First Drive of the 2026 Nissan LEAF

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Nissan was the primary automaker to ship an reasonably priced manufacturing electrical car to the US market. For 2026, the LEAF has been given a full facelift from the within out.

Nissan invited CleanTechnica out to San Diego, California, to be a few of the first individuals on the planet to drive the brand new 2026 Nissan LEAF.

Disclaimer: Nissan paid for the writer’s journey and lodging to attend this occasion.

Exterior

Proper out of the gate, the intense blue 2026 Nissan LEAF makes it clear that it isn’t making an attempt to slot in. Its new exterior traces are all about aerodynamics. The nostril has been blunted with a swept again look that wraps up over the modern grille all the best way again up and over the car.

Taking it in from the aspect, a design line emerges that sweeps again from the fender up and over the roof of the car. Alongside the best way, it picks up two distinguished roof rails that look to be designed for roof rack attachments. These rails are unique to the PLAT+ trim package deal.

On the rear of the car, an built-in spoiler on the hatchback helps the air sweeping over the car to separate from the car. The rear hatch pulls ahead traditional Nissan 300 ZX styling with a set of retro LED brake lights with a hidden easter egg.

On both aspect, a pair of horizontal lights accompanies three vertical stripes. The numbers 2 and three, “ni” (に) and “san” (さん) in Japanese, mix to sound just like the model’s identify, “ni-san” (ニッサン). Translation and characters courtesy of Google. It’s a enjoyable design contact that’s featured all through the brand new LEAF.

Effectivity

The graceful grille, clear traces, and built-in spoiler aren’t simply there for seems to be, they’re additionally key components of the LEAF’s aerodynamics. Nissan’s group clearly put a ton of labor into streamlining the brand new design, which interprets in the true world to a coefficient of drag enchancment from 0.29 within the gen-2 LEAF to 0.26 on the brand new 2026 Nissan LEAF.

Aerodynamics are extra than simply wind tunnel stunts and bragging rights, as they translate on to extra miles per kilowatt-hour. The actual trick for electrical autos is optimizing aerodynamics whereas sustaining a gorgeous design. The highest tier PLAT+ trim we drove encompasses a most vary of 259 miles from the 75 kWh battery.

Stepping down within the trim packages, you may improve the out there vary from the 259 miles within the PLAT+ to a formidable 303 miles of vary per cost within the mid-tier S+. It’s considerably counterintuitive that vary drops within the larger trims, however that’s the truth of including sexier rims and extra devices to the car.

Nissan additionally plans to supply a 52 kWh battery with its LEAF S trim sooner or later with an estimated vary 196 miles per cost although the timing and price have but to be finalized.

Inside

The inside of the 2026 Nissan LEAF seems to be and appears like one thing you’ll discover on a way more costly car. Beginning with the seat supplies, Nissan’s “Zero Gravity” leatherette feels luxurious and sturdy on the identical time. The decrease trims include a “Zero Gravity” material inside that we didn’t see on the occasion.

Transferring past the seats, Nissan clearly put lots of effort into ditching exhausting plastics in favor of softer supplies, and it exhibits. This additionally helps hold the cabin a bit quieter.

For colder climates, the SV+ trim package deal affords heated entrance seats, whereas the absolutely loaded PLAT+ trim provides a heated steering wheel and heated rear outboard seats.

Infotainment

While you get into the brand new Nissan LEAF, you’re greeted by a pair of 14.3″ rectangular screens. One sits straight behind the steering wheel, with the second mounted instantly to its proper. The ensuing look is one in all a seamless show spanning a lot of the sprint. On the S+ trim, the first shows are barely smaller at 12.3″.

The display behind the steering wheel is meant for the driving force, with settings that apply on to the driving expertise. That’s consists of all the settings, engagement, and disengagement for Nissan’s ProPilot 2 software program.

The display on the middle of the sprint is a touchscreen that gives management of every thing — the in-car navigation supplied by Google, music, and even streaming companies when the car is parked.

The brand new shows and working system signify an enormous step up for Nissan. We discovered them to be responsive and snappy in our testing. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay followers will probably be comfortable to know that it helps each. Although, in my testing, the native navigation and Google Maps expertise continues to be preferable to Android Auto’s projection characteristic. To every their very own, says Nissan.

Charging

For the brand new 2026 Nissan LEAF, a local NACS port is included on the passenger aspect entrance fender. (Yay!) Curiously, Nissan opted to make this a DC-only NACS port, so it can solely be helpful as a quick charging port. (Boo!)

