The redesigned Nissan Leaf contains several Easter eggs referencing the 300ZX.

      Joel Feder

      

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      The blue 1990 Nissan 300ZX (Z32) shown above resides in my garage. Meanwhile, the 2026 Nissan Leaf parked beside it served as my test vehicle for a week. As I spent more time with it, I noticed numerous design elements from the Z32 that have influenced the second-generation Leaf. It’s intriguing and, honestly, a bold decision. Well done, Nissan.

      Let’s take a closer look.

      At first glance, the most apparent design link between the two is the taillight shape. The LED oval outlines on the Leaf clearly take inspiration from the Z32’s taillights. The Leaf’s horizontal features resemble the running, brake, and turn signals of the Z32, while the vertical ovals align with the Z32’s shorter reverse lights.

      Looking past the lights, the Leaf displays the word "Nissan" in lettering on a black plastic panel between its taillights. This design choice is directly borrowed from the Z32, which also features "300ZX" on a similar black plastic panel. The Z32 even had "Nissan" written on its rear, albeit smaller and located on the upper-left side of the hatch. The Leaf mirrors this with its model name displayed on the lower left of the hatch. Above all this, both the Z32 300ZX and the Leaf feature a third brake light at the center of the hatch lip.

      I was pleasantly surprised to find the subtler design influences on the Leaf’s front end. The shape of the Leaf’s LED headlight housing is a horizontal rectangle, mirroring that of the Z32 300ZX’s high beams, which are also horizontal rectangles situated just inside the projector-style low beams. Earlier models of the Z32 300ZX had what many called "the mustache," featuring a black plastic surround around the running and driving lights in the middle of the front bumper. This area was painted on some later versions. The Leaf incorporates a similar design with a black plastic trim that connects the LED headlight housings across the front, creating a top-to-bottom loop.

      Much subtler is the design reference to the 300ZX within the Leaf’s interior. It’s uncommon for modern vehicles to feature cloth as trim on dashboards and doors, yet the Leaf does. The 300ZX also utilized cloth for its dashboard, doors, and center console. While the materials aren’t identical, upon closer inspection, the Leaf does exhibit a fine tweed-like texture, similar to the tweed used in the 300ZX.

      I recently discovered that some of the engineers from the latest Z project were reassigned to work on the Leaf. Nissan claims the EV boasts an 80% stiffer structure and generates 25% less vibration than its predecessor, though these assertions are somewhat difficult to verify without comparing both vehicles.

      Examining the new Z, the 300ZX in my garage, and the Leaf suggests that Nissan is drawing inspiration from its successful era in the 1990s. Even the Xterra is making a comeback, and the Pathfinder may return to a body-on-frame design. If this is the direction Nissan is heading, I’m all in.

      Do you have a tip about a vehicle design that includes nostalgic features? Reach out to us at [email protected]