Compare the2026 Nissan Leaf VS 2026 Toyota C-HR

Both the Leaf and the C-HR 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, 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, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

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 C-HR is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 31 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is ranked 17th, below the industry average.

On the EPA test cycle the Leaf gets better mileage than the C-HR:

			MPGe
Leaf
		S+ Electric Motor	131 city/111 hwy
		SV+ Electric Motor	122 city/105 hwy
C-HR
		SE Electric Motors	127 city/107 hwy
		XSE Electric Motors	122 city/102 hwy

The Leaf can travel longer on a full charge than the C-HR on a full charge:

			Miles
Leaf
		S+ Electric Motor	303 miles
		SV+ Electric Motor	288 miles
C-HR
		SE Electric Motors	287 miles
		XSE Electric Motors	273 miles

The Leaf has a standard locking charge port, which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The C-HR doesn’t have a locking charge port. A locking charge port prevents tampering and damage.

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

	Leaf	C-HR
Front Rotors	13.8 inches	12.9 inches

The Leaf’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the C-HR SE’s standard 60 series tires. The Leaf Platinum+’s tires have a lower 45 series profile than the C-HR XSE’s 50 series tires.

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 C-HR doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Leaf Platinum+ handles at .81 G’s, while the C-HR XSE pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Leaf’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the C-HR’s (35.4 feet vs. 36 feet).

The Nissan Leaf may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 350 pounds less than the Toyota C-HR.

The Leaf is 4.5 inches shorter than the C-HR, making the Leaf easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Leaf has .8 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom and 6.7 inches more rear hip room than the C-HR.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Leaf’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The C-HR doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

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 C-HR doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Leaf’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the C-HR’s headlights are rated “Poor.”

The Nissan Leaf has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located for the driver. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the C-HR XSE.

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 C-HR doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.