The 2026 Nissan Leaf Will Help You Forget About A Cheap Tesla

The 2026 Leaf debuted today, showing its sleek new design and sophisticated new electrical architecture, and like just about everything else for sale these days, it's now considered a "crossover" despite its hatchback-shaped predecessor being both taller and longer. As before, the Nissan Leaf will offer two different batteries and two power levels for the front-drive electric motor, but otherwise, the EV is a wholesale departure from the first two generations – and consumers will be all the better for it.

A High-Riding Hatch With Sleeker Aero
The next-generation Leaf ditches its predecessors' flat-top styling in favor of a higher roofline that arches over the passenger compartment and swoops down toward a subtle ducktail spoiler. Viewed in profile, the slope-nosed EV bears a passing resemblance to the Tesla Model Y, although Nissan says its triangular D-pillar trim, upkicked beltline, and contrast-painted roof were inspired by the Nissan Z sports car rather than any outside influence. There's plenty of Ariya in the front end graphic, which makes use of a full-width daytime running light bar and hashmark-shaped parking lamps arrayed in a sleek, rhomboid shield on the front end.

The Leaf's Kamm-style tail is all aerodynamic edges, with the unusual taillamps featuring two horizontal and three vertical lighting elements per side – two-three translates to "ni-san" in Japanese, a homophone for the company name. The rear end's blackout graphic encompasses the ducktail spoiler and hatch glass, again imparting a squint-and-you'll-see-it resemblance to the Nissan Z. Aerodynamic tweaks include narrowed panel gaps, flush front and hidden rear door handles, and a bluff rear end, reducing the car's drag coefficient from 0.29 to 0.26 – similar to the Hyundai Kona Electric (0.27) and a bit better than the unofficial numbers for the Chevrolet Equinox EV (around 0.33).

However, apart from the arched roofline, it's difficult to see what makes the next-generation Leaf a "crossover," since it's a fair bit smaller than the outgoing EV. Measuring 173.4 inches bumper to bumper and riding on a 105.9-inch wheelbase, the new Leaf is exactly 3 inches and 0.2 inches shorter than before, respectively, and its 61.3-inch-high roofline is between 0.2 and 0.4 inches lower than 2025 models. Width, however, is up 0.8 inches, giving the 2026 Leaf a squarer stance when combined with the proportionally lengthened wheelbase.

2026 Nissan Leaf Interior Studio 1Nissan
Unsurprisingly given the smaller footprint, cargo space is down a bit with the second row in place, going from 23.6 cubic feet in the 2025 Leaf to 20 even in the 2026 model. However, fold that seat flat and cargo room jumps massively – thanks to a lower-mounted battery and some relocated hardware, the new Leaf can swallow 55.5 cubic feet to the old one's paltry 30 cubes. Passenger space also improves. The higher hood allowed Nissan engineers to relocate the Leaf's heating and air conditioning from underneath the dashboard, meaning the seats could be relocated to maximize legroom (which jumps nearly 9 inches for rear-seat passengers to 42.4).

Better Living Through Chemistry
The 2026 Nissan Leaf's improvements extend further into its architecture. Now riding on the same CMF-EV platform as the Ariya, the Leaf comes with the buyer's choice of either a 52-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery or a 75-kWh unit, with the former getting a front-mounted 174-horsepower, 254-pound-foot electric motor, output that expands by 40 horses and 7 torques with the larger battery. Both power units are now liquid-cooled, which should help ensure their longevity – the old Leaf was prone to rather severe battery degradation in hot weather. And when the temperature drops, the 2026 model captures heat from the on-board charger and electric motors to keep the battery at operating temperature, while a standard heat pump warms the cabin without wasting energy.

And in a nod to modern trends, the 2026 Leaf will be the first Nissan to come standard with a NACS/J3400 DC charger on the passenger side, enabling it to take advantage of the Ionna and Tesla charging networks. A J1772 AC connector remains on the driver side front fender for those with a Level 2 charger already installed at home – it won't be compatible with the Level 3 CCS DC fast chargers currently found at many non-Tesla charging locations, but it will still accommodate Level 2 public charging if necessary. Its on-board NACS connector will allow the Nissan Leaf to charge at 150 kilowatts, competitive with the Equinox EV and better by around 50 kW than the Kona Electric.

2026 Nissan Leaf Exterior Details 6Nissan
Nissan isn't ready to estimate range for the smaller 52-kWh battery, but it did say the 75-kWh unit would be good for up to 303 miles, better than the 287 miles offered by the Ariya despite that vehicle boasting a larger, 91-kWh battery. We think the shorter-range Leaf will still be capable of at least 200 miles between charges, making it a decent option for utilitarians who want to pay for only what they need and not a penny more.

Three Trim Levels, But Pricing TBD
The base trim will be the late-availability S, which is the only version to get the smaller battery and less powerful drive unit. Nevertheless, it still features a pair of 12.3-inch displays for the instrument cluster and infotainment, a heat pump, vehicle-to-load charging capability, and Nissan ProPilot Assist. Moving to the S+ trim brings the larger battery and more power. The SV+ gets a few key appearance and convenience upgrades, including 18-inch aluminum wheels, dual 14.3-inch screens, and additional USB-C chargers in the cabin, while the Platinum+ trim receives a heated steering wheel, 64-color ambient lighting, and Bose Personal Plus audio system also found in the latest Nissan Kicks, which includes headrest-mounted speakers.

The 2026 Nissan Leaf will arrive in dealer showrooms this fall, with pricing announced closer to that date. A company representative did say that he expected the Leaf to be one of the cheapest vehicles in the EV crossover category, which includes the $34,995 Chevrolet Equinox EV and the $34,425 Hyundai Kona Electric. Given the outgoing Leaf's $29,280 starting price, albeit for the 149-mile-rated S base trim, the 2026 model is likely to be more expensive than its predecessor since Nissan is benchmarking cheap crossovers. Bummer, but at least there's a lot more technology, range, and comfort to appreciate in the tradeoff.