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Nissan Leaf

2011-12 models

SIDE IMPACT TEST

OVERALL EVALUATION: Good

	Injury measures			Head protection	Structure/safety cage
	Head/neck	Torso	Pelvis/leg	Head protection	Structure/safety cage
Driver
Rear passenger

Important: Side impact crash test ratings can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories.

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Test details:

The Nissan Leaf was introduced in the 2011 model year. The car is a plug-in battery-electric vehicle with no gasoline or diesel engine to help power the car. It has an average range of 73 miles according to the EPA, beyond which the battery must be recharged. The EPA city and highway values listed below are based on a comparison of the energy content of a kW-hr of electricity vs. a gallon of gasoline.

Injury measures:

Driver — Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity.

Rear passenger — Measures taken from the dummy indicate a low risk of any significant injuries in a crash of this severity.

Head protection:

Driver — The dummy’s head was protected from being hit by any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

Rear passenger — The dummy’s head was protected from being hit by any hard structures, including the intruding barrier, by a side curtain airbag that deployed from the roof.

Watch crash test footage for this vehicle on YouTube Tested model year and trim level only; see "Tested vehicle specifications" below

Left to right:

View of the vehicle and barrier just after the crash test.
View of the vehicle after the crash with doors removed, showing the side airbags and damage to the occupant compartment.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the driver dummy's head was protected from being hit by hard structures by the side curtain airbag.
Smeared greasepaint shows where the rear passenger dummy’s head was protected by the side airbag.

Additional features:

Side airbags: front and rear head curtain airbags and front seat-mounted torso airbags
Electronic stability control
Antilock brakes

Tested vehicle specifications:

2011 Nissan Leaf SV 4-door
Class: Small car
Weight: 3,351 lbs.
Side airbags: standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front seat-mounted torso airbags
Wheelbase: 106 in.
Length: 175 in.
Width: 70 in.
Engine: 80 kW electric motor with 24 kW-hr lithium-ion battery
EPA ratings: 106 mpg city | 92 mpg highway

See all test results for Nissan Leaf

Last updated: November 11, 2011