Nissan has revealed the upcoming 2026 Nissan Leaf, the third generation of the brand’s first-ever EV, along with a preview of a slew of other upcoming Nissan and Infiniti vehicles.
The Nissan Leaf was first released in the US for the 2011 model year as a small, economical hatchback that just happened to be electric. The second generation Leaf debuted for the 2017 model year and was essentially a heavy update to the original car, right down to its size and shape (although with dramatically improved range).
The upcoming 2026 Nissan Leaf breaks with that tradition, morphing into a compact crossover with Ariya-inspired styling. Nissan only released two photos of the next-generation Leaf showing the front of the vehicle in a light robin’s egg blue.
The new Leaf’s styling direction was previewed in the 2021 Chill-Out concept, with the production model featuring the same segmented daytime running light design up front and smooth, minimal detailing. If the rear of the production Leaf follows the styling of the Chill-Out concept, you can expect a Nissan Z-inspired rear light treatment featuring vaguely retro LED light patterns. Nissan confirmed 19-inch wheels in a unique geometric pattern and a panoramic moonroof will also be available on the new Leaf.
The new Leaf will be built on the same CMF-EV platform as its larger sibling, the Ariya, and will arrive with the NACS charge port installed native from the factory, a first for a Nissan product, allowing it access Tesla’s Supercharger stations without the need for an adaptor. Nissan did not release full specs or any interior photos of the 2026 Nissan Leaf with those details to be revealed toward the middle of 2025 before it makes its US market debut.
In addition to the upcoming 2026 Nissan Leaf, the US and Canada can expect to get 10 new and refreshed vehicles in the near future, including next-gen EVs, hybrids, and numerous Infiniti models.
Buyers will be able to get their hands on new versions of the Sentra, a PHEV version of the Rogue, and an updated Pathfinder by the end of 2025. 2026 will bring an all-new fourth-generation Rogue in EV, PHEV, and ICE variants, with 2027 bringing a new adventure-focused EV to be built at the brand’s Canton, Mississippi plant. This new model could very well be a reincarnated Xterra, though Nissan did not go so far as to confirm that.
Infiniti plans to introduce a refreshed QX60 in 2025. An all-new, FX-inspired QX65 crossover coupe will arrive in 2026 while another luxury EV SUV inspired by the Vision QXe concept will make its debut in 2028.
Though the future of Nissan as a company is anything but certain, it’s nice to see the full spread of what the company plans to offer across the coming years to hopefully strengthen its position and lead it to a more stable future.