New Nissan LEAF Wins 3 More Awards!

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The new Nissan LEAF, the transformed 2026 Nissan LEAF, continues to shine thanks to the wonderful mix of good specs, modern design, and great affordability. It has certainly been one of the top EV highlights of the past year in the United States — probably the greatest — and it is nice to see that it is getting plaudits from across the automotive world for that.

Here are the three big awards it has won most recently:

Best EV in 2026 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Awards

“The all-new 2026 Nissan LEAF has been honored as Best EV in the 2026 MotorWeek Drivers’ Choice Awards, adding to its impressive and growing list of industry commendations,” Nissan writes. “MotorWeek’s production team evaluates more than 150 cars, trucks and SUVs every year. Drivers’ Choice Award winners, in 12 consumer-driven categories, are chosen based on driving performance, technology, practicality, fuel efficiency and value. The 2026 Drivers’ Choice Award winners will appear in an episode of MotorWeek airing on public television stations starting February 7.”

“The LEAF brought EVs to a wide consumer audience back in 2011, and 15 years later, it has gotten a total redo. The new LEAF gives buyers even more reasons to take a peep at the LEAF for their affordable EV driving needs,” said John Davis, host and creator of MotorWeek.

The Drive’s Best EV of 2026

“The publication selected the all-new 2026 Nissan LEAF based on its impressive value proposition and driving experience,” Nissan shares with us. “The Drive Awards are based on scores from the publication’s editors who evaluate a vehicle based on driving satisfaction, usability, standard equipment compared to competitors, fuel efficiency or driving range, and value. LEAF scored 9 out of a possible 10 points, putting it at the top of the EV segment in this year’s awards.

“The 2026 Nissan LEAF builds on Nissan’s 15-year history of reliable, affordable and attractive EV ownership, delivering strong value for the mass market with a clean and dynamic new design and an EPA-estimated driving range of up to 303 miles per charge¹. LEAF has a starting Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $29,990² for the S+ grade – a lower MSRP than the original 2011 LEAF.”

Cars.com’s Best Car of 2026

“Cars.com’s Best Car of 2026 awards is selected from a pool of over 40 all-new or redesigned models. When determining the Best Car award winner, Cars.com experts consider three key criteria: quality, innovation and value. The remaining five categories of Cars.com’s Best Of awards program are Best Car, Best Pickup Truck, Best Electric Vehicle, Best SUV, Best Luxury Car and Best Family Car. Cars.com’s experts consider all model-year 2026 vehicles in a corresponding category for these six awards,” Nissan summarizes.

“The all-new Nissan LEAF earned Cars.com’s Best Car of 2026 award by redefining affordable EV ownership with strong range, smart technology and exceptional value,” said Mike Hanley, senior road test editor, Cars.com.

3 Awards, More to Come — But Make Them Count

The LEAF set the stage for what was possible in the EV market well over a decade ago. I do think it is doing so again with the new LEAF. Let’s just hope its ambitions and plans are big enough to make the most of the opportunity.