Friend of the site Connie Peters drives the 2026 Nissan Leaf.
Take a look at the video or transcript below to see what she thinks. Hint: The word “value” is involved.
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A transcript, cleaned up by AI and edited by a staffer, is below.
[Image: Video Thumbnail]
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Transcript:
You guys, I’m here with the totally redesigned 2026 Nissan Leaf. Yes, this little EV—one of the originals—has gotten cuter, more stylish, more modern, bigger, and offers better range. I love this color—it’s so bright and really pops.
We get cool pop-out door handles that extend as you approach the vehicle and retract when you walk away with the key fob. This is the mid-trim, the SV Plus. There’s a trim below it, the S+, and a Platinum Plus above it. This one rides on 18-inch wheels and offers more range overall. The new Leaf can get up to 488 km (303 miles) of range in the base version.
Let’s go for a drive.
We’ve been driving all around Prince Edward County, a few hours outside of Toronto, and this new Leaf is quiet and incredibly comfortable. I’ve always loved Nissan’s Zero Gravity seats, and these are no exception.
It produces 214 horsepower and 261 lb-ft of torque, which is a great amount of power for a vehicle of this size. It’s front-wheel drive, and a smaller battery pack version is also coming.
There are three trims, and the base gets the most range—up to 488 km (303 miles). We’re in the mid-spec SV Plus, so we get slightly less range. As you move up in trims, range decreases a bit due to added weight from features and larger wheels. This trim has 18-inch wheels, while the top Platinum gets 19-inch wheels. Wheel size impacts range because of increased air resistance.
We’ve been driving on country roads, highways, and through a lot of rain today, and it’s been consistently comfortable and quiet. Again, I love Nissan’s seats.
Up front, we have all-LED lighting. There’s AC charging on one side and DC fast charging on the other. The styling is unique—unmistakably Leaf—but I think it looks great. Around the back, there’s updated Nissan badging and a clean design.
There’s plenty of cargo space behind the rear seats, with a 60/40 split and some additional underfloor storage.
Inside, I love this blue and black color combination—it looks fantastic. We get two large screens side-by-side under one piece of glass: a digital driver display and an infotainment system with Google built-in. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all trims, though Google built-in isn’t available on the base model.
We also get haptic controls, heated seats, and single-zone automatic climate control. The heated steering wheel is controlled through the screen. There’s access to apps, the Google Play Store, and Google Assistant.
This SV Plus trim also includes ambient lighting. It’s really comfortable to drive, with a nice two-tone interior design. Up front, there are two cupholders, a small storage cubby, a wireless charging pad, and a push-button gear selector. We also get a 360-degree camera.
Nissan’s e-Pedal system allows for one-pedal driving, and you can adjust regenerative braking using paddle shifters. There are four levels of regen. The steering wheel features haptic controls for adaptive cruise control and audio.
In the back seat, there’s plenty of room—even with the front seats set far back. The floor is flat, and we have heated outboard seats, two USB-C ports, air vents, and seatback pockets.
This model has a solid roof, but the Platinum Plus adds a panoramic electrochromic glass roof that can tint and untint.
I really like the blue and white seats in this trim—they look great. The front seats use a slightly more premium material than the rear. There’s also a center armrest with two cupholders and LATCH anchors for child seats.
Nice touch: the light-colored seatbelts match the seats.
So, what do you think of the new Leaf? There’s a lot to like, especially at this price point. In the U.S., it starts just under $30,000 for the larger battery version, with a smaller battery option coming. In Canada, the base starts just under $45,000.
This is the mid-trim SV Plus. The Platinum adds features like larger wheels and the panoramic glass roof, and comes in at just over $52,000 CAD (or just under $39,000 USD).
Lots of range, plenty of power, and a ton of space and features—ambient lighting, wireless CarPlay, and Google built-in. There’s a lot to love here.
What do you think? Leave a question or a comment, and we’ll see you next time.
