The Leaf was an early entrant in the now-expansive electric vehicle (EV) wars, bringing surprisingly stout range estimates, two available configurations, and a reasonable price tag. At the same time, it uses an older charging standard and lacks some of the refinement of today’s more modern EVs.

What’s New for the 2024 Nissan Leaf

Nissan updated the Leaf in 2023 with revised exterior styling, new wheels, and interior improvements. The car enters the 2024 model year with no major changes, but the automaker will continue offering two drivetrain options with a range of up to 212 miles.

Design

The Leaf takes some of Nissan’s most common design language features and shrinks them to a small hatchback form. The brand’s signature “V-Motion” grille is here, though it’s clad in black plastic and doesn’t need to offer airflow to cool a gas engine. The base S model gets 16-inch wheels, and Nissan gave the range-topping SV Plus model a new 17-inch wheel design last year.

Powertrain

Nissan offers two drivetrain options for the 2024 Leaf. The base Leaf S gets a 40-kWh battery and an electric motor making 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. The SV Plus steps up to a 60-kWh battery and a stronger electric motor, producing 214 horsepower and 250 pound-feet of torque. Range estimates start at 149 miles for the S and climb to 212 miles for the SV Plus. Though it uses an older, less-common charging standard compared to what you'll find in most EVs, the Leaf can charge to around 80 percent in an hour.

Interior

The five-seat Leaf comes standard with cloth upholstery, and the SV Plus adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and power front seats. Cargo space measures 23.6 cubic feet behind the back seats, which is more than plenty for luggage and larger items.

Technology

The 2024 Nissan Leaf comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system also offers Bluetooth, four USB ports, SiriusXM radio, four speakers, and more. The SV Plus adds navigation and an upgraded stereo.

Safety

The 2024 Leaf comes standard with a generous list of features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision alerts, automatic high beams, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts. Nissan also equips rear seat alerts and pedestrian detection, and the SV Plus is available with the brand’s ProPilot Assist adaptive cruise control system. The Leaf received mixed scores in crash testing with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), and it hasn’t seen a complete test in a few years. That’s likely to continue into 2024.

Pricing

Nissan offers the 2024 Leaf in two configurations. The base S trim starts at $28,140, while the SV Plus climbs to more than $36,000 before destination, taxes, and options. The good news is that Nissan doesn’t nickel and dime buyers with options and upgrades, as all the goodies come with the top trim level.