Nissan Leaf Review 2025: Prices, specs & verdict

What is the Nissan Leaf?

The Nissan Leaf is the car that brought electric vehicles into the mainstream. Easy to use, spacious for families and reasonably affordable, the Leaf is proof that EVs are a credible alternative to diesel- or petrol-powered cars. 

Fast forward 15 years and Leaf has earned itself a chapter in British automotive manufacturing history, with over 700,000 cars rolling off the production line at Nissan’s Sunderland plant. And that success story is growing with the launch of this, the third-generation Leaf.

Like the original 2011 Nissan Leaf, the latest version has mass appeal with its fresh design, smart tech and modern interior surpassing its predecessor on every level.

There are significant upgrades under the metal, too, in the form of two new batteries that are constructed at Nissan’s new gigafactory next to the River Wear. According to Nissan, the third-gen Leaf will cover up to 386 miles on a single charge  – a big improvement on the last previous model.

However, unlike the early 2010s, the Leaf is not the only EV show in town. In fact, there has never been a better time to buy an electric car with a comprehensive range of models on offer.

Indeed, the electric family car market is highly competitive with the Kia EV3, Skoda Elroq, Volkswagen ID.3 and Volvo EX40 all fighting for a piece of the action. Can Nissan keep ahead of the curve with the latest Leaf?

Read on to find out of the Nissan Leaf is good enough to rival the best electric cars on sale today.

Verdict: is the Nissan Leaf a good car?

The Nissan Leaf is an extremely likeable electric car. Effortless to drive and extremely refined, it is a well-rounded effort that reaffirms the Leaf’s place as a market leading EV. Its smooth and soft driving manners may leave some enthusiastic drivers cold, but we think the Leaf’s low running costs and upmarket interior will win over the majority of family car buyers.

Pricing, specs & rivals

Pricing for the Nissan Leaf is to be confirmed, but expect the entry model with the 52kWh battery to start at around £33,000 while the ‘extended range’ 75kWh battery can be yours from around £36,000.

Nissan expect the third-gen Leaf to qualify for the £3,750 Electric Car Grant, which should lower the starting price for the 52kWh version to under £30,000. 

Nissan is yet to reveal the full spec for the Leaf line-up, but expect four trim levels – Engage, Engage+, Advance and Evolve.

The Leaf with the 52kwh battery is limited to Engage and Engage+ trim, while the 75kWh version is available in Advance and Evolve spec only.

Most versions of the Leaf get automatic LED headlights, 19in alloy wheels, parking sensors and a reversing camera. Inside, you get a fully digital dashboard with a pair of 14.3in screens that feature built-in Google functionality for maps, navigation and in-car apps.

You can also specify the Leaf with a panoramic roof that features liquid crystals so you can adjust it from being clear to opaque at the touch of a button.

Rivals

The Nissan Leaf is similarly priced to the Kia EV3, but more expensive than the Volkswagen ID.3 and Skoda Elroq.

If you want something more upmarket then you may want to think about the Volvo EX40, but this is more expensive compared to the Leaf. The Peugeot E-408, Citroen e-C4 and Toyota C-HR are rivals worthy of consideration.  

Nissan Leaf: Interior comfort, quality & technology

The interior of the Nissan Leaf is bright, airy and comfortable. It’s perhaps not quite as plush as some of its pricier rivals, but the upmarket fit and finish is as good as anything you’ll find in the Kia EV3 and Volkswagen ID.3.

The dashboard is dominated by a pair of 14.3in displays (for the instruments and infotainment) and there is no shortage of premium, soft-touch materials.

The cabin is not as upmarket as the Volvo EX40, but we think it is on par with the EV3 and E-408 with an abundance of high-quality plastics. The door trims and dashboard of our test car featured a fabric finish, which is pleasant to the touch and adds to the general premium feel of the Leaf.

The panoramic roof allows lots of natural light into the interior and you can switch the glass from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button. The roof graphics feature the Leaf name, which casts its shadow across the rear seats –a smart touch.

