Nissan Leaf 40 kWh

Overview

The 2025 Nissan Leaf 40 kWh marks the end of an era for the original mass-market EV. As a practical five-door hatchback, it remains a sensible and proven choice for urban commuters and small families. While it faces stiff competition, its reputation for reliability and user-friendliness keeps it relevant. This specific trim represents the most accessible entry into the Leaf family, offering a compelling package for those prioritising value. With used prices hovering around €15,890, it's a budget-friendly gateway into electric motoring, delivering dependable, zero-emission transport without breaking the bank.

What's New for 2025?

For its final model year, the 2025 Nissan Leaf is more of a farewell tour than a radical reinvention. It carries over the updates from the recent facelift, including refreshed alloy wheel designs and the sleek, modernised Nissan brand emblem. The core package, however, remains familiar, focusing on the proven formula that made the Leaf a global success. The most significant news is what comes next, as this generation makes way for an all-new crossover-style successor. Think of the 2025 model as a final, refined version of a true electric icon.

Design & Exterior

The Leaf’s exterior is instantly recognizable, blending a conventional hatchback shape with distinct EV styling cues. Measuring 4490 mm in length and 1788 mm in width, its proportions are perfect for navigating tight city streets. The design features a smooth, aerodynamic profile, complemented by sharp LED headlights and the signature V-motion front-end treatment. This 40 kWh model sports stylish alloy wheels that give it a more contemporary look. While not as shouty as some rivals, its design is clean, inoffensive, and purpose-built for efficiency, standing at 1530 mm tall.

Interior, Tech & Cargo

Inside, the Leaf offers a spacious and straightforward cabin with comfortable seating for five. The focus is on practicality, with durable materials and an easy-to-use layout. You get a generous 435 litres of boot space, which expands to a massive 1176 litres with the rear seats folded down, making it a proper load-lugger. However, there’s no frunk for extra storage. The dashboard is centred around a user-friendly infotainment screen, typically featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, ensuring essential connectivity. It’s a comfortable and unpretentious space built for daily driving duties.

Performance & Driving Experience

Don't let the sensible exterior fool you; the Leaf is properly nippy around town! Its front-wheel-drive setup is powered by a single Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor delivering a healthy 110 kW and an impressive 320 Nm of instant torque. That grunt gets you from 0-100 km/h in a brisk 7.9 seconds. The driving experience is smooth, quiet, and incredibly easy, with a comfortable ride that soaks up bumps well. The party piece is Nissan's e-Pedal, which allows for true one-pedal driving, making city traffic an absolute breeze.

Range, Battery & Charging

The 40 kWh Leaf is equipped with a 39 kWh usable battery pack, delivering Green Cars Compare's calculated 'real-world' range estimate of around 238 kilometres, with an efficiency of 6.1 km/kWh. For AC charging, it uses a standard Type 2 connector, with an optional 6.6 kW on-board charger to top up the battery in about 7 hours. DC fast charging is handled via an increasingly rare CHAdeMO port, capped at a modest 50 kW. This means a typical fast-charge stop will take around 40-60 minutes to get you back on the road.

Safety & Driver-Assistance Features

Safety is a strong point for the Leaf, backed by an excellent 5-star Euro NCAP rating. It comes equipped with a solid suite of driver aids, including Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection and Lane Departure Warning. Higher-spec models often feature Nissan’s brilliant ProPILOT system, a hands-on driver-assist that combines Intelligent Cruise Control and Steering Assist to ease the stress of motorway driving and traffic jams. Blind Spot Warning and Rear Cross Traffic Alert are also typically available, providing an extra set of eyes when you need them most.

Warranty & Maintenance Coverage

Nissan provides solid peace of mind with its warranty coverage. Owners typically get a 3-year/100,000 km basic vehicle warranty and a 5-year/100,000 km warranty on the electric vehicle components. Critically, the battery pack is covered for 8 years or 160,000 km against significant capacity degradation, which is the industry standard. As an EV, routine maintenance is far simpler and cheaper than a petrol car, with no oil changes to worry about. The Leaf has a well-earned reputation for being a reliable and fuss-free daily driver, making ownership a low-stress affair.