With the 2027 Nissan LEAF S, Nissan Canada is reclaiming a title it’s held in the past. Long rumoured and now officially coming to dealers later this fall, the new base trim joining the EV lineup for 2027 carries an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Starting Retail Price) of $34,998.
That price tag makes the LEAF S some $2,000 more appealing to budget-conscious EV buyers than the next-up 2027 Kia EV3, just introduced in Canada. It’s also a whopping $10,200 cheaper than the next-lowest trim in the 2027 LEAF lineup, the S+.
Once mandatory freight, preparation, and dealer fees are factored in, the LEAF S features an advertised selling price of $37,966 before taxes.
EV incentive
That’s not all. Eligible buyers can apply the federal $5,000 Electric Vehicle Affordability Program (EVAP) incentive, effectively pushing its post-rebate sticker price below the $30,000 threshold. Once you hit that target, you’re no longer just competitive with other small EVs, you’re going straight at similarly sized, gas-powered subcompacts.
Compromises in range and power
As you can guess, getting to that aggressive price point required a few… trade-offs. Namely, on the performance front. While the higher LEAF S+ and top-tier trims use a 75-kWh battery pack and produce 214 hp, the base S trim makes do with a smaller 53-kWh battery and a 130-kW electric motor generating 174 hp and 254 lb-ft of torque.
As for range, well, there the cut goes even deeper. Nissan estimates the LEAF S can travel up to 341 km on a single charge, considerably less than the 488-km maximum offered by the S+.
DC fast charging from 10 to 80 percent is expected to take 35 minutes. Home charging will also require a bit more patience: the S trim retains a 7.2-kW onboard charger rather than the upgraded 11-kW unit found on higher-tier models, which reduces Level 2 charge times by up to 35 percent.
Winter-ready standard equipment
At least, Nissan held on to essential cold-weather technology. A heat pump, battery heater, heated front seats and active thermal battery management are all standard. The thermal system, by the way, was specifically validated during winter testing in Quebec to ensure real-world efficiency in harsh Canadian conditions.
Like the other LEAFs, The LEAF S has dual charging connections, with a driver-side J1772 port for Level 1 and Level 2 charging matched by a passenger-side NACS port for direct access to fast-charging networks, including Tesla Superchargers. Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) bidirectional charging capability of up to 1,500 watts is also included.
Inside, the cabin features dual 12.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and infotainment, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 5G Wi-Fi, and Nissan’s ProPILOT Assist driver-assistance suite.
Beyond that, there are a few further compromises to help bring the asking price down. The S features manual cloth seats and a 4-speaker audio setup, but no rear-seat air vents. Cargo space is unchanged, with 566 litres of volume behind the rear seats, expanding to 1,572 litres when folded.
Giving customers what they want
The arrival of the LEAF S addresses growing consumer demand for low-cost electrification, particularly as on the horizon loom a number of budget-focused Chinese electric vehicles preparing their invasion of North America. Even before that happens, the LEAF will have to contend with a closely related sibling model, the upcoming 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback.
The 2027 Nissan LEAF models, including the new base LEAF S, are set to arrive at Canadian dealerships this fall.
Full 2027 Nissan LEAF pricing in Canada
- - 2027 LEAF S - $34,998 CAD (MSRP)
- - 2027 LEAF S+ - $45,198
- - 2027 LEAF SV+ - $48,198
- - 2027 LEAF Platinum+ - $52,998