Compare the2022 Hyundai NexoVS 2022 Nissan Leaf

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics

Safety

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The Nexo has standard Blue Link, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Leaf doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Nexo and the Leaf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Nexo its highest rating: “Top Pick Plus” for 2021, a rating granted to only 73 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Leaf has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The Nexo comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Leaf’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Nexo 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Nissan covers the Leaf. Any repair needed on the motor, fuel cell, batteries, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Leaf ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The Nexo’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the Leaf’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai 7th in reliability, above the industry average. With 27 more problems per 100 vehicles, Nissan is ranked 21st.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Nissan.

Engine

The Nexo’s electric motor produces 14 more horsepower (161 vs. 147) and 55 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 236) than the Leaf’s standard electric motor. The Nexo’s electric motor produces 41 lbs.-ft. more torque (291 vs. 250) than the Leaf PLUS’ standard electric motor.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Nexo’s maximum driving range on a full tank of hydrogen is 380 miles, over two-and-a-half times as far as the Leaf’s standard 149-mile range and 68% further than the Leaf PLUS’ 226-mile range. After it exhausts its hydrogen, the Nexo can then refuel in minutes at a hydrogen filling station, while the Leaf has to recharge for 45 minutes for only an 80% charge at a specially configured quick charge station not available in most areas. A full recharge at a conventional charging station can take up to 53 hours and 40 minutes.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Nexo’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Leaf:

	Nexo	Leaf
Front Rotors	12.6 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.5 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Nexo has larger standard tires than the Leaf (225/60R17 vs. 205/55R16). The Nexo Limited’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Leaf (245/45R19 vs. 215/50R17).

The Nexo Limited’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Leaf SV/SL’s 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Nexo has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S. The Nexo Limited’s 19-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Leaf SV/SL.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Hyundai Nexo has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Nissan Leaf has a rear torsion beam axle, with a semi-independent rear suspension.

The Nexo has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Leaf’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Nexo’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the Leaf (109.8 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Nexo is 3.2 inches wider in the front and 3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

Passenger Space

The Nexo has 8.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Leaf (101.3 vs. 92.4).

The Nexo has 2.3 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, .7 inches more rear headroom, 5.1 inches more rear legroom, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Nexo’s rear seats recline. The Leaf’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Nexo has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Leaf with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 23.6 cubic feet). The Nexo has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Leaf with its rear seat folded (56.5 vs. 30 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Nexo Limited’s power liftgate, leaving your hands completely free. The Nexo’s power liftgate can also be opened or closed by pressing a button. The Leaf doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

Servicing Ease

The Nexo uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Leaf uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

The Nexo’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Leaf’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The power windows standard on both the Nexo and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Nexo is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Leaf prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Nexo’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Leaf’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

The Nexo’s power window, power lock and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Leaf’s power lock and cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Nexo Limited’s standard wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically according to the amount of rainfall on the windshield. The Leaf’s intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Nexo’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Leaf SV/SL.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the Nexo Limited keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Leaf doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Nexo has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Leaf doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Nexo’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Leaf doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Hyundai Nexo has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Leaf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Nexo has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Leaf doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Nexo Limited’s Remote Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Leaf doesn’t offer an automated parking system.