With the DC-only NACS port on the passenger aspect, all AC charging have to be executed by way of the AC-only J1772 charging port on the entrance driver aspect fender. The brand new Nissan LEAF is being launched at a time when public charging infrastructure continues to be a hybrid panorama with numerous J1772 degree 2 chargers, public CCS chargers, and, in fact, Tesla’s NACS Supercharging community.

Nissan needed to make it straightforward for patrons to make use of public AC chargers and Tesla’s Superchargers, in order that they opted for twin charging ports on the LEAF. Implementing a hybrid design within the car by way of {hardware} lets homeowners use previous and new chargers. Although the necessity for adapters appears inescapable.

The inclusion of two charging requirements on completely different sides of the car will inevitably add a layer of frustration for brand spanking new EV drivers who undoubtedly don’t perceive the distinction between DC and AC charging. Having to be taught and keep in mind the right solution to park at completely different chargers relying on the plug looks like a further headache new EV drivers simply don’t want.

That’s very true when Tesla’s vacation spot chargers push AC out of a NACS port and lots of many public quick chargers nonetheless use the CCS commonplace in North America. The result’s a car with twice as many charging ports as a typical EV that may nonetheless require two adapters for lots of conditions.

It’s irritating, but it surely’s additionally not tough to think about the LEAF evolving to a degree the place it can solely have a single NACS port on the driving force’s aspect with the aptitude to cost with AC or DC. Because the previous CCS and J1772 networks part out, this one port will probably be all that’s wanted.

Driving expertise

Driving the brand new Nissan LEAF, we discovered it to be extraordinarily succesful and nicely mannered on every thing from metropolis streets, to excessive speeds on freeways, to aggressive sprints by backcountry corkscrews.

Nissan’s engineers labored their magic to really optimize the suspension and reduce physique roll, as a result of this factor handles like a dream at excessive speeds. Ripping by a few of the again canyons east of metro San Diego, the LEAF proved to be exceptionally succesful with virtually no physique roll, even on probably the most aggressive curves. Due to its low battery and spectacular suspension design, it handles higher than most sports activities automobiles we’ve pushed whatever the value level.

That makes it an amazing possibility for individuals on the lookout for one thing that’s sensible for commuting through the week, however nonetheless trying to get out and get their blood pumping on the weekend.

Flipping by the 4 driving modes — eco, commonplace, sport, and private — modifications the acceleration traits of the car a bit, but it surely nonetheless appears like acceleration is being suppressed by the car’s software program.

It could be a ton of enjoyable if Nissan made a NISMO model of the brand new LEAF all-wheel drive, and even only a absolutely unleashed model of the front-wheel drive motor it has in it already.

The regen modes and braking go away a bit to be desired, as even with Nissan’s E-Step engaged, letting off the accelerator is not going to deliver the car to an entire cease with regen alone. Equally, exhausting braking does deliver the car to a cease, however the ABS system kicks in sooner than mandatory, leading to worse efficiency than you’d count on for a car with a chassis that has in any other case been dialed in as tightly as this one has.

Total

The Nissan LEAF has all the time been one of the vital reasonably priced electrical autos on the market, and with the refresh for 2026, it’s a screaming deal. The 2026 Nissan LEAF presently begins at $29,999 for the S+, with the SV+ at $34,230 and the highest tier PLAT+ trim we drove tipping the scales at $38,990. All trims additionally get hit with a $1,495 supply payment.

Its set to reach on vendor tons within the fall of 2025, simply as Nissan phases the ARIYA out of the US for 2026. Which means no federal incentives for the LEAF; although, the introduction of the Nissan LEAF within the S trim sooner or later ought to provide a cheaper price level for budget-conscious patrons. Because it stands in the present day, the 2026 Nissan LEAF S+ with its 303 miles of vary per cost and budget-friendly $29,999 price ticket is an absurd worth.

Magnificence is all the time within the eye of the beholder, however the brand new Nissan LEAF has seems to be which are positive to enchantment to the plenty, particularly once they begin evaluating the spectacular worth equation it brings to the market.

That’s much more true if you have in mind 300+ miles of vary per cost for the S+ paired with the spectacular capabilities of the brand new suspension dynamics and chassis it comes on.

Head over to the 2026 Nissan LEAF’s official web site for extra info or to search out one close to you.