Compare the2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E VS 2023 Nissan Leaf

Both the Mustang Mach-E and Leaf have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Mustang Mach-E has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Leaf’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Mustang Mach-E has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Leaf doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Mustang Mach-E offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Leaf doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Mustang Mach-E and the Leaf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E weighs 494 to 1453 pounds more than the Nissan Leaf. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its available headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Mustang Mach-E the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2022, a rating granted to only 175 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Leaf has not been fully tested, yet.

There are almost 3 times as many Ford dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Mustang Mach-E’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

The Mustang Mach-E has more powerful engines than the Leaf:

	Horsepower	Torque
Mustang Mach-E electric motor	266 HP	317 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach-E eAWD electric motors	266 HP	428 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach-E ER electric motor	290 HP	317 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD electric motors	346 HP	428 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach-E GT electric motors	480 HP	600 lbs.-ft.
Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition electric motors	480 HP	634 lbs.-ft.
Leaf electric motor	147 HP	236 lbs.-ft.
Leaf PLUS electric motor	214 HP	250 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Mustang Mach-E is faster than the Leaf PLUS:

	Mustang Mach-E ER	Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD	Leaf
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	4.8 sec	6.5 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	13.4 sec	15.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	96.8 MPH	103.5 MPH	93.3 MPH

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD electric motors is faster than the Nissan Leaf 0.0:

	Mustang Mach-E	Leaf
Zero to 30 MPH	2.3 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.3 sec	8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	2.6 sec	4.5 sec
Quarter Mile	13.9 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	101 MPH	87 MPH

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mustang Mach-E ER eAWD is faster than the Nissan Leaf 0.0:

	Mustang Mach-E	Leaf
Zero to 30 MPH	2.3 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	5.3 sec	8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	2.6 sec	4.5 sec
Quarter Mile	13.9 sec	16.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	101 MPH	87 MPH

The Mustang Mach-E can travel longer on a full charge than the Leaf on a full charge:

			Miles
Mustang Mach-E
	RWD	ER Electric Motor	310 miles
		Electric Motor	247 miles
	AWD	CA Route 1 Electric Motors	312 miles
		ER Electric Motors	290 miles
		Electric Motors	224 miles
		GT Electric Motors	270 miles
		Performance Edition Electric Motors	260 miles
Leaf
	FWD	SV PLUS Electric Motor	212 miles
		Electric Motor	149 miles

For better stopping power the Mustang Mach-E’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Leaf:

	Mustang Mach-E	Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition	Leaf
Front Rotors	14.2 inches	15.2 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	12.4 inches	12.4 inches	11.5 inches

The Mustang Mach-E stops much shorter than the Leaf:

	Mustang Mach-E	Leaf
70 to 0 MPH	158 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	109 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	142 feet	145 feet	Consumer Reports

For better traction, the Mustang Mach-E has larger standard tires than the Leaf (225/60R18 vs. 205/55R16). The Mustang Mach-E GT’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Leaf (245/45R20 vs. 215/50R17).

The Mustang Mach-E GT’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 PLUS’ 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Mustang Mach-E has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S. The Mustang Mach-E GT’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Leaf SV PLUS.

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Mustang Mach-E 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 Mustang Mach-E has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Leaf’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Mustang Mach-E offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Leaf’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Mustang Mach-E’s wheelbase is 11.2 inches longer than on the Leaf (117.5 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Mustang Mach-E is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

The Mustang Mach-E’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (48.7% to 51.3%) than the Leaf’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the Mustang Mach-E more stable handling and braking.

The Mustang Mach-E GT handles at .92 G’s, while the Leaf pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the Mustang Mach-E uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Leaf doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Mustang Mach-E has 11.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Leaf (104 vs. 92.4).

The Mustang Mach-E has 1.2 inches more front legroom, 3.7 inches more front hip room, 3.3 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 4.6 inches more rear legroom, 3.2 inches more rear hip room and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Mustang Mach-E Premium/GT’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Leaf doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening liftgate.

When three different drivers share the Mustang Mach-E Premium/CA RT 1/GT, the memory system makes it convenient for all three. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position, outside mirror angle and radio stations. The Leaf doesn’t offer a memory system.

The Mustang Mach-E Premium/CA RT 1/GT’s standard easy entry system glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Leaf doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Mustang Mach-E’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 Mustang Mach-E and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Mustang Mach-E 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 Mustang Mach-E’s front and rear power windows all 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.

If the windows are left open on the Mustang Mach-E the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Leaf can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Mustang Mach-E’s exterior PIN entry system. The Leaf doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system.

The Mustang Mach-E’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Leaf’s power window (except driver window) and power lock switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The Mustang Mach-E’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. 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 Mustang Mach-E’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Leaf S’ standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

Consumer Reports rated the Mustang Mach-E’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Leaf’s headlights, which were rated “Poor” to “Good” (depending on model and options).

The Mustang Mach-E’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Leaf SV PLUS.

The Mustang Mach-E 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 Mustang Mach-E’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.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Mustang Mach-E has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Leaf doesn’t offer rear vents.

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

The Mustang Mach-E’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Leaf doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Mustang Mach-E will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Mustang Mach-E will retain 45.8% to 46.58% of its original price after five years, while the Leaf only retains 31.29% to 31.72%.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its July 2021 issue and the Ford Mustang Mach-E Select 4 won out over the Nissan Leaf.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Mustang Mach-E as the 2021 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The Leaf has never been chosen.

The Ford Mustang Mach-E outsold the Nissan Leaf by over three to one during 2022.