What kind of car is the 2022 Nissan Leaf? What does it compare to?
The 2022 Nissan Leaf is one of the most affordable fully electric new cars you can get—especially if you focus on the 149-mile Leaf versus the 215- to 226-mile Leaf Plus. The five-seat hatchback is a rival for the Chevy Bolt EV, Hyundai Kona EV, and Mazda MX-30.
Is the 2022 Nissan Leaf a good car?
Review continues below
The Leaf has a strong feature set and a perfect green score, and the combination helps earn it an impressive 7.3 TCC Rating. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What’s new for the 2022 Nissan Leaf?
A huge price drop. Base Leaf prices fall more than $4,000 on the base Leaf S, with much of the lineup getting even more of a discount. The level most benefitting from the recalibration is the SV Plus, which gets more than a $5,000 price drop plus the contents of a previous Technology Package now included—including active lane assist, a power driver’s seat, the portable charge cable, and a surround-view camera system. All Leafs once again include the DC fast charging you’ll need for road-trip stops, after Nissan dropped it from base models for some years.
Although the Leaf looked distinctly different than the rest of the Nissan lineup in its original form, the more conventional hatchback look it adopted in its second generation fits right in with other Nissans, especially the brand’s crossovers like the Rogue and Kicks. The cabin is dressed up with materials that are a solid step above economy-car standards, and a set of digital displays and the “Zero Emissions” badge are likely to be the biggest signals that this is Nissan’s electric car.
The Leaf’s CHAdeMO DC fast-charging capability allows it to charge at a wider range of road-trip waypoints, and whether it’s the Leaf with a 149-mile range or a Leaf Plus with up to 226 miles, it can charge to 80% in 40 to 45 minutes.
The Leaf is pretty charming to drive—especially in Leaf Plus form, where it more than makes up for a little extra weight with a motor that makes 214 hp versus the base Leaf’s 147 hp. The combination of strong acceleration and light steering make it fun in the city, but on the highway it’s neither as quick nor as endearing.
The Leaf can technically fit five, but like so many other small hatchbacks, four will be much happier, with plenty of head and leg room. Seat comfort is just acceptable for the occasional longer trip. It’s cargo space that stands out as especially impressive; the Leaf offers 23.6 cubic feet of space with the split rear seat up and 30.0 cubic feet with it folded forward.
Automatic emergency braking is included across the lineup, and the Leaf has earned good crash-test scores in the past, although this year’s are incomplete. SV and SL versions of the Leaf get a ProPilot driver-assistance system that can steer, stop, and start the car in a wide range of driving situations for short periods of time.
How much does the 2022 Nissan Leaf cost?
The base $28,375 Leaf S includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, as well as DC fast-charging. We recommend the $36,375 Leaf SV Plus, which includes navigation, a heated steering wheel, heated mirrors, and many more convenience features—in addition to the much longer range.
Where is the Nissan Leaf made?
In Japan.