- nissan has added a full suite of driver-assist features, including forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and lane-keeping assist, as standard on every 2020 leaf.
- all models now receive an 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that used to be exclusive to leaf plus models.
- the leaf now sings a slightly different tune under 18.6 mph to warn pedestrians of its presence.
nissan's leaf may not be flashy like the jaguar i-pace or trendy like the tesla model 3, but it's been the low-key ev-for-the-people for years and the 2020 model now comes standard with more tech features. this new equipment comes with a price increase, however slight, to $32,525 for the base leaf s, an increase of $1640 over last year's model.
the 2020 model now comes standard with a suite of driver-assistance features called safety shield 360–a package that's rolled out through much of the japanese automaker's lineup. safety shield 360 includes automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, and rear automatic braking. nissan's also making forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring standard across the leaf lineup.
continuing with the safety-equipment upgrades, driver and front-passenger knee airbags have been added, as has rear side-impact airbags. a 360-degree exterior camera system and a driver attention monitor are now part of the technology package, and to get the leaf's trick propilot assist semi-autonomous driving mode, you'll need to order that package on sv and sl trims.
to help protect pedestrians, nissan has updated the leaf's safety alert tone that plays through an exterior speaker when it's traveling under 18.6 mph. nissan calls the new tone "canto" which is derived from the latin word for "i sing." careful there, nissan. this is the ev for the people, remember?
speaking of people, here's something potential buyers will care about: infotainment upgrades. all leaf models will now feature the 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen from the plus trim in place of last year's standard 5.0-inch standard screen and the 7.0-inch optional unit. apple carplay and android auto are both standard features.
the base leaf s starts at $32,525 while the sv starts at $35,115. the plus models–which feature bigger battery packs and longer driving ranges–cost more. the s plus carries a $39,125 price, the midrange sv plus starts at $40,675, and the top-dog sl plus costs $44,825. all 2020 leaf models are on sale now at a nissan dealership near you.