Compare the2026 Nissan LeafVS 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 6

The Nissan Leaf has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Ioniq 6 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Leaf has standard Secondary Collision Mitigation Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Ioniq 6 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Leaf and the Ioniq 6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available front parking sensors.

There are over 25 percent more Nissan dealers than there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Leaf’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are better in initial quality than Hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Nissan second in initial quality, above the industry average. With 4 more problems per 100 vehicles, Hyundai is ranked third.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Nissan vehicles are more reliable than Hyundai With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Nissan higher than Hyundai.

On the EPA test cycle the Leaf gets better mileage than the Ioniq 6:

The Leaf can travel longer on a full charge than the Ioniq 6 on a full charge:

For better stopping power the Leaf’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Ioniq 6:

The Leaf’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Ioniq 6 are solid, not vented.

For better maneuverability, the Leaf’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Ioniq 6’s (35.4 feet vs. 38.8 feet).

The Leaf is 1 foot, 5.7 inches shorter than the Ioniq 6, making the Leaf easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Leaf has .3 inches more rear headroom and .4 inches more rear hip room than the Ioniq 6.

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Leaf to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for tire rotation, based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Hyundai doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Ioniq 6.

The Leaf’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Ioniq 6’s available power window controls are spread out on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

The Leaf’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ioniq 6’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Leaf’s power mirror controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The Ioniq 6’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

Both the Leaf and the Ioniq 6 offer available heated front seats. The Leaf Platinum+ also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Ioniq 6.

The Nissan Leaf has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located for the driver. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Hyundai charges extra for Homelink® on the Ioniq 6.