/Encore duo is surprisingly refined and roomy (and cancelled - see the trend?), the CH-R felt a price point higher but the Soul was an all-around nice vehicle.
If on such a budget, I'd get a Forte5 EX or a Sentra. More budget - Crosstrek