The Nissan Leaf is the most important EV of this year

With the rebooted version of this publication, I don’t intend to share with you a review of every car I drive. I have other outlets for that, and you subscribed more for industry analysis and breaking news. But I feel it’s important to review the more significant cars, and in the case of the Nissan Leaf, this is probably the most significant EV of the year.

The 2026 Nissan Leaf is the third generation of the nameplate, with the original Leaf being the first affordable mass-market EV of the modern era. The updated car is truly a new car, riding on the same platform as the larger Ariya, and fixing the issues I’ve had with the Ariya and the last version of the Leaf.

At least, that’s what I thought when I saw the car earlier this year. So when I was asked to visit the company’s North American technical center in Farmington Hills, Michigan, I was excited to make the trip. I needed to know if those expectations were met.

I also needed to know what it is like to drive a modern car — regardless of powertrain — that has a starting price of under $30,000.

I won’t force you to wait. The car is good. It’s really good.

On hand were only Platinum+ versions of the car, which have a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of $41,930, including destination. That includes $345 for the floor mat package, the $300 battery heater, and the $800 premium two-tone paint.

So while it’s not the S+ that starts at $31,485 (with $1,495 destination), the upgrades to the higher-spec model shouldn’t change how it drives or what the basic functionality is like. I’d prefer automakers have a base, or volume, spec on first drives and launch programs, but it’s a rare occurrence to actually happen.

Nissan expects the volume model to be the stepped-up SV+, and I think that could be the case because that version includes a hybrid climate system with a heat pump, the option to add on a battery heater, and the upgraded Google-based infotainment system. The base system does support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as does the upgraded one.

The SV+ with the battery heater would start at $36,025 (including destination). That puts it squarely in the crosshairs of the Chevrolet Equinox EV, which I predict will be its biggest competitor.

So how does it drive? Like a lifted hatchback.

Nissan calls it a crossover, and it’s classified by NACTOY as a crossover, but it’s 2025, and words don’t have meaning. It’s a big hatchback in my opinion, as it sits lower than the outgoing Leaf, and is only available in front-wheel drive.

The driving position is up high, and the visibility is pretty solid. I wish the seat would go lower, but I wanted the seat in the last Leaf to go lower. Forward visibility is good, but the slope of the windshield does give you more of a widescreen format view that’s narrower on the top and bottom.

For me, it puts the rearview mirror in a slightly obnoxious spot that I wouldn’t notice if I could lower the seat another inch. It wouldn’t stop me from buying one, but be sure to test-drive it before you buy.

As for the seats themselves, all versions of the car get Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” seating technology. I don’t buy into the whole space metaphor, but I have found the seats to be comfortable on long journeys. Stepped-up models will have a synthetic leather surface called Taylor Made — wait, those are golf clubs — TailorFit. They are also pleasant.

Acceleration is brisk. It feels quicker than the 214 horsepower on the spec sheet implies. And at speeds that are only legal in certain parts of the country, the acceleration still feels competent. It’s not a sports car or a performance model Tesla, but it’s also not slow.

At highway speeds, wind noise is pretty solid, though I’ve been in quieter EVs. There isn’t much wind noise from the wing mirrors, and you can carry on a conversation with a passenger without having to raise your voice.

Combined with an independent rear suspension that handles the terrible roads around Nissan’s tech center, it’s a solid vehicle to live with. Ride quality, for the car’s price, is excellent, and the steering is light and responsive.

I didn’t play around much with the vehicle’s regen settings, but whatever it defaulted to when I switched drive modes was fine. I do lament that Nissan removed one-pedal driving from the Leaf, and while I understand the reasoning, I still think it should be included and left up to the driver if they want to use it or not.

The rear seats are a bit cramped for me, but for the vehicle’s size and class, it’s competitive. Younger kids will be fine, but adults might not love it back there on longer trips. If you get the Platinum+ with the dimming roof, though, they’ll be entertained by that.

The new Leaf is more than an electric Kicks, or even an electric Rogue. It feels like it’s punching about its weight in many areas, including build quality, and for the price, it’s for sure one of the best values for the money in not just EVs, but new cars in general right now.

The recharging situation is a bit weird, considering it has two charging ports. You can read more about it here, but while some people on the internet claim that this is a dealbreaker because they wonder what else Nissan rushed out, I believe it’s just a symptom of the vehicle starting its life as a CCS-equipped car, and then the company made the change to NACS later on in development. I don’t love it, but the Mercedes-Benz CLA suffers from a similar circumstance.

It’s not fair to look at the efficiency meter on a first drive, because journalists drive like jerks and the performance isn’t real-world. For some of my driving, including a bunch of idling and higher-speed highway jaunts, the car indicated 3.5 miles per kWh. On a more pedestrian city drive, the car indicated 4.3 miles per kWh. With a 75 kWh (assuming that’s usable, not gross capacity) battery pack, that would be 262.5 miles and 322.5 miles, respectively. The Platinum+ has an EPA-estimated range of 259 miles.

That means, out in the real world, it’s possible that the 303-mile S+ version could far exceed that number. I look forward to independently testing the efficiency of all the versions as soon as I possibly can.

While the fancy roof, larger wheels, and heads-up display of the Platinum+ are great to have, the only thing I think most people would miss would be the power liftgate, and I don’t think I’d pay the upgrade price from the SV+ just for that. I do think, though, the SV+ with the battery heater is the way to go for anyone who lives anywhere it gets a bit colder, because the heat pump will help your efficiency in the winter, and the heater will help the battery be ready to go on the cold mornings, being at an optimal temperature when you leave.

If you can get over 300 miles on that version (which exceeds EPA), you’d have a heck of a deal. Would I get the Leaf over the Equinox? I don’t know. I think so. I’d want Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and GM doesn’t offer it anymore on its new EVs (except for a few).

I do think the Leaf wipes the floor with the current-generation electric Kona and Niro. The 150 kW peak fast charging guarantees that, and Nissan’s new Google-based infotainment is superior (which you do need the SV+ for).

The one unknown is the upcoming Bolt, which looks a lot like the outgoing Bolt, and won’t share GM’s Ultium platform. What GM updates in that car will determine if the Bolt is competitive in this segment, or dead on arrival. We should know more soon, I’d think.

Ultimately, people buy based on payment. The Korean EVs — especially the higher-end E-GMP cars — lease very well, and are often the no-brainer for recommendations. With the tax incentive going away at the end of the month, it’ll be interesting to see how automakers price and incentivize their EVs.

But like the Equinox EV, the Leaf impresses with a great feature set and a shocking starting price. There’s even a shorter-range, less expensive version coming.

I’ve seen and driven a lot of new EVs this year, and I think the things that BMW and Mercedes-Benz are doing on the higher-end are really pushing forward with technology. HMG is putting out compelling new products. But the Leaf brings Nissan firmly back into the EV conversation by going after the best in the segment. And when it comes to EV adoption, without the federal incentive, pricing is going to matter even more.