Compare the2024 Nissan LeafVS 2024 Fiat 500e

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Nissan Leaf are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Fiat 500e doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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 500e doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Nissan Leaf has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The 500e doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Leaf has standard Rear Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The 500e doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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 500e 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.

Both the Leaf and the 500e have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available daytime running lights and driver alert monitors.

The Nissan Leaf weighs 557 to 948 pounds more than the Fiat 500e. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts. Crosswinds also affect lighter cars more.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Leaf 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Fiat covers the 500e. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the 500e ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 3 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Fiat dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Leaf’s warranty.

The Leaf’s standard electric motor produces 29 more horsepower (147 vs. 118) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (236 vs. 162) than the 500e’s electric motor. The Leaf PLUS’ standard electric motor produces 96 more horsepower (214 vs. 118) and 88 lbs.-ft. more torque (250 vs. 162) than the 500e’s electric motor.

The Leaf SV PLUS can travel longer on a full charge than the 500e (212 miles vs. 149 miles).

The Nissan Leaf has standard four-wheel disc brakes for better stopping power and improved directional control in poor weather. Only rear drums come on the 500e. Drums can heat up and make stops longer, especially with antilock brakes that work much harder than conventional brakes.

For better traction, the Leaf SV PLUS’ tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 500e (215/50R17 vs. 205/45R17).

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 500e doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Leaf has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The 500e doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Leaf’s wheelbase is 14.9 inches longer than on the 500e (106.3 inches vs. 91.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Leaf is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 3.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the 500e.

The design of the Nissan Leaf amounts to more than styling. The Leaf has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .28 Cd. That is significantly lower than the 500e (.324) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Leaf get better fuel mileage.

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Leaf a Mid-size car, while the 500e is rated a Compact.

The Leaf has standard seating for 5 passengers; the 500e can only carry 4.

The Leaf has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front hip room, 3.2 inches more front shoulder room, 1.9 inches more rear headroom, 4 inches more rear legroom, 4.8 inches more rear hip room and 4.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the 500e.

The Leaf’s standard power windows have a locking feature to keep children from operating them. Fiat does not offer a locking feature on the 500e’s standard power windows.

The Leaf’s driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The 500e’s power windows’ switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The Leaf SV PLUS has standard heated front seats, which keep the driver and front passenger extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated seats aren’t available in the 500e.

On extremely cold winter days, the Leaf SV PLUS’ standard heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the car heater warms up. The 500e doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

Consumer Reports® chose the Nissan Leaf as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.