About a decade ago, Nissan had the affordable EV segment in a choke hold. The original Leaf wasn't the prettiest or roomiest transportation pod, nor would it go particularly far or juice itself up particularly quickly, but it made the idea of a "cheap" EV for the masses a reality. But as time went on and competitors like the original Chevy Bolt and Hyundai Kona EV arrived with more range, more power, and more space, Nissan's grip slipped.
Now, Nissan is taking another shot at the affordable-EV shtick with the 2026 Nissan Leaf. It'll be a while before they regain that choke-hold, but this revamped, second-gen Leaf shows they're on the right track.
What's new for 2026?
Nissan phased out production of the original Leaf in 2024, but it returned last fall in time for the 2026 model year. Nissan gave it a whole new look inside and out, more modern tech and all the bells-and-whistles you'd expect, more power and usable range, and most importantly, a sub-$45,000 starting price. Next year, the Leaf will be joined by a rebadged Mitsubishi variant called the Eclipse Sportback; the sub-$40,000, entry-level Leaf S remains indefinitely delayed.
Let's talk about the glow-up
The first two generations of the Nissan Leaf were compact hatchbacks, but this third-generation evolution grows in every single dimension and now errs on the 'crossover' end of the spectrum. Its sleek roofline and tall beltline is reminiscent of the Nissan Ariya, and the hidden rear door handle design is a nice touch. This tester being the loaded Platinum+ trim wears 19-inch wheels and a unique rear lighting treatment that quite literally says 'Nissan'.
Inside, the Leaf's new layout is familiar with what we've seen in other recently redone Nissans. The twin 14.3-inch screens making up the digital gauge cluster and infotainment work just as well here as they do in the Kicks, the two-spoke steering wheel is as funky-looking here as it is in the Ariya and the closely related Murano, and getting used to Nissan's P-R-N-D button layout — you can tell your friends they're the same buttons as the Infiniti QX80, only better because they're fingerprint-resistant — takes no time at all.
Let's talk about the new powertrain
All Leafs — Leaves? — use a 75 kWh battery pack and a 214-horsepower electric motor mounted on the front axle. Skipping out on all-wheel-drive by not fitting a larger battery pack and/or a second electric motor on the rear axle helps keep costs down. That's how the 2027 Bolt and Kona EVs — the Leaf's closest competitors — also remain reasonably priced, though the Toyota C-HR and Subaru Uncharted offer more oomph and range for not much more money.
Nissan intended to launch an entry-level version of the Leaf by now, with a 53 kWh battery pack in place of the 75 kWh unit. That would've brought the price down to the $40,000 mark, putting the Leaf within hitting distance of the the base Bolt and Kia EV4. Alas, with tariffs, Nissan wouldn't have been able to hit that price point.
What's to like?
The 2026 Leaf is easy to get along with. With 261 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Leaf feels punchy around town and doesn't totally run out of breath at speed on the highway. Its steering is also surprisingly well-weighted, and the tall seating position lends to good forward visibility. Also, the 10-speaker Bose Personal sound system complete with headrest speakers bumps surprisingly hard, and the Porsche Taycan-style electrochromic glass roof is a cool touch.
What's not to like?
Despite the outward size increase, the 2026 Leaf still doesn't feel particularly roomy inside. There's a decent amount of space up front, but out back, it doesn't take much for rear passengers to have their knees jammed up against the front seats. It doesn't help that there isn't much space under the seats for your feet, either. The C-HR and Bolt have the most spacious back-seat accommodations by a long shot.
What's more of a dealbreaker is the Leaf's range and charging experience. Nissan rates this Leaf Platinum Plus trim at 417 kilometres; it took 375 real-world kilometres to run the battery from 85 per cent down to 15. Both of those posted and real-world range figures are more than enough for most buyers.
What likely won't cut it is how long it takes to replenish that 75 kWh battery pack. We first plugged in at 15 per cent, yet couldn't believe it when the Leaf estimated a 10-hour and 55-minute charge to full, hooked up to the Level 2 box at our shop. Plugging into a Level 3 fast-charger — which will likely require a NACS port adapter — takes about half an hour to reach 80 per cent, and about 45 minutes to an hour to reach 100 depending on the load.
That's a smidge more tolerable, but you're stuck to public charging. Level 2 charging — the otherwise easy and convenient kind of charging you'd do at home or at work — won't cut it, unless you exclusively charge on weekends.
Final thoughts
If you don't mind relying on public charging, there's plenty to like about this rebooted 2026 Nissan Leaf. It ditches the bug-eyed look, the tech gets a big improvement, it goes further on a charge, and on lower trims, the price is right.
Thing is, not everyone can justify relying on public charging. Power delivery is spotty at best, charging stations don't always work, and sometimes you simply don't want to deal with people. Better get used to charging your 2026 Nissan Leaf over the weekend.