Pioneering EV returns as an SUV! 2026 Nissan Leaf revealed ahead of global launch, but when will the MG S5 EV and Kia EV3 electric car rival come to Australia?

The fourth-generation Nissan Leaf has been detailed, with an Australian arrival already confirmed and a new SUV-style body shape for the car that put Nissan at the forefront of electric cars more than a decade ago.

The 2026 Nissan Leaf will come to Australia in the 2026 Japanese fiscal year, or between April 1, 2026 and March 31, 2027.

When it arrives, it will boast more than 600km in range thanks to a large battery, a respectable 160kW/355Nm power and torque output and a striking departure in styling from the Leaf hatchback we know.

Those range and power figures are for the longer-range 75kWh battery variant, with a smaller 52kWh battery version set to join it.

The shorter-ranged Leaf is yet to be rated for range, though even the 600km+ figure is estimated for Japan and Europe, so could change before its launch.

Depending on the market, the size of the new Leaf varies, but the Japanese version will be 4360mm long, 1810mm wide and 1550mm tall with a 2690mm wheelbase, putting it roughly in the same playing field as the new Kia EV3.

An estimated drag coefficient of 0.26Cd goes some way to explaining its impressive range and slippery smooth design, but even with the sloping rear the Leaf can hold 420L in its boot, according to Nissan.

It’s a big step up for tech over the current Nissan Leaf e+ and its 385km WLTP range, although outputs remain pretty similar - the e+ coming in at 160kW/340Nm.

The Leaf’s DC fast charging is now 150kW, with Nissan saying it can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in “as little as 35 minutes”.

Inside, the new Leaf gets a big redo, doing away with the dated interior and bringing in a pair of large screens, either dual 12.3-inch or dual 14.3-inch units depending on the grade.

Other niceties include a 10-speaker Bose sound system, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, but some shortcut menus and physical controls remain for ease of use.

More details for the new Leaf will be confirmed for each market closer to their launch dates, with the first to be North America.

The original Leaf started production in 2010 but only arrived in Australia in mid-2012. The second-gen was an overhauled version of the first and it landed here in mid-2019. For a time the Leaf was the world's best-selling EV until it was toppled by the Tesla Model 3.