Nissan LEAF

While Tesla kicked electric vehicle sales into overdrive with its Model S and Model 3 sedans, the trailblazing Nissan Leaf proved that an appetite for EVs existed in the first place. When it launched in 2011, the Leaf was a strangely shaped hatchback with a maximum range of well under 100 miles. But it sold well enough that Nissan was able to improve upon the formula for the second-generation Leaf that came out for 2018.

For 2022, Nissan is making the Leaf's price lower across the board compared to the 2021 models. Even better, Nissan has expanded the amount of content on the lower two trim levels. The base Leaf now comes standard with last year's portable charging cable, while the Leaf SV Plus is now equipped with the previously optional SV Technology package.

We suspect that some shoppers will find the Leaf to be a bit unfashionable compared to the Model 3, Ford Mustang Mach-E and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Its maximum range isn't up to par compared to those models either. But the Leaf still makes a lot of sense for an affordable city runabout. Read MatoCar' Expert Rating below to get our full evaluation of the 2022 Leaf.

What's it like to live with?

MatoCar owned a 2018 Nissan Leaf for one year and drove it almost 10,000 miles. To learn more about our experiences, visit the long-term page for our Nissan Leaf SL. We covered everything from seat comfort to real-world electric range. Note that while there have been some changes since that inaugural year, most of our observations still apply.

Which LEAF does MatoCar recommend?

The 2022 Nissan Leaf is a compact electric hatchback available in two versions: the regular Leaf and the Leaf Plus. The two differ in battery capacity and power output. The regular Leaf has a 40-kWh battery that's good for about 149 miles of range. Nissan upgrades the Leaf Plus with a 62-kWh battery that provides 226 miles of range in its base trim, and 215 miles in more well-equipped models. The Plus also has a more powerful 214-horsepower electric motor compared to the regular model's 147-hp motor.

Three trim levels are available for the Leaf: S, SV and SL. The S and SV trim levels can be had with either the Leaf or Leaf Plus battery pack. The SL is only available in the Leaf Plus configuration. The highlight standard features include:

S Starts you off with:

• 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers (Leaf)
• 16-inch alloy wheels (Leaf Plus)
• Automatic headlights
• Rear spoiler
• Illuminated and locking charge port
• CHAdeMO fast-charging port
• Automatic climate control
• Height-adjustable driver's seat
• 60/40-split folding rear seats
• Four USB ports (two front, two rear)
• Keyless entry and push-button start
• Remote cabin preheating/precooling
• 8-inch infotainment touchscreen
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• Four-speaker audio system

All Nissan Leafs come with these standard advanced driver aids:

• Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don't respond in time)
• Rear automatic braking (brakes if sensors detect an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle)
• Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
• Lane keeping assist (steers the Leaf back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)
• Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
• Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot)

SV Adds to the S with:

• 17-inch alloy wheels
• Foglights
• Heated mirrors
• Leather-wrapped and heated steering wheel
• Navigation system
• NissanConnect Services (vehicle locator, remote battery status and charge control)
• Six-speaker audio system
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Nissan and the car in front)
• Heated front seats
• Heat pump (heats the cabin more efficiently than normal heater)

The SV Technology package is optional for the Leaf SV but comes standard on the Leaf SV Plus version. It includes:

• ProPilot Assist (uses adaptive cruise control and lane centering for semi-automated driving)
• Eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat
• Auto-dimming inside mirror
• LED headlights and daytime running lights
• Electronic parking brake
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the Leaf and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
• Driver attention warning (issues an alert if sensors determine you are becoming fatigued)

SL The Leaf Plus-only SL trim builds off the SV with:

• Cargo cover
• Seven-speaker Bose audio system
• Leather upholstery