After giving a glimpse of the car earlier this year, the 2026 Nissan Leaf has been fully unveiled as the third generation of America’s original mass-market EV. It’s coming out this Fall as a 2026 model, and it will eventually rival the 2027 Chevy Bolt EV, expected to begin production by the end of 2025.
The biggest news with the third-generation Nissan Leaf is that it’s evolved from a compact hatchback into a small crossover. Despite being a crossover, it actually has a little less backseat space than its predecessor but more cargo room.
Every Nissan Leaf has a single-motor, front-wheel drive configuration, but two motors and battery packs are available. The base S trim employs a 174-horsepower motor and a 52 kWh battery pack. Meanwhile, every other trim uses a 214-horsepower motor and a 75 kWh battery that gets up to 303 miles of range, but only in the S+ trim. This is a big improvement in range over the 2025 model, which only has a 212-mile max range. A range rating for the S trim is forthcoming.
DC Fast Charging replenishes the battery from 10 to 80 percent in as little as 35 minutes. A unique perk of the new Leaf is two charge ports: a J1772 port on one side and a North American Charging System (NACS) port on the other. The J1772 port is for charging at home and at most Level 2 public charging stations, but it won’t work with a bulkier CCS plug. The NACS port is intended for fast charging at Tesla Supercharger and IONNA charging stations. Having two charge ports minimizes the need for an adapter at a public charging station. The new Leaf also has V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) capability.
The NissanConnect infotainment system uses a pair of 12.3-inch screens in the lower trims and 14.3-inch screens in the upper trims. Going up to the Platinum+ trim brings luxuries like 19-inch wheels, a head-up display, a panoramic moonroof, a hands-free liftgate, a Bose Personal Plus audio system with headrest speakers.
The wheelbase of the 2026 Nissan Leaf is almost identical to that of the discontinued Chevy Bolt EUV, and the leaf is about four inches longer overall. This indicates that the closest GM rival to the 2026 Leaf will be the Chevy Equinox EV when the new Leaf comes out later this year, but it will be a closer rival to the upcoming 2027 Chevy Bolt EV, entering a new generation as a small crossover similar to the Bolt EUV. Pricing isn’t out yet for the 2026 Nissan Leaf, but we expect a starting price in the mid-$30k range.
Comments
needs some design corrections but seems ok with this colour
If this is a crossover, we need an immediate new definition of crossover. It’s a car, period. And it’ll be a LOT pricier than the current one. It’s OK, however.
It’s a crossover. No doubt of that. Period.
you probably mean “we are over with those cross”
for the one usa nose up north americans who complain my english, tried to enhance you probably mean “we are over with those crossES”
Nice looking update by Nissan on the Leaf. Although the Dual charging ports is idiotic.
Now Chevrolet knows what Bar they need to cross to be better with the upcoming Bolt.
Bolt better be modern inside and out!!!
Yea suddenly there’s no room for screwups by Chevy now.
As owner of a Chevy Volt, I will never change it for a Bolt, a Leaf or any SUV or crossover. Cancelling the Volt was one GM biggest mistakes. But mistake after miatake is the story of GM (particularly in the present century).
Hopefully, the new Leaf has a liquid cooled battery and not the air cooled battery on the old Leafs. Batteries in the older Leafs deteriorated fast without the liquid cooling found in almost all other EVs.
It does. Only the first gen had a significant issue, the second gen while still air cooled had a redesign in the cooling and battery chemistry that significantly helped.
The new one Liquid cooled.
By today’s standards the new Leaf offers a welcome change in styling for a practical EV. One hopes the color palette follows suit and a bit daring, playful, and fun. Fair play to Nissan for being early to the EV game and sticking with through thick and thin.
By today’s standards the new Leaf offers a welcome change in styling for a practical and relatively affordable EV. One hopes the color palette follows suit and is a bit daring, playful, and fun. Fair play to Nissan for being early to the EV game and sticking with it through thick and thin.