Best Alternatives to the Nissan Leaf | U.S. News – U.S. News & World Report

The Kia Niro EV is redesigned for the 2023 model year. It has lots of cargo room and provides an impressive 253 miles of driving range.

This SUV comes in two trims: Wind and Wave. The Wind trim costs $39,550 and has wireless device charging and wireless smartphone integration. For $44,550, you can upgrade to the Wave, which adds amenities like ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, front parking sensors and park assist.

The Niro EV’s electric powertrain features a 64.8-kWh battery pack and an electric motor producing 201 horsepower. Rivals have sportier handling, but the ride quality is comfortable.

The 2023 Chevy Bolt is one of the lowest-priced EVs, with an MSRP of $26,500. And its range is impressive: 259 miles on a full charge.

While the Bolt is a small vehicle, it has solid cargo capacity, and both rows are spacious enough for adults. This Chevy has a powertrain that produces 200 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, providing energetic acceleration.

The Bolt comes in two trims: the 1LT ($26,500) and the 2LT ($29,700). The 1LT is loaded with tech and safety features, and the 2LT adds amenities such as heated front seats and a surround-view parking camera system.

Somewhat confusingly, Chevrolet has two EVs named Bolt. The first is the hatchback in the previous slide. There’s also the Bolt EUV, which is an all-electric SUV with enjoyable handling.

The Bolt EUV is a winner in our 2023 Best Electric SUV for the Money awards. Starting at under 30 grand, it suits price-conscious shoppers, and you get ample value for the money. Also, it provides a competitive driving range, traveling 247 miles on a fully charged battery.

Base models come nicely equipped with a 10.2-inch touch screen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless device charging and automatic climate control. All models have driver aids like forward automatic emergency braking and lane-keep assist.

Though it’s not as affordable as the Leaf, the 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric has a relatively low starting price compared to the rest of the EV field and a respectable 258 miles of range.

The base price for the Kona Electric SE base trim is $33,550. The next level up is the SEL starting at $37,300; the Limited trim is at the top of the line, selling for $41,550.

The base SE trim comes with a slew of comfort, tech and safety features and has advanced driver aids to boot. Hyundai’s Kona Electric seats five and comes with a 201-horsepower engine that provides zippy acceleration.

The Ioniq 6 costs more than the Leaf but gives you appealing advantages for the money. Depending on its powertrain, this Hyundai travels from 240 to 361 miles on a fully charged battery, so it’s an excellent choice if driving range is a priority. The Ioniq 6 also provides a spacious interior, though the cargo capacity is somewhat limited.

Hyundai equips the Ioniq 6 with enticing standard features, including a 12.3-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All models have driver aids like blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and lane-keep assist.

The Polestar 2 has a stylish design and an elegant cabin. The standard powertrain produces 231 horsepower, and a setup with 408 horses is available. This is a fun car to drive, offering responsive steering and composed handling.

This Polestar travels 270 miles on a fully charged battery. There are four different trims, starting with the base-model Standard, priced at $48,400. The trims gain features and luxury all the way up to the top-of-the-line model, the Performance Plus, which starts at $61,600.

Standard features include an 11.2-inch touch screen, navigation, Apple CarPlay and satellite radio.

Ford’s Mustang Mach-E SUV has lively handling and an upscale interior. Its base trim, the Select, is priced at $42,995. Three additional trims complete the line, ending with the GT, priced at nearly $60,000.

Ford offers the 2023 Mustang Mach-E with a choice of two powertrains. The standard setup has 266 horsepower, and you can upgrade to a powertrain with 480 horses. The Mustang Mach-E travels up to 312 miles on a fully charged battery, which is excellent for a non-luxury EV.

Base models have desirable amenities like navigation, a 15.5-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has a good reputation as a value-packed vehicle and comes in four trims. The base model is the SE Standard Range priced at $41,450, providing 168 horsepower.

The other trims – the SE, SEL and Limited – start at $45,500, $47,450 and $52,600, respectively.

The base SE Standard Range model has a range of 220 miles. We recommend upgrading to SE. It boosts the driving range to 303 miles and costs just a couple thousand more than that base model.

All models have a 12.3-inch touch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and blind-spot monitoring.

The Tesla Model 3 offers impressive acceleration, lively handling and graceful styling. Relative to previous models, the current version is a bargain since Tesla has lowered the price in recent months. As of this writing the base 2023 Model 3 starts at $40,240.

This Tesla’s driving range varies from 272 to 358 miles, depending on the powertrain. The entry-level Standard trim has many features and offers good value. It comes with a 15-inch touch screen, navigation, wireless device charging and a Wi-Fi hot spot. It also includes driver aids like blind-spot monitoring, park assist and a surround-view parking camera system.

The Kia EV6 is a winner in our 2023 Best Electric Vehicle for Families awards. With a starting price of $48,700, it’s significantly more expensive than the Leaf but provides benefits that justify the added cost.

Kia’s EV6 treats passengers to a spacious cabin featuring premium materials. Also, this SUV provides a long list of standard driver-assistance features, including blind-spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist and front and rear parking sensors.

The EV6 offers solid driving range, traveling up to 310 miles on a full charge. You also get lively handling with good steering feedback.

For more information on these or other capable EVs, consult our comprehensive new vehicle rankings featuring the opinions of professional automotive journalists.

Our new car deals can tell you what sales incentives automakers are currently offering this month in the form of cash rebates, cut-rate financing and promotional lease programs. Once you’ve decided on a make and model, it pays to take advantage of the U.S. News Best Price Program to receive discounted offers from dealers in your area. On average, buyers save more than $3,000 off MSRP using the program.

• 2023 Kia Niro EV: $39,550 | Overall Score 7.5/10
• 2023 Chevrolet Bolt: $26,500 |U.S. News Overall Score 8.0/10
• 2023 Chevrolet Bolt EUV: $27,800 | Overall Score 8.0/10
• 2023 Hyundai Kona Electric: $33,550 | Overall Score 8.0/10
• 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6: $41,600| Overall Score 8.3/10
• 2023 Polestar 2: $48,400 | Overall Score 8.3/10
• 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E: $42,995 | Overall Score 8.4/10
• 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5: $41,450 | Overall Score 8.5/10
• 2023 Tesla Model 3: $40,240 | Overall Score 8.6/10
• 2023 Kia EV6: $48,700 | Overall Score 8.7/10