Do you see how rad the new Leaf could look?

Okay, I don't have a great deal to say here other than... look how sweet the new Nissan Leaf could look!

I actually really like the design of the new Leaf, especially when you consider what a miserable thing the second generation had become as the broader market ran away from it. It was never a looker, but it wasn't long before it had little else going for it, either.

So, as much as Nissan might fume at the above, they ought to appreciate what I reiterate: the new Leaf looks bloody good to me.

There can be no denying, though, that it would look unreal if it debuted at a proper sedan height, and then went a bit lower again, on a fatter set of its actually pretty cool wheels.

That's all I'm sayin', Team Nissan. Why not blow us all away with a fun and easy concept, at least? I'll look forward to it.

☝️ This other take is, of course, less likely.

My good mate Theottle has rendered the new Leaf as a coupe, giving us a taste of what could be a future Z!

Although... a different but historically relevant name, like 180 ESX, could be fun. (And provide hours of anagrammatical giggles for the manchildren.)

It'll never happen, or at least not anytime soon – given Nissan's broader struggles* – but one can dream. After all, when it comes to lifestyle-focused EVs, why should models like the MG Cyberster get all the attention? (Apart from the blank cheque China's EV industry is working with, I mean.)

Still, you might wonder, why is the Leaf now a jacked-up sedan instead of a hatch?

Really you shouldn't be wondering at all, since it's all part of a very visible evolution that's been going on for more than 10 years, but still.

If you insist, there's an interview at GearJunkie.com that – while mostly full of wanky phrases like "We can make the footprint more agile while still expanding interior roominess and keeping the car up and growing" – offers some insight on how Nissan arrived at the final design of its third-gen Leaf.

Regardless... if you don't think the below rear 3/4ish view looks good, you're mad.

THE BASICS

The new Leaf will reach Australia sometime in 2026. Here are the basic specs revealed so far, for international markets.

There are two battery options on offer, the entry unit being a 52kWh system paired with a 130kW, 345Nm motor at the front wheels.

The higher spec is a 75kWh system with a 160kW/355Nm motor.

Both are front-wheel drive, and I’d say we’re unlikely to see an all-wheel-drive option anytime soon – although a Nismo version might change that… (Hey, Nismo, see my concept above!)

Local specs haven’t been confirmed yet, but Nissan’s US arm claims a maximum driving range of up to 604 kilometres for the bigger battery unit.

By comparison, the updated Polestar 2 has a 78kWh usable (82kWh total) battery pack, and claims a range of up to 655km.

How does the previous model compare?

The standard version of the second-gen Leaf was powered by a 110kW/320Nm motor with a 39kWh batterypack, with a WLTP driving , offering a WLTP driving range of 270km.

The e+ model was more competitive with modern EVs, with a 160kW/340Nm motor, a 62kWh battery, and a claimed driving range of 385km.

Tell 'em the price

I can only speculate for now, but the position of current rival models suggest a starting point about $50,000 before on-road costs.

For context, that’s a little more than the entry-level form of the previous model, while the more appealing e+ variant kicked off from a sniff below $61K.

Watch for more on the new Leaf to come in the months ahead!