2013 Nissan Leaf
Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2013 models.

- Class
- Midsize Cars
- Body styles
- 4dr Hatchback Sv/Sl
- Engines
- Electric motor
- Drivetrain
- Front-Wheel Drive
- Fuel
- EV
- EV range
- 75 mi · 7 h on 240 V
- Length
- 175.2 in
- Curb weight
- 3,384 lb
- NHTSA rating
- Not rated
- Recalls
- 5 campaigns
Pros & cons
What's good
- Few owner complaints57 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 167 for similar models.
Watch out for
- Short EV rangeUp to 75 miles on a charge (EPA) — plan around charging.
Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 27 similar 2013 models — not a review. How we calculate this →
Overview
The 2013 Nissan Leaf is a midsize car powered by electricity and front-wheel drive.
It measures about 175 inches long and 70 inches wide on a 106-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 3,384 lb.
The electric version has an EPA-rated range of up to 75 miles and takes about 7 hours to charge on a 240-volt Level 2 charger.
NHTSA has not published a 5-Star overall rating for this model year.
It has 5 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 57 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the service brakes.
What changed for 2013
No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2012 Leaf — a carry-over year in the data.
Compared with 2012; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2012 Leaf →
Dimensions & weight
| Body | Length | Width | Height | Wheelbase | Track F / R | Curb weight | Weight F/R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4dr Hatchback Sv/Sl | 175.2 in | 69.7 in | 61 in | 106.3 in | 60.6 / 60.2 in | 3,384 lb | 56/44 |
Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.
Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →Engines, MPG & running costs
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | vs. class | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaf EV | 80 kW DCPM | Automatic (A1) | Front-Wheel Drive | 75 mi · 29 kWh/100mi | – | $650 | – |
EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2013 EPA class average. How we calculate this →
Safety ratings & technology
NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2013 Nissan Leaf.
Similar 2013 midsize cars
| Model | Best MPG / range | NHTSA overall | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Nissan Leaf (this car) | 75 mi | Not rated | 5 |
| 2013 Toyota Corolla | 29 MPG | Not rated | 5 |
| 2013 Honda Civic | 44 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2013 Nissan GT-R | 19 MPG | Not rated | 0 |
| 2013 Toyota Prius | 50 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2013 Hyundai Elantra | 32 MPG | Not rated | 4 |
| 2013 Ford Focus | 32 MPG | Not rated | 14 |
Recalls (5)
Equipment › Other › Owners/Service/Other Manual · Apr 26, 2023
NHTSA campaign 23V296000 · 94,343 vehicles
- Problem
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2013-2017 LEAF vehicles. The Owner's Manual instructions for defroster operation are incorrect and may result in reduced defroster performance under specific conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 103, "Windshield Defrosting and Defogging Systems."
- Risk
- Reduced defroster performance can limit visibility out of the windshield, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Nissan will mail an addendum with updated instructions on how to operate the defroster, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R23A1.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification · Apr 26, 2016
NHTSA campaign 16V244000 · 3,296,947 vehicles
- Problem
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Nissan Maxima, 2013-2016 Nissan Altima, NV200, LEAF, Sentra, and Pathfinder, 2014-2016 Nissan NV200 Taxi, Infiniti QX60, QX60 Hybrid, and Q50 Hybrid, 2014-2017 Nissan Rogue and Infiniti Q50, 2015-2016 Nissan Murano, Murano Hybrid, and Chevrolet City Express, 2014-2015 Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid, and 2013 Infiniti JX35 vehicles. In these vehicles, the front seat passenger Occupant Classification System (OCS) may incorrectly classify an adult passenger as a child or classify the seat as empty despite it being occupied. As a result, the passenger frontal air bag may be turned off and not deploy in the event of a crash.
- Risk
- If the passenger frontal air bag does not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, the passenger is at an increased risk of injury.
