2021 Nissan Leaf Plus — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $17,000–$24,000. There is 1 high-severity known issue you need to know before handing over a check.
Kestrel Take
An affordable, practical EV with real range — the Leaf Plus (62 kWh) offers 200+ miles for a low price. The critical caveat: the Leaf lacks active battery thermal management, so packs degrade faster in hot climates, and it uses the older CHAdeMO fast-charging standard (fewer chargers). A Leaf Plus from a mild climate with a healthy battery is a cheap, sensible EV; check the battery health bars carefully and factor in the charging standard.
Known Issues for the 2021 Nissan Leaf Plus
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents.
The Leaf's air-cooled battery degrades faster than actively-cooled EVs, especially in hot climates; check the capacity bars and range carefully. A hot-climate Leaf can lose significant range.
Repair cost range: $0 under warranty / expensive out
The Leaf uses the fading CHAdeMO DC standard; fewer public fast chargers support it. Know your charging options.
Repair cost range: N/A
Repeated fast-charging heats the uncooled pack and can slow charging; a known Leaf trait.
Repair cost range: N/A
EV weight wears tires; budget accordingly.
Repair cost range: $400-$800
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Significant capacity-bar loss
- ✗Hot-climate history
- ✗No battery warranty remaining
- ✗Salvage title
Good Signs
- ✓Full/near-full capacity bars
- ✓Mild-climate car
- ✓Remaining battery warranty
Found a specific Nissan Leaf Plus?
This page covers what goes wrong on the 2021 Nissan Leaf Plus in general. The Kestrel report covers this specific car— the asking price vs. market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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