Makes›Nissan›Leaf›2014

2014 Nissan Leaf

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2014 models.

Nissan Leaf
Pictured: Nissan Leaf (ZE2) autoMOBIL Tübingen 2025 DSC 2752. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Midsize Cars
Body styles
4dr Hatchback Sv/Sl
Engines
Electric motor
Drivetrain
Front-Wheel Drive
Fuel
EV
EV range
84 mi · 8 h on 240 V
Length
175.2 in
Curb weight
3,384 lb
NHTSA rating
Not rated
Recalls
6 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • Few owner complaints31 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 106 for similar models.

Watch out for

  • Short EV rangeUp to 84 miles on a charge (EPA) — plan around charging.
  • 6 recallsMore than similar models (about 3). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 26 similar 2014 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2014 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 84 miles and takes about 8 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 6 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 31 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the service brakes.

What changed for 2014

No changes to engines, powertrains, drivetrains, size, EPA ratings or NHTSA crash rating compared with the 2013 Leaf — a carry-over year in the data.

Compared with 2013; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2013 Leaf →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
4dr Hatchback Sv/Sl175.2 in69.7 in61 in106.3 in60.6 / 60.2 in3,384 lb56/44

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
Leaf EV80 kW DCPMAutomatic (A1)Front-Wheel Drive84 mi · 30 kWh/100mi–$700–
10/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
10/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Save $8,500Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
25.7 MPG2014 Midsize Cars average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2014 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

NHTSA has not published 5-Star ratings for the 2014 Nissan Leaf.

Similar 2014 midsize cars

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2014 Nissan Leaf (this car)84 miNot rated6
2014 Toyota Corolla34 MPGNot rated2
2014 Honda Civic44 MPGNot rated2
2014 Nissan GT-R19 MPGNot rated0
2014 Toyota Prius50 MPGNot rated4
2014 Mazda 333 MPGNot rated0
2014 Hyundai Elantra31 MPGNot rated2

Recalls (6)

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.
Hybrid Propulsion System › Inverter · May 16, 2014

NHTSA campaign 14V263000 · 196 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 Nissan LEAF vehicles manufactured April 15, 2014, through April 24, 2014. Due to a problem with the motor control circuit board, the inverter may fail, causing the vehicle shut down.
Risk
An unexpected vehicle shut down increases the risk of a crash.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inverter, free of charge. The recall began in July 2014. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.
Structure · Apr 16, 2014

NHTSA campaign 14V192000 · 211 vehicles

Problem
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain model year 2014 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 28, 2014, through March 12, 2014. The front structural member assembly may be missing welds, which could reduce the structural integrity of the vehicle if the vehicle is involved in a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to meet the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," and 305, "Electric-Powered Vehicles: Electrolyte Spillage and Electrical Shock Protection."
Risk
Missing welds may effect the vehicle's integrity in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the vehicle's occupants.
Fix
Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect to see if any of the welds are missing. Any vehicle missing welds will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on June 2, 2014. Owners may contact Nissan 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.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2014 Nissan Leaf is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

31Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
2Involved a crash
2Involved a fire
1Injuries reported
26,000 miTypical mileage at failure
Service Brakes18
Electrical System6
Unknown Or Other3
Air Bags2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Seats › Front Assembly › Head Restraint1
Seats1
Structure › Body1
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
16/03: 116/05: 116/12: 117/01: 117/07: 117/12: 118/02: 118/03: 118/09: 118/12: 119/03: 119/07: 119/09: 119/10: 120/11: 121/02: 121/04: 121/05: 121/12: 122/02: 122/03: 122/09: 123/04: 124/07: 116/0317/0118/0218/1219/0921/0221/1222/09max 1

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2014 Nissan Leaf buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 6 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Service Brakes — 18 owner reports. Brake firmly from speed; check for pulling, pulsing pedal or ABS warning light.
  3. Electrical System — 6 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
  4. Air Bags — 2 owner reports. Confirm the airbag warning light turns off after start-up and any airbag recall was completed.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 26,000 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. 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 84 miles.
  7. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2014 Nissan Leaf. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other Leaf years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2026 Leaf303 mi173.6 inNot rated23
2025 Leaf212 mi176.4 inNot rated07
2024 Leaf212 mi176.4 inNot rated05
2023 Leaf212 mi176.4 inNot rated322
2022 Leaf226 mi176.4 inNot rated496
2021 Leaf226 mi176.4 in★★★★★457
2020 Leaf226 mi176.4 in★★★★★6167
2019 Leaf226 mi176.4 inNot rated5260
2018 Leaf151 mi176.4 inNot rated467
2017 Leaf107 mi175.2 inNot rated217
2016 Leaf107 mi175.2 inNot rated436
2015 Leaf84 mi175.2 inNot rated4109

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or Nissan. How we calculate this →