Nissan Leaf

613 complaints across 11 scored model years and 18 recall campaigns.

Which years to avoid

Ownership label · Nissan Leaf Full report

Grade 2011–2021

2013 vs model median 1.7×

Model median3× median

Brakes 15

Electrical 10

Airbags & Restraints 7

Avoid

2013 · 2015

Best

2016 · 2017

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Nissan Leaf
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2011	1.09×	45	B
2012	1.06×	37	B
2013	1.73×	62	D
2014	0.66×	22	C
2015	1.60×	69	D
2016	0.53×	24	B
2017	0.32×	15	A
2018	1.00×	42	C
2019	1.19×	54	C
2020	0.68×	33	C
2021	0.80×	30	B
2022 P	3.31×	135	F
2023 P	1.06×	30	C
2025 P	0.16×	10	A

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What it costs to run

EPA figures for the most recent model year on record.

EPA fuel economy and drivetrain
Combined MPG	111
City / Highway	123 / 99
Engine	—
Drive	Front-Wheel Drive
Annual fuel cost	$700

Recalls

18 campaigns on record.

Recall campaigns, largest first
Campaign	Component	Model years	Units affected
16V244000	AIR BAGS:SENSOR:OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION	2013–2016	3,296,947
19V654000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2018, 2019	1,228,830
14V138000	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE	2013, 2014	989,701
23V296000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL	2013–2017	94,343
13V069000	AIR BAGS	2013	82,038
23V494000	VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	2018–2023	66,159
23V048000	EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL	2018–2023	64,732
24V071000	BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA	2018–2022	57,914

+ 10 further campaigns

Others in Compact Cars

Same body and size class. Each grade describes that model against its own history — these are not ranked against each other.

Other models in the same segment
Model	Years to avoid	Grade
Acura ILX	20142016	C
Audi A3	20152017	C
BMW 1 Series	none flagged	C
BMW I3	none flagged	C
Buick Verano	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Bolt EV	2017	C
Chevrolet Cobalt	none flagged	C
Chevrolet Cruze	20112012	C

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2013 Leaf

Complaints in window: 62
Severity-weighted: 107
Model median (weighted): 62
vs model median: 1.73×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 5
Open investigations: 0

Score 44.4 D