The fate of the Leaf has been sealed as the compact hatchback will morph into a crossover in 2025. Before that happens, Nissan is applying some mild tweaks in Europe to what is generally considered as the world’s first mass-market EV. The 2022 model year will arrive on the Old Continent in April with an assortment of cosmetic revisions to keep the aging electric car relevant in an increasingly crowded segment.
Perhaps the first thing you will notice is the discreetly updated corporate badge on the wheels, front grille, and tailgate. Speaking of which, the alloys in 16- and 17-inch sizes have been freshened up with a black look, prompting Nissan to say these now exude a “premium feel.” The 2022 Leaf also receives a couple of paint jobs borrowed from the Qashqai and Ariya. Universal Blue and Magnetic Blue joint a color palette including six monotone shades and five two-tone hues.
Minor styling changes to the body have been made, but nothing to write home about. You can tell the second-generation Leaf is getting a bit long in the tooth, especially on the inside where the dashboard is starting to look outdated. You do get some modern safety tech, namely Nissan’s ProPILOT that will automatically stop, start, and maintain a safe distance from the car in front of you.
The 2022 Leaf continues to offer one-pedal operation for better comfort and you also have support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration. Your smartphone can also remotely operate the vehicle’s climate control system by using the NissanConnect app.
As before, Nissan is selling the Leaf in Europe with two battery options and a maximum range of up to 385 kilometers (239 miles) in the WLTP cycle. To date, the electric hatchback has generated nearly 600,000 sales since the first-gen model debuted back in 2010 before the current model arrived in late 2017.
Source: Nissan
