2023 Nissan Leaf
Electric Midsize car
The 2023 Nissan Leaf is sold in the U.S. as a electric midsize car with 2 EPA-rated configurations. Its longest-range version, the LEAF SV, is EPA-rated at 212 miles with 109 MPGe combined efficiency. NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for this model year, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 20 complaints, most often about unknown or other. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Range | kWh/100mi | Charge (240V) | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEAF | Electric | FWD | TBD | 123 | 99 | 111 MPGe | 149 mi | 30.4 | 8 h | $700 |
| LEAF SV | Electric | FWD | TBD | 121 | 98 | 109 MPGe | 212 mi | 30.8 | 11 h | $700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2023 Nissan Leaf is in the years where high-voltage electronics and module repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
Compare coverage →Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Data on this page is never influenced by that.
Recalls (3)
Vehicle Speed Control
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The vehicle may accelerate unintentionally if the driving mode is changed ("D" to "B"; e-Pedal "On"; or "ECO" mode) after disengaging the cruise control.
Risk: Unintentional acceleration can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle control module (VCM), free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A6.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2023 LEAF vehicles. The right-hand brake tubes may have been damaged during production and could corrode, possibly causing a hole in the brake line and a brake fluid leak.
Risk: A brake fluid leak can reduce braking performance and extend the distance required to stop, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the right-hand brake tube, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is PC976.
Visibility
highProblem: Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2023 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect, and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
Risk: Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed April 1, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Owner complaints
20 complaints filed
6 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 0 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2022: 1 · 2023: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 4
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 8
- Vehicle Speed Control — 8
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 3
- Visibility/Wiper — 3
- Electrical System — 3
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
| 5 HB FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | 11% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.
Other Leaf model years
2026 Leaf
2 recalls · 2 complaints
A2025 Leaf
0 recalls · 7 complaints
A2024 Leaf
0 recalls · 5 complaints
D2022 Leaf
4 recalls · 92 complaints
D2021 Leaf
4 recalls · 54 complaints
F2020 Leaf
6 recalls · 164 complaints
F2019 Leaf
5 recalls · 253 complaints
C2018 Leaf
4 recalls · 66 complaints
B2017 Leaf
2 recalls · 17 complaints
D2016 Leaf
4 recalls · 36 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 46016, 46017). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.