All-New 2026 Nissan LEAF Platinum+ FWD Review

The Nissan Leaf you remember is gone — and that’s a good thing if you ask me. I admit, I still hold a grudge against the car because the first one I ever reviewed stranded me on the side of the freeway in 30-degree weather.  It’s been 16 years, you’d think I’d get over it, right?  Well, I actually have.  The Leaf has evolved into a really good EV, especially considering the unusually low price point of it. The second generation that came out in 2018 has been particularly good.

Now comes Gen 3, and I have had it this week.  The 2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+ FWD marks a complete rethink of Nissan’s long-running electric car, transforming it from a quirky compact hatchback into a sleek, modern compact EV with crossover flavor. Let’s be clear, this is no refresh or mild update. It is a ground-up redesign aimed squarely at today’s EV buyers who want technology, comfort, and real-world usability without stepping into luxury-brand EV pricing.

Performance  

The powertrain of this Leaf consists of a single front-drive electric motor producing 214-horsepower and 261 pound-feet of torque paired with a 75 kWh liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery pack, giving it confident everyday performance and usable range of just over 300-miles for daily driving.   

Exterior    

The first thing you notice is the styling. The 2026 Leaf looks more confident and far more contemporary than previous generations. Nissan has given it smoother, more aerodynamic lines, a lower nose, and a gently sloping roofline that gives it a small-SUV profile rather than a traditional hatchback look.

The Platinum+ trim adds distinctive 19” wheels, LED lighting, and subtle premium touches that make the Leaf feel upscale without being flashy. It finally looks like it belongs in today’s EV conversation, especially in Turquoise with a black roof and black along the bottom of the Leaf.

Interior   

Inside, the transformation continues. The Platinum+ cabin is clean, modern, and tech-forward, anchored by dual large digital screens that handle the instrument cluster and infotainment system. The layout is intuitive and easy to learn, with crisp graphics and fast response times. The 14.3” infotainment touchscreen handles the navigation, system, audio, and smartphone integration, you can adjust vehicle and charging settings, monitor energy use and efficiency, control climate functions, and customize driver-assist features.

Materials are noticeably improved, with soft-touch surfaces and tasteful trim throughout the cabin. The flat floor design opens up the interior, giving front and rear passengers more space than you’d expect from a vehicle this size. The seats are supportive and comfortable, making the Leaf an easy car to live with on daily commutes or longer drives. Look up to see a large electro-chromic dimming sunroof that lets you smoothly adjust the amount of light entering the cabin without a physical shade, giving you both openness and glare control at the touch of a button.  I do wonder how this will be in the Texas summer.

My tester has a heated flat-bottomed steering wheel, wireless charger, ambient lighting, a power drivers seat, heated front and rear seats, a terrific head-up display, and automatic headlights.  The seats are attractive and one of the real highlights is the Bose Personal Plus audio system that includes speakers built into the front headrests, part of a 10-speaker setup that enhances audio and even lets navigation prompts or phone calls play just through the headrest speakers without disturbing the rest of the cabin.  You also get wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Wi-Fi hotspot, and several USB-C ports.

Practicality has always been a Leaf strength, and that continues for rear seat occupants.  The rear seat offers good legroom thanks to the flat floor, and visibility is excellent in all directions. Rear occupants sit on a comfortable 60/40 split-folding bench with Nissan’s TailorFit seat surfaces. There’s decent headroom and shoulder room for adults on shorter trips, while a pair of rear cupholders and under-seat HVAC ducts help keep the back seat comfortable.

Utility

Cargo area is spacious.  With the rear seats upright, the 2026 Nissan Leaf offers 20 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, and folding those seats down expands the area to roughly 55.5 cubic feet for larger items and gear.

There is no storage area under the hood (no frunk) on this generation, so all cargo space is in the rear load area.  You can access the cargo area from a hands-free power liftgate or your key fob.

Ride and Drive 

On the road, the Leaf Platinum+ delivers exactly what most EV buyers want: smooth, quiet, and confident driving. Power comes instantly, making city driving effortless and merging onto highways stress-free. Acceleration is brisk without being aggressive, and the suspension tuning strikes a nice balance between comfort and control.

Steering is light but accurate, and the low center of gravity from the weight of the battery pack helps the Leaf feel planted through corners. Regenerative braking can be adjusted, allowing drivers to tailor how much energy is recaptured during deceleration, but it does not offer true one-pedal driving and I miss it on the Leaf.

Safety    

On the safety front, a comprehensive suite of standard safety and driver-assist systems is included, anchored by Nissan Safety Shield 360, which brings features such as Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, and High Beam Assist to help prevent or mitigate collisions. ProPILOT Assist is also standard, combining adaptive cruise control with lane-centering to ease highway driving, and additional technologies like secondary collision mitigation and a surround/Invisible Hood view system further enhance confidence and awareness behind the wheel.

Range and Charging 

Charging and range have both been improved to better match modern expectations. While the Platinum+ trim gives up a bit of range compared to lower trims due to its additional equipment, it still provides more than enough driving distance for daily use and most road trips. Fast-charging capability makes longer journeys more practical, and Nissan’s move to include broader charging compatibility adds real peace of mind for owners who plan to charge away from home.

The Leaf’s 75 kWh battery at DC fast charging stations can replenish the battery from about 10 percent up to 80 percent in roughly 35 minutes on a high-speed 150 kW charger, giving you short charging waits. It comes with a NACS charge port, so you can use it at Tesla Super Chargers.  A home charger, or on Level 2 public AC chargers, a full charge from near empty typically takes 7-8 hours, making overnight charging a practical everyday routine.  On a standard 110-volt (Level 1) household outlet, the 2026 Nissan LEAF will charge quite slowly — typically adding only about 3 to 5 miles of range per hour of charging, meaning a near-empty battery could take close to a full day or more to reach a full charge.

Options 

My review EV has three options.  The floor mat package runs $345, the two-tone paint is $800, and for $300 you get a battery heater that can be manually engaged to pre-warm the battery before charging, helping maintain optimal battery temperature and faster charging in frigid conditions. 

What You'll Pay

Total MSRP on this loaded electric is $41,930 before discounts or incentives. The MPGe rating is 110 city, 96 highway, and 103 overall, very impressive numbers.  

Focus

There are a few things the Leaf does not try to be. It is not a high-performance EV, and it does not chase extreme range numbers just to win spec-sheet battles. But that restraint works in its favor. Nissan focused on making the Leaf Platinum+ a comfortable, well-equipped, and approachable electric vehicle that fits easily into everyday life.  Notice how well it sits up, this makes entry and exit a breeze.

Heritage

Just for fun on the 2026 Nissan Leaf, Nissan sprinkled in several design “Easter eggs” that nod to its electric identity and heritage — for example, subtle ginkgo leaf patterns hidden in interior trim and select exterior details as a quiet symbol of longevity and sustainability, and binary-style dot motifs embedded into the rear lighting graphics that represent the connection between digital technology and electric power. You’ll also find small symbolic elements tucked into the taillight and body-trim designs that reward a closer look with quiet references to Nissan’s EV culture and past models. 

Verdict  

The 2026 Nissan Leaf Platinum+ represents the most complete and convincing version of the Leaf to date. It delivers modern design, meaningful technology upgrades, smooth driving manners, and everyday practicality in a package that feels thoughtfully engineered rather than overcomplicated. For buyers looking for a refined, user-friendly EV from a brand with real electric vehicle experience, the new Leaf finally feels like it has fully arrived.