2025 Nissan LEAF

We like the Nissan Leaf well enough; after all, its sensible pricing attracted lots of attention to EVs over the past dozen years, allowing buyers on a budget to take one home. The Leaf is still a solid choice if your EV driving only involves errand-running distances. However, its range is well below that of near-competitor EV cars or even EV SUVs like the Hyundai Kona EV. Moreover, it requires the outdated and ever-more-difficult-to-find ChaDeMo charging port. It’s fine if you can always charge at home; otherwise, finding a compatible public charger can be vexing. We think the Leaf still has value as a household’s second or third vehicle. However, it doesn’t quite work for us as a family’s key source of transportation.

We’ve logged hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of electric cars, including the Leaf.

Nissan didn’t initiate a single update for the 2025 Leaf. In what we’re told is this generation’s final year of production, the Leaf’s future is still somewhat of a mystery. There are rumors of a Leaf SUV for 2026, but nothing official from Nissan. We don’t think we are sticking out our neck to say that whatever form the 2026 Leaf takes; it will be affordable and deliver a lot more range.

Certainly, one of the more attractive aspects of the Leaf is its base model’s affordable price. Unchanged for 2025, its price is less expensive than any other fully electric model — and not less by a few bucks, but by thousands. However, our enthusiasm ends there because what you get for that bargain-basement price is also the stingiest range (149 miles) of almost any EV. The next-in-line Leaf SV Plus has 212 miles of range, which still hovers around the bottom of the EV-range spectrum. Moreover, moving up to the Leaf SV Plus adds about eight grand to the bottom line.

When pondering the Leaf S or Leaf SV, here’s an idea: The entry-level Hyundai Kona EV is about four grand less than the Leaf SV Plus and delivers an estimated maximum range of 261 miles.

Before buying a new Nissan Leaf, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. The Leaf’s below-average resale values don’t help with its value equation. Remember, recouping more money when you sell a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on your next one.

In the S trim, the 2024 Leaf puts 147 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque through to the front wheels. It’ll hit 60 mph in less than eight seconds, which is decent and illustrates, in a modest way, how efficient electric motors are at delivering thrust. The SV Plus employs a gutsier motor and a bigger battery to achieve 214 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque, knocking more than a second off the 0-60 sprint. That qualifies it as a quick little car.

We enjoyed driving the Leaf, even after we stepped out of a more powerful, more modern EV and climbed straight into our latest test Leaf. We wouldn’t call it especially thrilling, but it’s stable and predictable, quiet and easy, and comfortable and competent. We’ve found outward vision to be decent. Moreover, arranging an ideal driving position takes little time or effort. Another big plus: The Leaf’s small size makes parking a cinch.

At the Leaf’s price point, we’re not surprised that quite a bit of plastic is deployed in the cabin. The craftsmanship is acceptable, and the overall design is completely workable. One nice little futuristic touch that caught our eye is the automatic transmission selector with its blue light. The main color scheme, though, is predominantly black, and the seats are covered with a suede-like material.

Space is adequate for a subcompact hatchback. We feel its rear legroom is more generous than the official measurement of 33.5 inches. It’s certainly workable for average-size adults. The luggage area behind the 60/40-split folding rear seats is a useful 23.6 cubic feet, opening to 30 cubic feet when you fold those seats. For context, the Hyundai Kona EV (an SUV) provides 38.3 inches of rear-seat legroom. The Kona’s cargo space measures 25.5 cubic feet with the rear seats upright and 63.7 cubic feet when folded — more than twice the space the Leaf offers.

We found that the Leaf sits a bit higher than expected as a small hatchback. We have no gripes about the styling — in other words, the Leaf still looks contemporary. However, one corner cut to help hold down the base price is the use of steel wheels. We like Nissan’s current grille design, featuring an illuminated badge on the Leaf. We find that positioning the charge port in the nose simplifies pulling up to charging stations.

E-Pedal mode
One-pedal driving is a specialty of electric vehicles. Nissan calls this setting E-Pedal. It’s when the level of brake regeneration (which is set by the driver) slows the car as soon as you release pressure on the accelerator pedal and can bring it to a complete stop. Many of our editors will use one-pedal driving exclusively when available.

Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Sure, we expect phone integration with our new cars these days, but considering the Leaf’s age and price, it’s pleasantly surprising to see it as standard.

Driver information
Like trip computers and fuel gauges in cars that use combustion engines, the Leaf provides the driver with information on real-time and average energy consumption.

NissanConnect EV
This tech comes with the SV Plus version, allowing drivers to connect with their Nissan Leaf using a smartphone app to check on the amount of charge, control when to start charging, and even dial in the ideal cabin temperature before setting off.

ProPilot Assist
Available only in the SV Plus, this adaptive cruise control system has a stop/hold/go function plus minor steering inputs to keep the car in its lane. We place its performance in the top half of such systems.

Intelligent Around View Monitor
Even though the Leaf is easy to park and maneuver, we still appreciate this 360-degree camera system that comes in the SV Plus trim. It’s amazing how much we rely on this feature when we have it.

In our testing, we found the Leaf S and its 149-mile range work best when restricted to quick work commutes and other short-mileage, errand-running trips. That’s because many public chargers aren’t compatible with the Leaf’s setup. Consequently, recharging each night at home is the ideal situation. The SV Plus enjoys a better range of 212 miles, but as we’ve pointed out, that still doesn’t compare well to other EVs like the Hyundai Kona.

Charging the battery in the S takes about 7.5 hours when using a 240-volt home setup. A DC fast charger can juice it or the SV Plus up to 80% in 40 minutes or so, which is almost twice as long as today’s EVs and for fewer miles. The SV Plus requires more than 11 hours for a full replenishment using a 240-volt supply.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

Nissan’s traditional new-vehicle limited bumper-to-bumper warranty applies to the Leaf: three years or 36,000 miles, whichever happens first. It also has the standard powertrain warranty of five years or 60,000 miles. This coverage is common among mainstream marques, but Hyundai and Kia do better. Nissan Leaf batteries are covered by an 8-year/100,000-mile warranty, whichever occurs first.

Safety Ratings

The Leaf earned a maximum 5-Star overall score from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and rear automatic braking.