New Nissan Leaf fully revealed with sleek SUV styling and 375-mile range
Once a dowdy EV, the Nissan Leaf is now a sleek and slippery hyper-miler you might actually want to buy
One of the big EV innovators that helped push electric cars into the mainstream has been completely reimagined, because where once the Nissan Leaf was a sensible, somewhat awkward C-segment hatchback, this all-new generation is much more interesting. That’s not just because of its arresting design, but also because it now packs some impressive numbers that will bring it right back into play against key rivals, such as the Kia EV3 and Volkswagen ID.3.
It’s those two key competitors that Nissan has its eye on, appealing to both the short-range urban dweller and, thanks to a new long-range battery option, high-mileage business users. The new long-range battery is a 75kWh unit that gives the Leaf up to 375 miles of range, which matches the EV3’s best efforts and besting the ID.3’s maximum claimed 369-mile figure. This feeds power to a front-mounted 214bhp electric motor and will go from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, before topping out at 100mph.
Nissan quotes DC charging speeds of up to 150kW, topping up the battery from 20 to 80 per cent in less than 30 minutes. However, a UK-based development team has also been testing the Leaf during sustained high-speed driving that should give owners a better idea of motorway efficiency. In this case, Nissan says the long-range Leaf will still offer around 204 miles on a single charge at a sustained 80mph.
The entry-level 52kWh battery, which is aimed more at urban use, is still impressive on the WLTP cycle, reaching 270 miles from a charge, with 138 miles achieved on the in-house 80mph test. This version is powered by a slightly less powerful 174bhp electric motor, and slows down the charging to 105kW – yet the smaller battery retains a 30-minute 20-80 per cent refill figure. Its 0-62mph time is 8.6 seconds and hits the same 100mph top speed.
Design, interior and tech
Yet a big battery is only one of the elements required for long range figures, and in this respect Nissan’s designers have worked hard to make the Leaf into a much more slippery and efficient EV. The sloping roofline, Kamm-tail rear end and clever aero tricks around the front contribute to an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.25 – excellent for the class and above many key rivals.
The sloping roofline has also been a key driver of change when it comes to the car’s overall form, with Giovanni Arroba explaining to Auto Express about the latest model’s design philosophy. “The Leaf is all about muscularity, wheel orientation, agility, but it should still have a sense of chic, urban, sleek and sexiness,” he explained. “The shape of the Leaf very much is again, shaped by bringing 604 kilometres [of range] to the customer within that price range.”
Nissan has also sprinkled in plenty of nineties-inspired design details, which was a heyday for the brand. Elements such as three-dimensional rear lights and their clever ‘Ni-San’ (or two-three in Japanese) graphics, plus references to sports models like the 300ZX around the blacked-out rear panel, all suggest that the company is leaning into something the newer Chinese and Korean brands don’t have: heritage.
It might appear like a big car, but pictures don’t quite do the Leaf justice, because it’s one of very few EVs that looks smaller in the flesh. At 4,350mm long, it’s only around 50mm lengthier than the boxy Kia EV3. The Leaf is available with 18 or 19-inch wheels, although specific trim levels and pricing have yet to be confirmed for the UK market.
The cabin’s interior design is much more contemporary, with the clean and uncluttered dash layout prioritising a digital-heavy interface, but without totally relegating physical controls to the bin. The twin-screen display is new for Nissan, and comprises dual 14.3-inch screens that are even bigger than the Nissan Ariya’s. They also run a fresh native interface that’s powered by the latest electronic hardware, and include elements such as intelligent voice control and a Google-based navigation system.
Just below the main screen bank is a set of touch-sensitive controls for the air-conditioning, and between the air vents are a simple volume knob, track-seek buttons and a shortcut for the parking cameras. High-spec models will also feature a Bose sound system, including a dedicated speaker that can relay navigation and warning sounds to the driver without interrupting passengers.
Boot space and practicality
The rear seats are spacious for the class, with good knee and legroom. A flat floor means foot room is decent, while there is plenty of headroom, despite the sloping roofline. Nissan will offer a glass roof on higher-specification models, which includes the same changeable glass that can block sunlight across the roof in stages. As well as making the cabin brighter, the glass roof also increases rear headroom by 30mm.
There’s plenty of space in the cabin, with good storage for small items combined with a vast, open area under the dashboard to really hammer home that this is a bespoke EV, rather than one based on an existing ICE platform. The 437-litre boot is also a good size and is 50 litres bigger than the previous-generation Leaf. However, more upright rivals will likely be more versatile when it comes to loading bulky items.
Specifications and prices
Nissan will split the Leaf into four trim levels: Engage, Engage+. Advance and Evolve. Specific features and pricing for each of these will be revealed closer to its launch in the fourth quarter of 2025, but Nissan has suggested that both the standard equipment and pricing will be competitive with the Volkswagen ID.3, Cupra Born, Kia EV3 and Hyundai Kona Electric.
So while the Nissan Leaf might have been a trailblazer when it first brought EV motoring to the masses, its relative inability to capitalise on that lead has made the previous model something of an afterthought in the era of bespoke EVs from Europe, Korea and, now, China.
However, this new generation signals that Nissan is committed to getting back to the sharp end of the class, and has ensured that its Sunderland factory in the UK is equipped for the sales volume the company hopes to see.
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