There is plenty of adjustment in the front seats, which are comfortable and supportive. Heating and massage functions are available, along with a Bose speaker that is mounted in the headrest of the driver’s seat and provide route directions direct to your ear.

Visibility is fine, although the front seats are mounted quite high, which means tall people may find their eye line is higher than they are accustomed to in the best electric SUVs.

Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity

The infotainment system in the Nissan Leaf is easy to use and genuinely useful. Most of the best bits are found in the Google built-in tech, which makes it easy to use the navigation and find public EV chargers along your route.

Most versions of the Nissan Leaf get two 14.3in screens, with one placed behind the steering wheel and the second located at the centre of the dashboard. However, if you opt for the entry-level Engage trim level then you will only get a pair of 12.3inch screens.

The central display is bright and responsive, with sharp graphics and prompt screen changes. Google Assistant makes it easy to set up the navigation with voice controls, while the dashboard has shortcut touch controls to access core in-car functions (such as heating, ventilation and window demisting controls).

The steering wheel has physical buttons, which are easy to use with a swipe or press of a thumb. You can also get a head-up display, which shows the vehicle’s speed and directions at the bottom corner of the windscreen. The Leaf’s infotainment system is fully compatible with Waze, which means you don’t have to use Google Maps if you don’t want to.  

The infotainment system is fully compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the Google system is so good that we doubt you’ll ever need it.

There is a handy space for your mobile phone within the centre armrest, and you also get a wireless charging pad, which cups your phone and stops it from taking flight across the cabin when you navigate a tight bend in the road.

How practical is the Nissan Leaf?

The Nissan Leaf is something of a mixed bag when it comes to practicality, with the otherwise spacious cabin hindered by the sloping roof (which makes headroom in the back a little snug for tall passengers and restricts bootspace).

That said, the there is plenty of head and shoulder space across the front seats and the boot should cope with everything a family of four can throw at it.

The third-generation Leaf is 130mm shorter and 20mm wider than the old car, but clever internal packaging has allowed Nissan to keep the wheelbase length the same, which means you don’t lose any space or storage.

In fact, being based on the same platform as the Ariya, the Leaf feels marginally larger than before, which means four large adults can travel in comfort, even if the sloping roof means tall passengers in the back will find their heads brushing the roof as is slopes downwards.

Leg and shoulder space is fine across both rows of seats and three adults can just about fit across the rear, although the rear heating controls and vents may dig into the knees of the person in the middle seat.

Storage and boot space

With 437-litres of boot space, the third-generation Nissan Leaf offers broadly the same level of storage as the car it replaces. However, both the Kia EV3 (460) and Skoda Elroq (470) offer more space.

The boot in the Leaf is practical, thanks to its boxy shape. The large opening, height adjustable floor and low loading lip make it easy to get heavy things in and out.

It’s a pity there is no ski hatch. There is also very little space above the parcel shelf, due to the sloping nature of the roofline. But the rear seats do split 60/40, which means you can transport bulky items and people at the same time.

The adjustable boot floor can also be split into two, which means you can divide up the boot to stop things from rolling around or falling over.

Inside, there is decent storage for water bottles and loose items. The large pockets in the front seatbacks are handy for storing children’s books or a small tablet computer. The rear middle seat can also be folded down to provide an arm rest and two extra cup holders.

Performance & drive: What is the Nissan Leaf like on the road?

The Nissan Leaf isn’t as much fun or as agile as the Kia EV3 to drive due to its soft setup, but we do rate it as one of the best family EVs for comfort and refinement. If you are looking for a silky-smooth family EV, the Leaf won’t disappoint.

Most buyers will opt for the 215hp version, which is paired with the 75kWh battery. It covers 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds

The 174hp version is offered with the 52kWh battery – it’s no slouch either, with 0-62mph taking 8.3 seconds.

The Leaf is relaxing to drive, especially on the motorway where it wafts along in near-silence with only the occasional crosswind breaking the otherwise zen-like driving experience.

