The 2023 Nissan Leaf blooms into one other mannequin 12 months, with a freshened face however a mannequin line pared down to simply two trims from 5 final 12 months, Nissan introduced Tuesday upfront of the New York Worldwide Auto Present. 

The modifications are principally beauty, with a blacked-out entrance fascia as an alternative of the chrome wings of its predecessor. Nissan illuminates the badge up entrance, and the SV Plus will get commonplace 17-inch wheels with a cool pinwheel design that includes 5 units of six fingers. Much less apparent modifications improve aerodynamics. 

The inside options new graphics within the cluster, however the largest modifications add as much as what is not there: solely the Leaf S and Leaf SV Plus grades stay for 2023, with Nissan discontinuing the SV, S Plus, and SL Plus grades. 

The bottom and Plus mannequin had been differentiated by battery sizes: The Leaf S has a 40-kwh battery and 147-hp electrical motor, and a  vary of 149 miles; the Leaf SV Plus makes use of a 60-kwh battery and 214-hp motor for 226 miles. Each fashions are front-wheel drive. 

The SV Plus mannequin comes with extra subtle options, together with Nissan’s restricted hands-free driver-assist system that makes use of adaptive cruise management and lively lane management that may come to a whole cease in site visitors then restart and attain the set pace with out driver intervention. 

The minor modifications for 2023 conspire with a slimmed down lineup to counsel that the Leaf’s waning gross sales would possibly result in its exit. However in these supply-constrained occasions, the unique EV plugs into at the very least yet another mannequin 12 months. 

The Leaf hatchback that launched in 2010 has gotten modest upgrades through the years, however the onslaught of electrical crossovers starting from the Chevy Bolt and Tesla Mannequin Y to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Ford Mustang Mach-E, has relegated the Leaf to a funds electrical automobile.

There’s nothing fallacious with that given the report new automobile costs peaking at greater than $46,000. That is about the start line for many new electrical crossovers, together with the most recent twins within the 2023 Subaru Solterra and 2023 Toyota BZ4X. Nissan mentioned the Leaf S and its restricted vary ought to begin close to the 2022 Nissan Leaf’s beginning value of under $29,000, together with vacation spot. Improbably, the Leaf nonetheless qualifies for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit score, in addition to out there state incentives that make it probably the most reasonably priced EV in the marketplace. 

Pricing is anticipated earlier than the 2023 Nissan Leaf’s summer season sale date.