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2023 Nissan Leaf EV Fields Simpler Lineup, Leaves Pricing Unchanged

Photo credit: Jay K. McNally/Nissan
Photo credit: Jay K. McNally/Nissan
  • Nissan announced today that its 2023 Leaf will get some minor changes, some of which are not easy to spot.

  • The Leaf lineup has been cut from five models to two: a 147-hp base model and a 214-hp SV Plus.

  • Reassuringly in today's inflationary conditions, the 2023 Leaf's price is unchanged from the current model.

Suddenly, EVs are having their moment, yet the electric car that's been around since 2010, the Nissan Leaf, seems lost in the shuffle. For 2023, even as Nissan prepares to launch its new, bigger, flashier, and pricier Ariya electric, the automaker is also giving the Leaf a little love. But just a little.

Up front, the grille, headlights, and bumper have been changed, but even looking at pictures side by side, the differences aren't easy to spot. Nissan says various body elements also have been reshaped for improved aerodynamics. The standout new design element is the Leaf's funky new multispoke wheels. Oh, and the Nissan badge is illuminated, because that's now a thing.

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The 2022 lineup of five models has been trimmed to just two, the base S and the mid-grade SV Plus. As before, the base car has a 147-horsepower electric motor fed by a 40.0-kWh battery pack—both numbers that are looking pretty small in the new competitive landscape. The SV Plus returns with its more respectable 214-hp motor and 62.0-kWh battery. Both models have front-wheel drive. EPA range estimates aren't expected to stray far (if at all) from the current 149 miles for the S and 215 miles for the SV Plus. We got 180 miles out of the SV Plus in our 75-mph highway test. Note that the Leaf continues to use a CHAdeMO charging connection, while the new Ariya adopts the more popular CCS connection used by most other automakers.

One thing that's also unchanged is the pricing, which in today's environment is noteworthy. The 2023 Leaf S will start at $28,425 and the SV Plus at $36,425 when the models arrive this summer.

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