Compare the2023 Mazda MX-30VS 2023 Nissan Leaf

Both the MX-30 and the Leaf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mazda MX-30 is safer than the Nissan Leaf:

	MX-30	Leaf
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	123	216
Neck Injury Risk	22%	26%
Neck Stress	238 lbs.	250 lbs.
Neck Compression	11 lbs.	11 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	205/265 lbs.	393/348 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	158	270
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	29%	49%
Neck Compression	62 lbs.	86 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	166/168 lbs.	209/461 lbs.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mazda above average in long-term dependability. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Nissan is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Mazda vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mazda fourth in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 15th.

For better stopping power the MX-30’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Leaf:

	MX-30	Leaf
Front Rotors	12.8 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	11.9 inches	11.5 inches

The MX-30 stops much shorter than the Leaf:

	MX-30	Leaf
70 to 0 MPH	166 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver

For better traction, the MX-30 has larger tires than the Leaf (215/55R18 vs. 205/55R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the MX-30 has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S. The Leaf’s largest wheels are only 17-inches.

The MX-30 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 better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the MX-30 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and .5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

The MX-30 Premium Plus handles at .84 G’s, while the Leaf pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The MX-30 is 3.1 inches shorter than the Leaf, making the MX-30 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The front grille of the MX-30 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 MX-30 has 3 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more front shoulder room and .2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

When two different drivers share the MX-30, the memory seats and mirrors make it convenient for both. Each setting activates different, customized memories for the driver’s seat position and outside mirror angle. The Leaf doesn’t offer a memory system.

The MX-30 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Leaf doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The MX-30’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 MX-30’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 MX-30’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 MX-30’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.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the MX-30 has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Leaf doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The MX-30’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.

When the MX-30 is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Leaf’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The MX-30’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Leaf offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The MX-30 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.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the MX-30 has standard rear heat vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Leaf doesn’t offer rear vents.

The MX-30 has a 115-volt a/c outlet, 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.