Six of the best Nissan Leaf alternatives for 2025

Nissan pioneered the world of electric cars with the Mk1 Leaf, but we’ve been waiting a long time to see its success repeated. Well, the new 2025 Leaf could be the car to do that – it has sleek, aerodynamic good looks, a posh interior and up to 375 miles of range – all for a really competitive price tag that we expect will start at around £30,000.

But you can’t buy one yet – order books will open later in 2025 with first deliveries towards the end of the year. So what if you need a new car – now?

Luckily there are some fantastic options available. All of these electric cars have a long range, space for the family and are nice to drive, too. We’ve even chucked in a wildcard just to show you how far your money can go these days.

Whether you’re hanging on to turn over a new Leaf or whether you want your next set of wheels now, you can buy buy a brand new or used car right here on Carwow. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Kia EV3

The EV3’s headline feature is its long range – a Leaf-matching 375 miles when paired with the larger of its two batteries. The big-battery model costs from just over £36,000 – only £3,000 more than the 270-mile ‘Standard Range’ car, so it’s a bit of a no-brainer.

Eye-catching looks and a really practical, boxy body give the EV3 an edge – its boot is larger than the Leaf’s, and more useful for carrying larger items thanks to the Nissan’s sloping tailgate. The EV3 is pretty ordinary to drive, though, so it won’t excite you – but it does slide pretty effortlessly into daily life.

Mini Aceman

The all-electric Aceman is Mini’s entry into the small SUV segment, and it doesn’t really have practicality as a priority. The rear seats are tight and the boot is just 300 litres – smaller than most hatchbacks. The longest-range model will only do 251 miles on a charge, too, making it much more of a city car than the leggy Leaf.

But the Aceman is a feelgood option thanks to its cute looks, posh badge and fantastic interior. It’s also a bit of a laugh in the corners – something which we’re not really expecting the Leaf to be. And with a starting price of less than £29,000, it’s cheap, too.

Skoda Elroq

The Elroq is such a good car that our sister publication Auto Express has recently named it ‘Car of the Year’. It’s very closely aligned with the Leaf in terms of specs – the boot is slightly larger at 470 litres vs 437, while the maximum range is just a tiny bit down at 355 miles versus 375.

The Elroq’s calling card is its clever interior – it’s loaded with neat touches like hidden umbrellas, waste bins in the door pockets and even a so-simple-it’s-brilliant pocket underneath the parcel shelf to store the charging cable. With a starting price of just over £31,000 – or just under £39,000 for the longest-ranged model, it’s likely to be a close alternative to the Leaf on pricing.

Volvo EX30

Volvo’s smallest SUV doesn’t quite have the range of the new Leaf, with the biggest-battery model topping out at 295 miles. And with a fairly cramped interior it’s unlikely to be the ideal car for a growing family. If there’s just one or two of you, though, this is a seriously cool small SUV that’s great to drive.

The interior won’t be to everyone’s tastes thanks to the touchscreen that controls everything, but build quality and design feel a cut above the more workaday cars in this list. And because it’s a Volvo you know it’ll be safe, too.

Volkswagen ID3

The ID3 may be a hatchback rather than a small SUV but its tall roofline and square shape mean it’s still nice and spacious inside. Opt for a Pro S model – still under £40,000 to avoid the expensive car road tax supplement – and you get 352 miles of range and plenty of equipment in a cool, minimalist interior.

After its mid-life update the ID3 became much easier to use thanks to a revamped touchscreen, and thanks to its rear-wheel drive chassis it’s even quite enjoyable in the corners. In a nutshell, it’s just like having an electric Golf – and what’s wrong with that?

Wildcard: used BMW iX

Setting your budget to between £30-£40,000 and your fuel type to electric brings up a whole load of cars you might never have expected. You could have a Tesla Model X SUV, for example, a posh Polestar 2 or even a Porsche Taycan. But we’ve opted for an example of one of our favourite large electric cars – the BMW iX.

We found a 2022 iX xDrive50 for just under £31,000. It has relatively high mileage, but that just means you can afford the much larger 111kWh battery, giving you a maximum range of 380 miles. The iX is fantastic to drive and has a super-luxurious interior. It’s far from pretty, but it’s a heck of a lot of car for this kind of money.

Car change? Carwow!

Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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