Compare the2026 Nissan Leaf VS 2026 Volvo EX40

The Nissan Leaf has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help 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 EX40 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Nissan Leaf achieved a “Acceptable” rating - the second highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Volvo EX40 has not been tested.

Both the Leaf and the EX40 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

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 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Nissan Leaf is safer than the EX40:

	Leaf	EX40
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Structure	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	78	129
Neck Tension	156 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.46 in
Shoulder Force	223 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.83 in	1.65 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	9 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	469 lbs.	1182 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	188	387
Neck Tension	67 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	178 lbs.	290 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.79 in	1.5 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	10 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	446 lbs.	692 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The Nissan Leaf achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The EX40 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Nissan’s powertrain warranty covers the Leaf 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Volvo covers the EX40. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the EX40 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 4 times as many Nissan dealers as there are Volvo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Leaf’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Volvo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 89 more problems per 100 vehicles, Volvo is ranked 29th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volvo With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Volvo.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Volvo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Nissan 9 places higher in reliability than Volvo.

On the EPA test cycle the Leaf gets better mileage than the EX40:

			MPGe
Leaf
	FWD	S+ Electric Motor	131 city/111 hwy
		SV+ Electric Motor	122 city/105 hwy
EX40
	FWD	Single Electric Motor	118 city/94 hwy
	AWD	Twin Electric Motors	103 city/85 hwy

The Leaf can travel longer on a full charge than the EX40 on a full charge:

			Miles
Leaf
	FWD	S+ Electric Motor	303 miles
EX40
	FWD	Single Electric Motor	296 miles
	AWD	Twin Electric Motors	260 miles

For better stopping power the Leaf’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the EX40:

	Leaf	EX40
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	13.6 inches

The Leaf’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the EX40 are solid, not vented.

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 EX40 doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better maneuverability, the Leaf’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the EX40’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.4 feet).

The Nissan Leaf may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 450 pounds less than the Volvo EX40.

The design of the Nissan Leaf amounts to more than styling. The Leaf has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .26 Cd. That is significantly lower than the EX40 (.329) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Leaf get better fuel mileage.

The Leaf has 2.3 inches more front headroom and 1.5 inches more front legroom than the EX40.

The Leaf has a much larger cargo volume than the EX40 with its rear seat up (20 vs. 18.9 cubic feet).

The Leaf Platinum+’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 EX40 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Leaf Platinum+ has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, navigation instruction, infotainment and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The EX40 doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 EX40 doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Leaf Platinum+ has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The EX40 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.