2022 Nissan LEAF Review

Name: 2022 Nissan LEAF Review
Brand: Nissan

Price Range: $15,998 - $23,590

Nissan LEAF SL PLUS 4dr Hatchback Exterior Shown

+165

The 2022 Nissan Leaf gets a lot right. Its range of 150 or 226 miles, depending on the model, is sufficient for most EV shoppers. It's also quiet and has some useful technology features that can make driving in heavy traffic easier and less tiring.

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Price & Payment

26 cars

$18,662 avg. price

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2022 Nissan Leaf Review

byCameron Rogers^{Manager, News
Cameron Rogers has worked in the automotive industry since 2013. He has tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Today, he leads the news team in developing cutting-edge news articles, opinion pieces and sneak peeks at upcoming vehicles. Favorite cars that he's driven during his tenure at Edmunds include the 991-era Porsche 911 Turbo S, Rolls-Royce Ghost and several generations of Honda Odyssey (really).}

Pros

Comes standard with many driver assistance features
Quiet driving experience
Attractively priced

Cons

Limited small-item storage
The back seats don't fold flat
Leaf's type of fast-charging port isn't supported at all public charging stations

What's new

Lower starting price
Level 3 fast-charging port is now standard
SV Plus trim level gets the Technology package as standard
Part of the second Leaf generation introduced for 2018

Overview

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.

Continue reading Edmunds Expert Rating below

2022 Nissan LEAF for sale near you

3 of 26 listings

SV 4dr Hatchback
MSRP: $17,490
3 mi away
SL PLUS 4dr Hatchback
MSRP: $21,490
3 mi away
SL PLUS 4dr Hatchback
MSRP: $20,950
3 mi away

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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 Edmunds' Expert Rating below to get our full evaluation of the 2022 Leaf.

What's it like to live with?

Edmunds 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.

Edmunds Expert Rating

Our Verdict^{The Edmunds Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.}

Good

7.9

out of 10

edmunds TESTED

Rated for you by America's best test team.

Performance

8/10

How does the LEAF drive? The Nissan Leaf has acceptable performance for jockeying for position in traffic. The standard Leaf posted a reasonably quick 0-60 mph time of 7.8 seconds, while the Leaf Plus did it in 7 seconds flat, which is just a hair slower than the top players including the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro EVs. The brakes feel smooth, and most routine braking can be handled by easing off the accelerator if you engage the e-Pedal mode, which adds control and a bit of fun to the daily drive.

As with most EVs, smooth, instant power and a total absence of shifting make the Nissan Leaf ridiculously easy to drive. The low-slung battery also helps the Leaf hug the road, and it has the balance and coordination necessary to inspire confidence when you're going around turns.

Comfort

8/10

How comfortable is the LEAF? It's hard to find fault with the Leaf's basic comfort. We like the Leaf's well-shaped and supportive seats — they still have a nice level of give and aren't overly confining. The Leaf's ride is smooth and nicely controlled. It's in the Goldilocks zone — neither too rigid nor too buoyant. It's good at swallowing large and small bumps alike, but a little road-texture feel and intermittent jiggliness do come through.

The Leaf's electric drive components don't make any noise and lack the commotion that a non-EV makes when it changes gears. Wind and road noise is the remaining potential noise source, but it isn't overly prominent.

Interior

7/10

How’s the interior? There's plenty of legroom and headroom in any seat. The Leaf's cabin isn't terribly wide, but it feels appropriate for its size. Some drivers might find it hard to settle into their ideal position. The driver's seat is mounted somewhat high and may not adjust down far enough to suit the tallest pilots.

Generously sized windows and a fairly low cowl contribute to good visibility, but the rear roof pillar is slightly broader than before and produces a bigger blind spot. Our main gripe pertains to the shifter, which is so odd that it includes its own user diagram.

Technology

8.5/10

How’s the tech? We like the Leaf's touchscreen system and its support of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration. It's worth upgrading to the SV trim level to get ProPilot Assist. It adds a more advanced adaptive cruise control system and lane-keeping assist functionality that work together to create a driver assistance system that eases freeway commuting.

Storage

7.5/10

How’s the storage? The Leaf offers an impressive amount of cargo space when the seats are in use. But maximum capacity isn't that easy to use because the seats don't fold anywhere near flat. Small-item storage up front could be better too. The center console box is small and the glove compartment is average in size.

For family duty, the Leaf has wide-opening doors and a near-horizontal roofline that makes it easy to access strapped-in children. The fairly generous amount of backseat room also helps for installing rear-facing seats. The three top tether anchors are easy to use, but the lower car seat anchors are somewhat buried in a gap in the seat cushions.

Range and Efficiency

7/10

How are the range and efficiency? The Leaf Plus SL we tested has an EPA-rated range of 215 miles, which is about average for the mainstream EV segment. It consumes electricity at the rate of 32 kilowatt-hours per 100 miles, making it the least efficient EV in its class by a small margin.

In Edmunds' real-world testing, the Leaf Plus' range slightly outperformed its estimate at 237 miles, and it consumed slightly less energy, at a rate of 27.1 kWh per 100 miles. This observed efficiency, while better than the EPA rating, is nonetheless unremarkable for a non-luxury EV.

Value

8.5/10

Is the LEAF a good value? If you look solely at range versus cost, the Nissan Leaf is a good deal. The interior materials look appropriate for the price point, and the leather seats in the SL are downright handsome. The base Leaf offers 149 miles of range. The Leaf Plus costs thousands more, but you do get up to 226 miles of range in return.

