Electric Value Shootout: Really, The 2022 Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona EV Both Shine

The Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona EV are already reasonbly affordable, even without the tax credits.

The Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona EV are on the lower end of the pricing spectrum. Sure, they are not the least expensive, but they sit in the sweet spot of the segment for many. Dismissing the state and federal tax credits (which is not a direct discount), the Nissan Leaf and Hyundai Kona EV have a base price of $27,000 (low range) Leaf and $34,000 for the base Kona. Keep in mind, though, that’s not the whole story.

If you give them similar equipment, things change.

The base model Nissan Leaf S comes with a 40 kWh battery, good for up to 150 miles. In this video, we have the 2022 Nissan Leaf SL Plus with the 62 KwH battery that can go up to 215 miles. Opt for a less expensive S Plus and the rating goes up to 226 miles. Ours was the SL Plus, which has a base price of $37,400.

Our Hyundai Kona comes standard with a 64 kWh battery, good for a maximum range of 258 miles. The tester was a loaded Limited that has a base price of $42,500. Opt for the base SEL Kona EV, you’ll get the same range for $34,000.

As for the performance, things are even closer – in some ways. The Kona makes 201 horsepower, and the Nissan Leaf makes 207 hp. Considering that the Nissan Leaf outweighs the Kona by about 100 lbs, they are very close to power/weight. Interestingly, while the Nissan has more usable passenger space, the Kona’s maximum cargo space is 45.8 cubic feet, with the seats folded. That’s a lot more than the Nissan Leaf’s max space of 30 cu-ft. That mainly has to do with the rear seats not folding completely flat.

2022 Nissan Leaf

Is older better?

We expected the more modern, tech-focused Hyundai to finish off the Nissan, but that simply wasn’t the case. In this video, you’ll see why we feel the ride and comfort of the Leaf is more than competitive. Sure, that Kona EV had gobs of slick tech, and it felt sportier, but the Leaf wasn’t embarrassed.

Check out this video to see what I mean!