- Fix
- Nissan will notify their owners. Chevrolet City Express owners will be notified by General Motors. Dealers will reprogram the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) and OCS Electronic Control Unit (ECU) in Altima, Maxima, Murano, Rogue, and Sentra vehicles, and replace the OCS ECU in LEAF, NV200, NV200 Taxi, Pathfinder, Infiniti Q50, JX35, and QX60 and Chevrolet City Express vehicles, free of charge. Interim notices were sent to owners on May 31, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669, Infiniti customer service at 1-888-833-3216 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020.
Service Brakes · Feb 29, 2016
NHTSA campaign 16V119000 · 46,859 vehicles
- Problem
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2015 LEAF vehicles manufactured November 19, 2012, to July 31, 2015. During very cold temperatures, the relay inside the electronic brake booster may freeze, requiring the driver to exert more effort to slow the vehicle down.
- Risk
- If the brake relay fails, longer distances or additional brake effort would be required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Fix
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the Intelligent Brake Control Unit software, free of charge. The recall began on March 28, 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Electrical System › Software · Mar 25, 2014
NHTSA campaign 14V138000 · 989,701 vehicles
- Problem
- Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, and Sentra, model year 2013 NV200 (aka Taxi) and Infiniti JX35 and model year 2014 Infiniti Q50 and QX60 vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the occupant classification system (OCS) software may incorrectly classify the passenger seat as empty, when it is occupied by an adult.
- Risk
- If the OCS does not detect an adult occupant in the passenger seat, the passenger airbag would be deactivated. Failure of the passenger airbag to deploy during a crash (where deployment is warranted) could increase the risk of injury to the passenger.
- Fix
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will update the OCS software, free of charge. The recall began on April 14, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Air Bags · Mar 1, 2013
NHTSA campaign 13V069000 · 82,038 vehicles
- Problem
- Nissan is recalling certain model year 2013 Altima, LEAF, Pathfinder, Sentra, and Infiniti JX35 vehicles. Sensors within the passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) may have been manufactured out of specification. This may cause the system to malfunction and permanently suppress the passenger airbag.
- Risk
- If the vehicle is involved in a crash necessitating airbag deployment and the passenger airbag is suppressed, there may be an increased risk of personal injury.
- Fix
- Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the ODS sensors and replace them as neccessary, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2013. Owners may contact Nissan Customer Service at 1-800-647-7261.
Not every 2013 Nissan Leaf is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.
Owner-reported problems
Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.
Used 2013 Nissan Leaf buyer's checklist
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 5 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
- Service Brakes — 27 owner reports. Brake firmly from speed; check for pulling, pulsing pedal or ABS warning light.
- Air Bags — 13 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
- Electrical System — 8 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
- Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 37,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
- Battery health. Ask for a battery state-of-health report, check the remaining battery warranty, and compare the displayed range at 100% charge with the EPA's 75 miles.
- Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.
Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2013 Nissan Leaf. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Other Leaf years
Compare all years →| Year | MPG (best) | Length | Overall | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Leaf | 303 mi | 173.6 in | Not rated | 2 | 3 |
| 2025 Leaf | 212 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 0 | 7 |
| 2024 Leaf | 212 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 0 | 5 |
| 2023 Leaf | 212 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 3 | 22 |
| 2022 Leaf | 226 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 4 | 96 |
| 2021 Leaf | 226 mi | 176.4 in | ★★★★★ | 4 | 57 |
| 2020 Leaf | 226 mi | 176.4 in | ★★★★★ | 6 | 167 |
| 2019 Leaf | 226 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 5 | 260 |
| 2018 Leaf | 151 mi | 176.4 in | Not rated | 4 | 67 |
| 2017 Leaf | 107 mi | 175.2 in | Not rated | 2 | 17 |
| 2016 Leaf | 107 mi | 175.2 in | Not rated | 4 | 36 |
| 2015 Leaf | 84 mi | 175.2 in | Not rated | 4 | 109 |
Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Nissan. How we calculate this →