2026 Nissan LEAF Goes Full Crossover—Sort Of
The third generation Nissan LEAF has just been introduced and according to the official press release, it’s no longer the spunky little electric hatchback we know. The new vehicle has now gone full crossover, well, at least according to the manufacturer. A deeper look at the stats doesn’t have us overly convinced.
Despite the brand’s new classification, the third generation LEAF is smaller than the current car. Officially, the new LEAF is shorter in overall length, down to 173.4 inches compared to 176.4-inches for the current model. The roofline is also a bit lower at 61.3-inches, down 0.1-0.4-inches depending on trim.
The one area the car has increased is width, up nearly an inch to 71.3-inches. Perhaps the most damning spec though is ground clearance. Crossovers usually sit higher than cars, but the new LEAF has a minimum ground clearance of 5.3-inches, which is 0.6-inches less than the 2025 LEAF.
New Look, Sleeker Design
2026 Nissan LEAF: All the Details
The Leaf does have a more SUV-Coupe-like styling, with a raked liftback and high center cabin. Up front is a black grille that can include optional lighting elements like an illuminated Nissan emblem, stacked rectangular lighting elements and a full-width running lamp. At the back of the car, the roofline features a katana blade-like molding, like the one on the Nissan Z.
All 2026 LEAF’s will include a spoiler on the liftgate which helps aerodynamic performance. The drag coefficient of the new vehicle is 0.26, down from the current LEAF’s 0.29 rating. Nissan is jumping on the flush-handle EV trend with the front door handles motorized to go flush when the door is closed. The rear handles are concealed in the C-pillar.
The 2026 LEAF SV+ comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, while LEAF PLATINUM+ models get 19-inch wheels. Color choices for the new LEAF include Seabreeze Blue Pearl with Black roof, Coulis Red Pearl with black roof, Everest White Pearl Tricoat with black roof, Boulder Gray Pearl with black roof, Deep Ocean Blue Pearl, Everest White, Gun Metallic and Black Diamond Pearl.
Greater Range, Greater Power, Greater Batteries
Like the current car, the new LEAF will be offered with two motor options and two battery sizes. The smaller motor sees a significant increase in power, now rated at 174 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque: increases of 60 hp and 18 lb-ft respectively. The larger motor continues to generate 214 hp, but torque increases 11 lb-ft to 261 lb-ft total.
Similarly, the battery choices have increased as well. The 2026 LEAF can be had with a 52 kWh battery or a larger 75 kWh unit. Although official range numbers for the smaller battery and smaller motor combination are yet to be released, the larger pack and 214 hp motor will enable 259-303 miles depending on trim. When the LEAF is depleted, it can charge at speeds up to 150 kW and features a larger 7.2 kW onboard charger.
Easier Charging
Perhaps the coolest feature of the LEAF is that it includes dual charging ports. On the driver’s side of the vehicle is a J1772 charge port, which is compatible with many public chargers. On the passenger’s side of the car is a NACS charge port that can be used with the Tesla Supercharger network. Another feature to help make charging easier is Nissan’s new Plug & Charge system. It allows drivers to plug the LEAF into a compatible public charger and the charging session will begin without needing to prompt it from an app or swipe a payment card.
The new battery packs are sealed by a resin cover beneath the vehicle that should help to keep cold air, snow and slush away from it during the winter. The LEAF can also now capture wasted heat from the drive motor and the on-board charger, and re-purpose that heat to warm the battery to its ideal temperature. While on the topic of heat, the third generation LEAF has a standard heat pump with an available battery heater as well.
2-3 Inside and Out
Throughout the car, Nissan has incorporated what the brand refers to as “2-3” iconography consisting of two rectangles paired with three perpendicularly aligned rectangles. This “2-3” theme is in reference to the brand’s name, which is pronounced “ni-san” in Japanese. This graphic is featured in the headlights, tail lamps, wheels and some places on the interior.
The new LEAF has new front seats that allow for more rear-seat legroom, which is apparently up around nine-inches in total length to 42.4-inches. There’s more space for front seat passengers as well with a slimmer center console thanks to the shifter moving to the dashboard. With a smaller vehicle and more rear seat space, something had to be sacrificed and it’s the amount of cargo the new generation LEAF can carry. Quoted at 20.0 cubic feet, it’s down 3.6 compared to the current car.
Available options on the new LEAF include 64-color ambient lighting, an electro-dimming panoramic roof, Bose 10 speaker audio system, wireless phone charger, as well as Google built-in that includes Google Maps, Google Assistant and the Play Store.
Standard in the LEAF will be dual 12.3-inch screens with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto. The SV+ and Platinum+ models get larger 14.3-inch dual screens.
Standard Safety
All LEAF trims will come with Nissan Safety Shield 360 and ProPILOT Assist. It will also offer 3D Intelligent Around View Monitor, featuring eight cameras. There will also be a Nissan-first safety technology called Secondary Collision Mitigation Braking. It works by applying the brakes after an air bag control unit detects a collision, to avoid the vehicle rolling away if the driver is unconscious.
More details and pricing on the third-generation LEAF will be available closer to launch.
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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Another abominable boring crossover. What for?
Just a word omitted: Since the preceding sentence said "Perhaps the most damning spec though is ground clearance," I assume next sentence was meant to say new LEAF has a minimum ... which is 0.6-inches LESS than the 2025 LEAF. (Didn't say less or more, but clear by the context).