Compare the2024 Toyota bZ4XVS 2024 Nissan Leaf

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

Safety

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The bZ4X has a standard Secondary Collision Brake, which automatically applies 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 bZ4X has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Leaf doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the bZ4X and Leaf have rear cross-traffic warning, but the bZ4X has Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Leaf’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the bZ4X and the Leaf 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, 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.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Toyota bZ4X is safer than the Leaf:

	bZ4X	Leaf
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	105	211
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	201 lbs.
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.51 in	1.14 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	245 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	870 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.63 in	1.54 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	335 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.18 in	1.38 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	647 lbs.	937 lbs.

Warranty

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the bZ4X for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota will pay for tire rotations, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Leaf.

There are over 15 percent more Toyota dealers than there are Nissan dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the bZ4X’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 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 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Nissan vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Nissan is ranked 17th.

Engine

The bZ4X’s standard electric motor produces 54 more horsepower (201 vs. 147) than the Leaf’s standard electric motor.

As tested in Motor Trend the Toyota bZ4X electric motor is faster than the Nissan Leaf 0.0:

	bZ4X	Leaf
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter Mile	15.4 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	89.9 MPH	87.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the bZ4X gets better mileage than the Leaf:

			MPGe
bZ4X
	FWD	XLE Electric Motor	131 city/107 hwy
		Limited Electric Motor	121 city/102 hwy
Leaf
	FWD	Electric Motor	123 city/99 hwy
		SV PLUS Electric Motor	121 city/98 hwy

The bZ4X can travel longer on a full charge than the Leaf on a full charge:

			Miles
bZ4X
	FWD	XLE Electric Motor	252 miles
		Limited Electric Motor	236 miles
	AWD	XLE Electric Motors	228 miles
		Limited Electric Motors	222 miles
Leaf
	FWD	SV PLUS Electric Motor	212 miles
		Electric Motor	149 miles

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the bZ4X’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Leaf:

	bZ4X	Leaf
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.1 inches
Rear Rotors	12.5 inches	11.5 inches

The bZ4X stops much shorter than the Leaf:

	bZ4X	Leaf
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the bZ4X has larger tires than the Leaf (235/60R18 vs. 205/55R16). The bZ4X XLE’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Leaf (235/60R18 vs. 215/50R17).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the bZ4X XLE has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf S. The bZ4X Limited’s 20-inch wheels are larger than the 17-inch wheels on the Leaf SV PLUS.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Toyota bZ4X 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.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the bZ4X’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Leaf (112.2 inches vs. 106.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the bZ4X is 2.6 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

The bZ4X’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Leaf’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the bZ4X more stable handling and braking.

The bZ4X Limited AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the Leaf pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Passenger Space

The bZ4X has 2.7 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, 1.8 inches more rear legroom and 3.5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the bZ4X’s rear seats recline. The Leaf’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the bZ4X has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or on the bZ4X Limited, by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The Leaf doesn’t offer a power liftgate.

Ergonomics

The bZ4X’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 bZ4X and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the bZ4X 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 bZ4X’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 bZ4X the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. (This window function must be activated by your Toyota service department.) The driver of the Leaf can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The bZ4X’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 bZ4X’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.

The bZ4X’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.

Both the bZ4X and the Leaf offer available heated front seats. The bZ4X Limited also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Leaf.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the bZ4X 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 bZ4X 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 bZ4X’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 bZ4X 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 Toyota bZ4X has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Leaf doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The bZ4X Limited’s Advanced Park 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.

Recommendations

The Toyota bZ4X outsold the Nissan Leaf by 30% during 2023.

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