Compare the2026 Dodge ChargerVS 2026 Nissan Leaf

Both the Charger and Leaf have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Charger has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Leaf’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Charger has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Leaf doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the Charger and the Leaf have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 around view monitors.

The Dodge Charger weighs 447 to 1873 pounds more than the Nissan Leaf. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

There are over 2 times as many Dodge dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Charger’s warranty.

The Charger has more powerful engines than the Leaf:

As tested in Car and Driver the Dodge Charger is faster than the Leaf +:

The Charger Daytona Scat Pack 305 Tires on electricity, only, can travel longer on electricity, only, on a full charge than the Leaf Platinum+ (267 miles vs. 259 miles).

The Charger Scat Pack’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Leaf doesn’t offer launch control.

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

The Charger stops much shorter than the Leaf:

For better traction, the Charger has larger standard tires than the Leaf (275/40R20 vs. 215/55R18). The Charger’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Leaf (F:305/35R20 & R:325/35R20 vs. 235/45R19).

The Charger Scat Pack’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Leaf’s standard 55 series tires. The Charger’s optional tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Leaf Platinum+’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Charger has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Leaf. The Leaf’s largest wheels are only 19-inches.

The Charger offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The Leaf’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Charger’s wheelbase is 15.1 inches longer than on the Leaf (121 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Charger is 5.9 inches wider in the front and 6.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Leaf.

The Charger Daytona Scat Pack Four-Door handles at .97 G’s, while the Leaf Platinum+ pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The front grille of the Charger uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Leaf doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Charger has 11.1 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Leaf (103.1 vs. 92).

The Charger has .2 inches more front legroom, 3.1 inches more front hip room, 3.5 inches more front shoulder room, 5.4 inches more rear legroom, 4.6 inches more rear hip room and 2.9 inches more rear shoulder room than the Leaf.

The Charger has a much larger cargo volume than the Leaf with its rear seat up (22.7 vs. 20 cubic feet).

The Charger has a much larger cargo volume than the Leaf with its rear seat up (22.7 vs. 20 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Charger. The Leaf doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Charger uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Leaf uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The power windows standard on both the Charger and the Leaf have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Charger is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Leaf prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Charger’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Leaf’s passenger windows don’t open or close automatically.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Charger to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Leaf doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

The Charger’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Leaf Platinum+.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Charger keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Leaf doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Charger has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the Leaf Platinum+.

The Charger’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The Leaf doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.

Both the Charger and the Leaf offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Charger has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Leaf doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Dodge Charger comes in coupe and four door hatchback bodystyles; the Nissan Leaf isn’t available as a coupe or four door.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Dodge Charger retains 47.49% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 35.47% resale value of the 2026 Nissan Leaf after five years, which can save the Dodge’s owner.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Charger as the 2026 North American Car of the Year. The Leaf has never been chosen.

The Dodge Charger outsold the Nissan Leaf by 86% during 2025.