Nissan sold over 11,000 Leafs in the US in 2024 and, as of 2023, had sold over 650,000 units worldwide. The model was groundbreaking 15 years ago, but it has been swimming in mediocrity for about a decade. After its 2018 redesign, it never recaptured the excitement of its original debut and lost a lot of ground to competitors who were similarly priced while offering better range and overall performance.
Nissan
Still, the Nissan Leaf was always a bargain and provided a fairly reliable and safe city car. The current model is easy to drive, utilitarian, smooth, and makes a great short-distance vehicle. The base model Leaf S has a 147 horsepower electric motor and a 40.0 kWh battery pack with nearly 150 miles of range. Opt for the Leaf SV Plus, and you get a 214-hp electric motor and a much larger 62.0 kWh battery with about 212 miles of range.
I have a history with the Nissan Leaf
My kid had a first-generation Nissan Leaf in school. Despite the diminutive range from degradation, and living in snow country, it was a perfect first car. As a teen, they hit every curb, bump, and pothole in the Denver metro area, and the car just took it. Other than tires, I had no real maintenance costs either. One of my siblings also owns a newer one, and it’s been much the same.
Friends in the auto industry have purchased and leased the current Nissan Leaf. All of them agree that it’s solid, simple, and economical. None of them seems to have any major issues, even in winter driving, as long as it’s just for commuting. Unfortunately, none of them consider the current Nissan Leaf very fun, either.
Over the past 15 years, I’ve driven and tested dozens of Nissan Leafs, and they are fine examples of what simple, no-nonsense transportation can be. They are not exactly fun or filled with character, but they get the job done. Before rebates and incentives, the 2025 Nissan Leaf starts at approximately $28,000. The top-of-the-line SV Plus, with its large battery and more powerful motor, starts at just over $36,000. Lease deals, EV incentives, and some tax credits can make the Leaf dirt cheap. Keep in mind, though, the 2024 model is eligible for a $3,750 federal EV tax credit, but the 2025 model is not.
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What to expect with the next Nissan Leaf
The 2026 Nissan Leaf will share many components with and be based on the same CMF-EV platform as the Ariya. Some might call the upcoming Nissan Leaf a crossover or an SUV, as it sits higher and has a bulkier body. Currently, there are no plans to build the next Nissan Leaf with all-wheel-drive (AWD) or 4×4, so I would consider it more of a tall, front-drive hatchback. This is good news for people who don’t like having to duck low to sit in their vehicle.
Nissan stated that range and performance will be improved, and they will scrap the underperforming ~49 kW CHAdeMO DC fast charger. It looks like they will go with the Tesla-friendly NACS setup, and we hope they maintain some form of bidirectional charging capability as well. Additionally, the old chemistry battery packs from the previous Leaf should be replaced with a more modern prismatic cell format, which is used in the Ariya.
We still don’t know about performance and range numbers, much less what the pricing is expected to be. It’s understandable that, with Nissan’s current crisis, they need to keep their pricing extremely competitive. When the Ariya was first released, it was overpriced. Sure, it was a great EV, but less expensive models were just as good, if not better, which soiled the debut.
Final thoughts
Nissan is in the process of completely rebooting their company. One of the first vehicles we’ll see from this effort is the next Nissan Leaf. It needs to be many things in order to take on the upcoming reintroduction of the Chevrolet Bolt and other competitors. It needs to be affordable, with a competitive range, and sit in that sweet spot of design that makes it stand out, without being too polarizing. It would be ideal if Nissan found a way to keep the incentives flowing, but most importantly, they need to find a way to make the 2026 Nissan Leaf fun.
About the author
Nathan Adlen
Contributing Writer, Autoblog