Power delivery is smooth and predictable, which makes city driving easy without any annoying spikes in acceleration. The brakes are also nicely weighted.

There’s no shortage of grip and the Leaf feels composed for its front-wheel drive set-up, even when pressed hard into a corner at speed.

The light steering is perfect for driving around town, but you don't get a lot of feedback. The Kia EV3 is more agile and engaging to drive, as is the Volkswagen ID.3, but the Leaf’s smooth and refined nature make it the more relaxing over a long journey.

There are four levels of regenerative braking, controlled via wheel-mounted paddles to adjust the braking level. You also get Nissan’s e-pedal mode, which provides the most aggressive form of regen braking that reduces the need to manually apply the brakes due to the fact it can actually stop the car.

Power, 0-62mph times

• Nissan Leaf 52kWh: 174hp/ 8.3 secs
• Nissan Leaf 75kWh: 215hp/ 7.6 secs

Ride and handling

The Nissan Leaf is wonderfully refined, with its soft suspension absorbing all the lumps and bumps we could find on our test routes. Even harsh speed humps do not unsettle the ride quality, which is impressive as our test car was fitted with 19in alloy wheels.  

While some of the Leaf’s rivals are more engaging to drive, we cannot think of any EVs in this price range that better the Leaf for ride comfort and refinement, it’s that good.

Noise and refinement

Road noise is kept to bare minimum and only occasional crosswind noise will extend into the cabin as it passes over the door mirrors.

During our tests we found the electric motor to be whisper quiet, which is the perfect companion for the Leaf’s laidback driving dynamics.  

Euro NCAP: is the Nissan Leaf a safe car?

The third-generation Nissan Leaf has not been tested by Euro NCAP, which means it is yet to be awarded a crash test score.

That said, the Leaf is equipped with a lots of active safety and driver assistance features. This includes intelligent emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist recognition, blind spot intervention and rear cross traffic alert (which warns you of approaching vehicles when reversing out of a parking space).  However, until the Leaf’s spec is confirmed, we don’t know how much of this tech will be fitted as standard to all models.

Charging, range and running costs

With a maximum advertised range of 386 miles, the Nissan Leaf can travel further than many of its key rivals on a full charge. It will also cover up to 269 miles at 70mph, according to Nissan.

Those headline figures are for the Leaf with the 75kWh battery, if you choose the smaller 52kWh version then Nissan says the range will be in the region of 271 miles.

The exact range you will get with the Leaf will be dependent on driving style, weather conditions and the weight that’s being carried in the car. This means Nissan’s claimed 4.5 miles/kWh may differ from your real-world experience.

Most buyers will choose the 75kWh Leaf, which is understandable when you consider it beats the Volvo EX40 (355 miles), Peugeot E-408 (281 miles), Volkswagen ID.3 (369 miles) and Kia EV3 (miles) on range.

Range on a charge (WLTP figures)

• Nissan Leaf 52kWh: 271 miles*
• Nissan Leaf 75kWh: 386 miles

*Pending final homologation

All versions of the 75kWh Leaf get a heat pump, which helps ease the effects of wintry weather on range.

Peak charging for the 75kWh is 150kW and 105kW for the smaller 52kWh battery, with both charging from 20-80% in 30 minutes. Charging from 10 – 100% from a 11kW charger will take around seven hours.

Charging speeds

• 7kW charging: 8hrs 50 mins (52kWh) / 11hrs 50 mins (75kWh)
• 11kW charging: 6hrs( 52kWh)  7hrs (75kWh)
• 105kW rapid charger (20 to 80% charge): 30 mins (52kWh)
• 150kW rapid charger (20 to 80% charge): 30 mins (75kWh)

How much does the Nissan Leaf cost to insure?

Insurance groupings for the Nissan Leaf are yet to be confirmed. However, given the Kia EV3 sits between group 34 – 38, we would expect the Leaf to sit in a similar grouping given its price, powertrain and similar level of standard equipment.