The second-generation Nissan Leaf will get a mid-cycle redesign for the 2023 model year. The updated EV will also get a simplified trim lineup, reducing the number of choices to two. The model goes on sale sometime this summer, but this isn’t our first time seeing its new appearance. In February, Nissan debuted the updated European version, revealing the car’s tweaked styling.
Nissan will offer the 2023 Leaf in two trims in the US: Leaf S and Leaf SV Plus. Nissan doesn’t detail the specific features each will offer. However, the company does say that the Leaf S and SV Plus will maintain similar starting prices for the next model year. The 2022 Leaf S starts at $28,425 (all prices include the $1,025 destination charge), while the 2022 SV Plus is $36,425. Qualified purchasers could be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
Gallery: 2023 Nissan Leaf
The Leaf’s updated appearance will include a new grille, a new bumper, tweaked headlights, and the brand’s new badging that now illuminates. Nissan also updated the Leaf’s aerodynamics, tweaking the tire deflectors, the rear under diffuser, and the rear spoiler. The SV Plus comes standard with unique 5-spoke, 17-inch wheels.
Inside, the Leaf gets the new badge on the steering wheel and a new start-up video on the instrument panel. Both trims come with black cloth as standard, but Nissan differentiates the two with gray finishers for the S and black finishers for the SV Plus. The top-tier trim also comes with Nissan’s ProPilot hands-on driver-assist system.
The 2023 Leaf continues offering either a 40-kilowatt-hour or 60-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The smaller battery pairs with a 110-kilowatt electric motor that delivers the same 147 horsepower (109 kilowatts) and 238 pound-feet (322 Newton-meters) of torque as the 2022 Leaf.
The upgraded battery pack uses a 160-kW electric motor to produce 214 hp (159 kW) and 250 lb-ft (338 Nm) of torque, unchanged from the current model. Nissan says the new Leaf’s range will also be similar to the 2022 version, but official US EPA numbers will arrive closer to its launch. The 2022 S delivers 149 miles, while EPA rates the SV Plus at 215 miles.
The 2023 Nissan Leaf will make its public debut at the New York Auto Show before it goes on sale sometime this summer.
