The 2025 Nissan LEAF is the least expensive new EV on the market in North America, and one of the few new cars you can buy for under $30,000.
The Nisssan LEAF was a game-changer when it launched in 2009. It quickly became the best-selling EV in the world and set off a race among other automakers to launch their own EVs, including Chevrolet, Hyundai, BMW and MINI.
When LEAF launched, it also became a serious threat to the popular Toyota Prius hybrid, another game-changer.
The Prius was launched a decade earlier and was selling around one million models a year around the world by the time the LEAF launched.
There have rumors that Nissan was dropping the LEAF in favor of its new Ariya EV, a spiffy crossover in the $40,000 range, but apparently that’s not happening – at least for 2025.
The 2025 Nissan LEAF is now on-sale with a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $28,140 and an estimated 212 miles fully charged. What’s not to love about those numbers.
2025 Nissan LEAF Safety Features & Options
Nissan LEAF offers two battery options, with different driving range and price.
The basic LEAF S comes with a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery with an EPA-estimated range of up to 149 miles, while the higher price SV PLUS has a 60-kWh battery and up to 212 miles of range.
| Model | Battery | MSRP |
|---|---|---|
| S | 40 kWh battery | $28,140 |
| SV PLUS | 60 kWh battery | $36,190 |
Every 2025 Nissan LEAF comes standard with a battery (pun intended) of safety systems, including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and both blind spot and lane departure warning. Nissan bundles them as Safety Shield 360.
Additionally, 2025 LEAF is covered by EV Carefree+, which includes scheduled maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles (whichever occurs first), EV Battery Health Assurance and 36-months/36,000 miles emergency EV Roadside Assistance.
Every LEAF has a limited lithium-ion battery warranty covering defects in materials or workmanship for eight years or 100,000 miles.
EV-specific infotainment system functions include a charging timer, allowing the driver to set a desired charging schedule for the vehicle, which usually means overnight charging when electric rates are lower, in locations which have that perk. There’s also an HVAC timer, allowing for pre-heating or pre-cooling the cabin. Both those features are available on nearly all EV models, via the vehicle’s app.
LEAF SV PLUS adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and a hybrid heater that helps provide additional cabin warming capability, which helps save the battery – and driving range – in extreme temperatures.
2025 Nissan Leaf Design and Performance
Exterior – The 2025 model has been enhanced with a new front grille, bumper molding and headlight design.
Interior – the cabin accommodates five people, with up to 30 cubic feet of available cargo space and a convenient 60/40 split fold-down rear seat.
LEAF SV PLUS includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LEDheadlights, fog lights and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.
The revamped LEAF gets EPA-estimated battery range of up to 149 miles, or up to 212 miles.
Using the Quick Charge Port, LEAF S can be charged up to 80% in 40 minutes; LEAF SV PLUS can be charged up to 80% in 60 minutes.
Tax Credit
At this time, the 2025 Nissan LEAF is not eligible for the Federal EV tax credit under Internal Revenue Code Section 30D based on final regulations released by the Internal Revenue Service on May 3, 2024.
However, eligible customers may still qualify for up to $3,750 in potential Federal EV tax credits on any remaining new 2024 LEAF vehicles that were manufactured in 2024, if purchased and delivered to the customer before January 1, 2025. Customers should consult their tax advisors to determine eligibility.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter is a journalist with 25+ years of experience as a newspaper and magazine writer, radio & TV news producer & reporter, and author of guidebooks and smartphone apps – all focusing on travel, automotive, the environment and your rights as a consumer.
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter currently serves as President of the International Motor Press Assn. (IMPA).
ecoXplorer Evelyn Kanter also is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Assn. (NATJA) and the North American Snowsports Journalists Assn. (NASJA).
Contact me at evelyn@ecoxplorer.com.
Copyright (C) Evelyn Kanter
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