Nissan Leaf (2026) Review

The first two Leafs were held back by one decision: an air cooled battery, which limited fast charging, aged badly in heat and cost the car its reputation. The third generation abandons all of it. The new Leaf sits on the platform shared with the Ariya, carries a 75 kWh liquid cooled pack with a heat pump, makes 214 horsepower and is rated at up to 303 miles. A 52 kWh version with 174 horsepower sits below it.

It is also no longer a hatchback. The shape is a low subcompact crossover, more slippery than it looks, and the efficiency figures follow: 121 MPGe combined is better than most electric cars costing twice as much. The charge port is the North American Charging Standard, which means a Tesla Supercharger without an adapter, and a second port covers the older networks.

The price is what makes it matter. At 29,990 dollars for the S+ before a 1,495 dollar delivery charge it is the least expensive new electric car sold in America, and it reached dealers in the fall of 2025, the same season the federal credit expired. The cabin is plain and the materials are honest about the money. Used values for old Leafs were dreadful, and nothing about the way the market treats this badge suggests the new one will be spared.