- The 2025 Nissan Leaf is an EV hatchback with a low price, dated looks, and limited range
- The 2026 Leaf is an all-new EV with sleek SUV-like styling and much better range
- Nissan will announce pricing for the 2026 Leaf closer to its arrival in dealerships in the fall of 2025
The Nissan Leaf will get a significant makeover for the 2026 model year.
The Leaf on dealer lots today was the first mainstream EV of the modern car era, appearing before even the Tesla Model S. However, in its second generation, it’s a humdrum hatchback with a dated interior. It can travel up to 212 miles between charges, a distance its rivals surpass with regularity. KBB expert test driver Russ Heaps calls its performance “stable and predictable.”
The 2026 Leaf will be a sleek and attractive vehicle with an SUV-like profile, a range of up to 303 miles, a crisp, modern interior, and an updated charging system.
Nissan hasn’t disclosed pricing. The current Leaf starts at $29,280, and Nissan likely can’t raise the next one’s price much while staying competitive.
Sleek New Look Inside and Out
- Taller, curvier SUV-like body
- Minimalist cabin with a tasteful use of color
- Ties in better with the Nissan family design
The most obvious change comes outside. The 2026 Leaf won’t even fit into the same vehicle category as the 2025 model.
It’s more like an SUV now, though not one you’ll want to take deep into the woods. While most SUV designs in recent years have emphasized ruggedness, the Leaf is all curves.
It fits visibly into the same family as Nissan’s Ariya and all-new Murano. Door handles that recede flat into the bodywork and a body-color insert where the grille would be (if it needed one) add to the wind-slipping look.
Nissan hasn’t provided a list of colors, but the model shown to the press is such a glossy robin’s egg blue that it looks like a candy shell. We hope the other colors are as bold. We hope, when you bite into it, there’s salted caramel.
Inside, the two-tone color scheme used in press photos contrasts deep blue and cream on the seats and dash. Car designers in 2025 are almost all in love with the idea of two screens mounted as one. In the Leaf, they’re each either 12.3 or 14.3 inches, depending on trim. That’s a lot of display for such a small car, giving it an up-to-the-minute technology look.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, and Google built-in, including Google Maps, is available. A Bose audio system on the top-of-the-line model features headrest speakers – a rarity outside the luxury classes — but something Nissan has done before, including in the Kicks subcompact SUV.
Little Power Change, but a Range Boost
- 174 or 214 horsepower, but no all-wheel drive (AWD)
- Range up to 303 miles — though Nissan is quiet about the low end of the range numbers
The 2026 Leaf has SUV styling, but not SUV capability. Nissan will offer two levels of front-wheel-drive (FWD) power, but no all-wheel drive (AWD) option.
The Leaf S gets a 174-horsepower motor paired with a 52 kWh battery. All other models have a 214-hp motor and a 75-kWh battery. Nissan hasn’t provided a range estimate for the smaller battery. With the larger cell, you can expect between 259 and 303 miles, depending on trim level.
The 2026 Leaf comes equipped with a Tesla-style North American Charging System (NACS) port so it can charge at Tesla’s Supercharger stations. Nissan says it can charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes at a DC fast charger – a respectable number for 2026.
The company also promises “consistent charging performance even in cold weather” thanks to a system that uses waste heat from the motor to keep the battery warm.
The 2026 Nissan Leaf is set to arrive at dealerships this fall. Prices will be announced closer to the launch date.
