Compare the2023 Nissan LeafVS 2022 Tesla Model 3

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Leaf are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Leaf has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Leaf SV PLUS has a standard Around View® Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model 3 only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Leaf’s standard rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Leaf SV PLUS’ driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Leaf SV PLUS has standard NissanConnect Services, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model 3 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 Leaf and the Model 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 available daytime running lights.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Leaf	Model 3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	42 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	393/348 lbs.	333/455 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the Tesla Model 3:

	Leaf	Model 3
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Abdominal Force	137 lbs.	158 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	158	384
Spine Acceleration	38 G’s	41 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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There are over 7 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Leaf’s warranty.

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A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Leaf’s reliability 18 points higher than the Model 3.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan above average in initial quality. With 59 more problems per 100 vehicles, Tesla is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 12 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

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The Leaf stops shorter than the Model 3:

	Leaf	Model 3
60 to 0 MPH	120 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

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The Leaf has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Model 3 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

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The Leaf has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Leaf flat and controlled during cornering. The Model 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better maneuverability, the Leaf S’ turning circle is 4 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (34.8 feet vs. 38.8 feet). The Leaf SV PLUS’ turning circle is 2.7 feet tighter than the Model 3’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

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The Nissan Leaf may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 150 to 350 pounds less than the Tesla Model 3.

The Leaf is 8.4 inches shorter than the Model 3, making the Leaf easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

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A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Leaf to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for tire rotation based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model 3.

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To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Leaf has a standard rear wiper. The Model 3 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Leaf’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model 3 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Leaf has standard extendable sun visors. The Model 3 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Leaf is less expensive to operate than the Model 3 because it costs $36 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Leaf than the Model 3, including $241 less for a water pump, $44 less for front brake pads and $46 less for front struts.

© 1999 - 2024Advanta-STAR Automotive Research, all rights reserved. This vehicle comparison and all of the content in it are provided only by license from Advanta-STAR Automotive Research Corporation of America (“Advanta-STAR”). If you are not a legally licensed user of this vehicle comparison, it is against federal law to access it, copy it, forward it, or use it in any manner whatsoever. Any unauthorized use of this vehicle comparison is a violation of U.S. and international law and is punishable criminally and civilly. Removal of this watermark/notification without prior written license and approval received from Advanta-STAR is an agreement, understanding, and/or stipulation by the person(s), entities, agents, attorneys, and any other persons involved in the removal of this watermark/notification (including but not limited to Search Optics, LLC and any and all parent entities, sister entities, and subsidiary entities of Search Optics, LLC and/or any other entity, agent, attorney, and persons related in any manner to Search Optics, LLC) to: 1) an agreed upon amount of liquidated monetary damages of a minimum of $1,250,000.00 US Dollars in favor of Advanta-STAR; 2) the jurisdiction and enforcement of any legal claims associated with this matter asserted by Advanta-STAR in the United States Federal District Court in Portand, Oregon; and 3) service of process of any legal claims asserted by Advanta-STAR associated with this matter may be accomplished by First-Class Postage by the United States Postal Service or comparable service. XPYNN-M34HG 2a06:98c0:3600::103 2024/12/04

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Nissan Leaf and the Tesla Model 3, based on reliability, safety and performance.