2023 Nissan Leaf Review

5/5

Overview

It was not so long ago that seeing an all electric car on the roads was a distinct rarity. This changed when Nissan launched the Leaf in 2011. It was the first electric car aimed at normal drivers, all be it ones that wanted to get ahead of the game on EV adoption. Slightly quirky, practical and at a reasonable price the Leaf made a big impact. In fact some 577,000 Leafs have been sold globally since its launch.

The latest 2022 version of the Leaf has an updated body-style and various other improvements. But while the new Leaf has changed a little, the competitive market has changed a lot with major traditional manufacturers now almost all having an all electric offering as well as cars from EV specialists such as Tesla and Polestar coming into play.

So does the latest version of the Leaf have what it takes to appeal to a fast growing pool of EV drivers and does it still have enough appeal to tempt motorists away from petrol, diesel or hybrid options?
Pros
  • Well specified
  • Practical
  • Good safety features
Cons
  • Range still an issue
  • Disappointing interior finish
  • Budget version lacks power

Exterior

The USP of the original Leaf was that it was an all-electric car when this was something of a novelty. As such the way the Leaf looked was not really that important, indeed many buyers would have been quiet happy that it stood out as looking slightly odd in the supermarket car park. With the landscape now very different Nissan has redesigned the Leaf exterior to give it wider appeal, although retaining much of the original shape.

The new exterior features a new nose, with a blanked-off centre panel where a grille may normally be. There is also new front and rear light configurations and bumpers. The overall effect is that the car now looks more substantial and has more road presence.

New 16 or 17-inch alloys add to the style and the Leaf now has much more in terms of colour options, while the use of two tone trim adds to the improved look. The Leaf is still not a head turner when it comes to looks, but the newer versions are certainly much more pleasing on the eye.

Interior

You do not get that feeling of quality and comfort from the Leaf that you do when you sit in some of its rivals. The trim feels a little basic although the instrumentation is all very well laid out and practical.

An 8" multi-touch display infotainement system is the main feature of the dash which like many systems also has some tactile manual controls. The system features sat-navigation and easily hooks up to either Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system is easy to use and graphics are clear.

The front seats offer plenty of space and a nice elevate driving position to give you a good view of the road. The rear space is also pretty good and way ahead of rivals such as the Mini Electric and Honda E, although headroom would be limited for the very tall. Boot space is also good for a car of this size and there is 60/40 folding seat flexibility for those flat pack purchases.

Performance

The Leaf offers two power options. The 40KWH, 147hp versions seems a little under powered, although for purely city driving it could offer some a good economical solution. The more powerful 62KWH version delivers a more satisfying 214 hp, giving acceleration 0-100 km/h of 7.1 seconds and a maximum speed of 157 km/h. It is adequate performance for a car of this size, although it lacks the zip of some of its rivals.

Of course the performance aspect that most Leaf buyers will be more interested in is the range. Older Leaf models have been criticised for lack of range and Nissan has work hard to improve this. The 40KWH version offers a disappointing 270km range according to Nissan, so in real world driving you would not want to stray too far from home. The 62KWH version offers a more practical 385km range meaning it could cope with longer journeys.

The Leaf offers all the normal charging options with the 40KWH, taking 21 hours to charge from a domestic socket, 7 hours 30 minutes from a 7kW Wallbox, while a 50kW Quick Charger will take the battery from 20 to 80% in around 60 minutes. The corresponding figures for 62KWH are 32 hours, 11 hours 30 minutes and 90 minutes respectively, again disappointing compared to some rivals.

Reliability

Both Nissan as a manufacturer and the Leaf as a model have not fared especially well in recent reliability surveys, tending to finish nearer to the bottom than the top of the tables. That said you do need to factor in the Leaf was a pioneer in the electric vehicle category and so would have encountered teething problems. Hopefully these have now all been well ironed out and you would expect the latest version of the Leaf to benefit from Nissan’s unrivalled EV experience.

Running Costs

This is a low tax, low insurance car that costs relatively little to charge when compared to high petrol or diesel costs. It also benefits from lower servicing costs and Nissan also offers the peace of mind of a comprehensive warranty. This is a 5-year/100,000 km warranty on all EV dedicated components, 3-year/100,000 km for standard components, 12-year anti-corrosion warranty and an 8-year/160,000km warranty on the battery. All this means that if running cost is the overriding factor in vehicle choice, then the Leaf does offer a sensible option.

Handling

Like most EVs ride and handling is excellent on good surfaces and it is only on bumpy rural roads where the suspension can feel a little stiff, especially so on the heavier 62KWH version. The steering seems precise, although the feedback to the driver is limited, while overall grip is very good. 

The car is exceptionally quiet, so your drive is relaxed. In truth the fun element of driving is never great with small electric cars and the Leaf is not designed to excite. There are more agile small electric vehicle available, but they cannot deliver the same levels of practicality as the Leaf.

Safety

One impressive aspect of the Leaf specification is that even the entry level XE version comes with a whole host of Advanced Driver Assistance System features. These include; Cruise Control, Speed Limiter, Blind Spot Warning and intervention, Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Recognition, Intelligent Lane Intervention and Lane Departure Warning. There is also something called Intelligent Trace Control which automatically applies the brakes to keep the car on its
cornering line.

The Leaf also scored a five star rating from Euro NCAP when tested in 2018 when it had a 93% rating for adult safety and an 86% rating for child occupant protection.

Summary

Exterior
80%
Interior
80%
Performance
80%
Reliability
80%
Running Costs
100%
Handling
80%
Safety
100%

With prices ranging from €30,345 for the base XE, up to €35,550 for the premium SVE, which comes with the semi-autonomous ProPILOT driving assistance system, the Leaf is more expensive than traditional fuel alternatives, but does offer value for an EV of this size and spec.

The latest version is much improved over it predecessors, feeling bigger and better to drive. However, its range is still an issue when compared to some of its competitors. The Leaf is not a car to excite you, but it is economical and practical, so will tick lots of boxes for potential buyers. However, while it was once out on its own as a genuine daily use EV, there are now lots of alternatives and you cannot help feeling that even in its latest version, the Leaf is getting a little left behind.