For several years, the Nissan Leaf hatchback led the charge in global EV sales after it went into production all the way back in 2010. Next year, it's getting more than a facelift: it'll arrive first in the US and Canada as a compact SUV.
Nissan promises this third-gen model will be spacious, family-friendly, and deliver a pretty decent 373 miles (600 km) of range on a single charge. It'll also support Tesla Superchargers across North America, thanks to the inclusion of an NACS charging port.
That's a big step up from the existing Leaf, whose top-end variant is rated at a modest 212 miles (341 km).
This version will share the modular CMF-EV platform developed in collaboration with Renault and originally introduced in Nissan's other compact SUV, the Ariya. That should translate to a roomy and quiet cabin, and hopefully a low price tag too. You'll also get sizeable 19-inch alloy wheels, as well as a panoramic moonroof.
What you won't get is distinctive styling. With its rounded-rectangle front fascia and full-width light bar, the Leaf looks like any number of budget EVs on the market today (the Chevy Equinox and Hyundai Kona come to mind). The Ariya, and heck, even the current-gen Leaf both have far more personality than this incoming update from what these two pictures reveal.
Nissan is currently on shaky ground, with sales slumping through 2024 and cash flow slowing to a trickle. A major plan to merge with Honda earlier this year didn't work out. The company says it hasn't stopped working with Honda since the talks collapsed as they're collaborating on a number of projects – but at the end of the day, it needs a big hit in the EV space to start turning things around.
It'll be worth keeping an eye out for what Nissan can bring to the table with the successor to one of the oldest battery-electric cars you can buy. At under US$30,000, the Leaf has been among the most affordable EVs out there. The next version will have its work cut out it in the crowded compact SUV segment, but for Nissan, it's a battle worth fighting at this point.
Source: Nissan
