Brand logo

Nissan Leaf

Leaf frontal view
34aca8ae-7691-42dc-9e63-13cf2076ca0c
d812aa3e-8829-4866-9aab-7f60758f9bc5
1ea55563-a3c0-4ab6-b15f-f492434e24f2
5ab986f6-6032-4a3a-81ed-75473dc4a566
0ba187da-5c59-4f2b-9864-374ff4d26bd5
68e4a91b-8f5b-424d-9bb2-0cb318b5d5d3
099c4b21-b0d2-4faa-ba24-94c2bfc1f0c6
8d6f029f-a2c3-4104-b200-43392d6c35a3
Play
2018
Standard
Standard

Verdict

The passenger compartment of the LEAF remained stable in the frontal offset test.  Protection of the front passenger dummy was good for all critical body areas.  Dummy readings indicated that the dummy head had made contact with part of the vehicle interior, suggesting that there was insufficient pressure in the airbag.  Protection of the knees and femurs was good for both front dummies.  Nissan showed that a similar level of protection would be provided to occupants of different sizes and to those sitting in different positions.  In the full-width rigid-barrier test, protection of the driver dummy was good but readings indicated that the force in the lap section of the seatbelt had dropped during the impact.  Readings from the chest of the rear passenger dummy indicated marginal protection.  In both the side barrier test and the more severe side pole impact, protection of all critical body regions was good and the LEAF scored maximum points in these tests.  Tests on the front seats and head restraints demonstrated good protection against whiplash injury in the event of a rear-end collision.  A geometric assessment of the rear seats indicated marginal whiplash protection.  The autonomous emergency braking system performed well in tests at the low speeds, typical of city driving, at which many whiplash injuries are caused.

In the frontal offset test, protection of both dummies was good apart from the neck of the 10-year dummy, protection of which was rated as weak owing to measured values of tensile forces.  The front passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position.  Clear information is provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag and the system was rewarded.  All of the restraint types for which the LEAF is designed could be properly installed and accommodated in the car.

The protection provided by the bonnet to the head of a struck pedestrian was predominantly adequate, with some poor results recorded only on the stiff windscreen pillars.  The protection provided to pedestrians' legs and pelvic region was good and the LEAF scored maximum points in these tests.  Overall, the autonomous emergency braking system performed adequately in tests of its protection of vulnerable road users, with performance ranging from good to marginal in the individual test scenarios.

The LEAF has a seatbelt reminder system for the front and rear seats but missed out on full points as it lacks occupant detection in the rear seats.  A standard-fit speed assistance system uses a camera and a digital map to inform the driver of the appropriate limit, allowing the speed limiter to be set appropriately.  The lane support system also uses the camera to help the driver not to drift out of lane.  This system needs to be activated by the driver and does not switch on by default at the start of a journey.  The autonomous emergency braking system performed well overall in tests of its functionality at highway speeds, with good performance in most of the test scenarios.

Tested ModelNissan LEAF 'Acenta', LHD
Kerb Weight1545 kg
ClassSmall Family Car
Adult Occupant

Adult Occupant

93%
Child Occupant

Child Occupant

86%
Vulnerable Road Users

Vulnerable Road Users

71%
Safety Assist

Safety Assist

71%

Safety Equipment

Driver
Passenger
Rear
Front Airbag
FITTED_STANDARD
FITTED_STANDARD
NOT_AVAILABLE
Belt Pretensioner
FITTED_STANDARD
FITTED_STANDARD
FITTED_STANDARD
Belt Loadlimiter
FITTED_STANDARD
FITTED_STANDARD
FITTED_STANDARD
Knee Airbag
NOT_AVAILABLE
NOT_AVAILABLE
NOT_AVAILABLE

Note: other equipment may be available on the vehicle but was not considered in the test year

  • Fitted to the vehicle as standard
    Fitted to the vehicle as standard
  • Fitted to the vehicle as part of the safety pack
    Fitted to the vehicle as part of the safety pack
  • Not fitted to the test vehicle but available as option or as part of the safety pack
    Not fitted to the test vehicle but available as option or as part of the safety pack
  • Not available
    Not available
  • Not applicable
    Not applicable

Rating Validity

Body Type
Variant Description
Drivetrain
Rating Applies LHD
Rating Applies RHD
  • * Tested Variant

Additional Information