Wildcard

7.5/10

The second-generation Leaf looks far less cartoonish (you can say less weird, if you like) than the original model. It also has decent power and can be mildly entertaining to drive. Other EVs, however, offer a bit more personality.

Which LEAF does Edmunds recommend?

Right off the bat, we think it's worth upgrading to the Leaf Plus. The standard Leaf's 149 miles of range isn't competitive with other EVs, and the limited maximum distance on a full battery will make longer road trips challenging. Once you're comfortable with spending extra for the larger battery, it's a short price jump to the Leaf SV Plus. It comes with a lot more features, including Nissan's excellent ProPilot Assist suite of driving aids. The SL's short list of upgrades makes it only necessary if you want leather upholstery or the Bose audio system.

Compare 2022 Nissan LEAF trim levels

Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart

2022 Nissan LEAF models

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

2022 Nissan LEAF EV Insights

Trim:

LEAF S

Estimated Range Based on Age

141 miles^{The range for a used 2022 Nissan LEAF is estimated to be 141 miles because electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year, with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.}

EV batteries lose 1-2% of range per year. Est. range for this car is 141 miles.^{Electric cars typically experience 1-2% of range loss per year with slightly faster degradation over the first 50,000 miles as the car settles into its long term state, according to Recurrent's study of 15,000 EVs.}

Estimated range map^{This map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Ashburn, Virginia. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | Leaflet} from

Charging

CHAdeMO^{The CHAdeMO standard has been phased out for most new models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.}

Plug Type

8 hrs

240V Home Charging^{Estimated total charging time when using a 240V outlet. This is either a 3-prong or 4-prong outlet used for appliances, for example a clothes dryer.}

EV batteries should be kept at 30-80% charged to extend battery life.

When can I use NACS/Tesla charging stations?

EV Battery Warranty

8 yrs or 100,000 miles^{The federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.}

According to GeoTab’s data, if the observed degradation rates are maintained, the vast majority of batteries will outlast the usable life of the vehicle.

Estimated battery warranty remaining is 5 years or 58,000 miles for this car.^{Warranty remaining value is based on the vehicle year, and on driving 14,000 miles per year. Confirm exact warranty coverage for each vehicle with the dealers and the manufacturer before purchasing.}

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

$4,225

Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

See All EV incentives

Cost to Drive

$54/mo

LEAF

$155/mo

Car Avg.

Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia

Am I Ready for an EV?

EV ownership works best if you can charge at home (240V outlet) ^{This typically means a 240V home installation, or other places your car is parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice.}
Adding a home charging system is estimated to cost $1,616 in
^{This is an estimate for your area. Using your address and the answers you provide, Treehouse can provide a more accurate price.}
Edmunds is partnering with Treehouse, an independent provider of home EV installation services. Learn more ^{Edmunds customers receive a 10% installation discount and 4% smart charger discount. Discount excludes permit, hosted inspection, and load management devices. Valid for 30 days.}

Need to install a charger at home?

Get a free quote

See All EV Insights

See Edmunds pricing data

Has Your Car's Value Changed?

Used car values are constantly changing. Edmunds lets you track your vehicle's value over time so you can decide when to sell or trade in.

See pricing history

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4.5/5Excellent

#1 out of 6 among Alternative Fuel Vehicles

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Nissan LEAF from 2008-2022.}

$448/yr

vs. $377/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.2x/yr

vs. 0.52x/yr
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

6.7%

vs. 8.3%
for Average Alternative Fuel Vehicle

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

Nissan LEAF Reviews

Owner Reviews

3.9

35 reviews

5(46%)

4(28%)

3(9%)

2(6%)

1(11%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Very good value but be prepared for new tires

mongo, 05/12/2022

2022 Nissan LEAF S 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

By combining Nissan incentives and state rebates, I was able to lease this car for peanut money. A total no brainer. It has much greater range than it is rated for. At 85% charge my range is 165 miles. I see no reason to get the “plus” model given the extra cost. The base model has so much tech where it counts (car play and safety stuff) and low tech where you don’t care (manual …

Great EV, just don't pay MSRP/Tesla prices

Tori, 06/02/2021

2020 Nissan LEAF SL PLUS 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

Nissan is currently (June 2021) giving thousands of dollars in incentives, plus state and federal credits that can bring a fully-loaded Leaf Plus down to ~$25,000 or less. At a $42k+ sticker price, it doesn't impress compared to a Model 3, but at $25k after incentives and tax credits, it's a fantastic value with 200+ mile range and lots of great features. Things I love: Cheapest car on …

Awesome EV...

Todd Z, 05/02/2022

2022 Nissan LEAF SV PLUS 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

We purchased a SL Plus a few months ago. Its a great car. We charge it about once a week - the 225 range is perfect for our use pattern. The level 2 charger (included) was easy to install at our garage after we upgraded the outlets. Inside its very comfortable with great visibility. The Media and dash are simple to use and more like a traditional auto. The EV related menus are …

A Solid Alternative to Tesla Nation Etc.

EV Guy in CA , 09/30/2020

2020 Nissan LEAF SL PLUS 4dr Hatchback (electric DD)

One year of ownership on the books - and the Leaf has officially become a welcome member of the household. It has done this by providing a fun and reasonably quick driving experience, perfect reliability, delivering its 225 mile range as advertised, and just having a cheeky presence on the road. I'm a former Tesla owner, so there's no need to explain how the Leaf can't touch the …

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2022 Nissan LEAF, so we've included reviews for other years of the LEAF since its last redesign.

See all 35 reviews of the Nissan LEAF

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2022 LEAF Highlights